Natural hazards · Morehead

Morehead, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Morehead comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 359 claims here since 1985. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Morehead?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Morehead to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes90%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Morehead faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

90% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

Inland floodingCoastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Morehead flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Morehead, from FEMA’s records.

359paid claims since 1985

$8.7Mpaid to owners

39homes flooded more than once

19852026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 182 claims, $6.8M
Hurricane Ophelia: 62 claims, $590K
Hurricane Floyd: 21 claims, $230K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Morehead is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Carteret County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Morehead

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Morehead itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Morehead.

Brought FEMA money into MoreheadDeclared for Carteret County only

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$27K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$192K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

1,623 households applied for aid $947K aid approved $2.1M to the Town of Morehead for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

6 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $28K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

145 households applied for aid $98K aid approved $162K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$135K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

55 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $85K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$327K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$61K to the Town of Morehead for repairs

Carteret County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Morehead covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Morehead’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Morehead. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Morehead total about $10.7M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.