Natural hazards · Morganton

Morganton, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Morganton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 50 claims here since 1993. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Morganton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Morganton to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Tornadoes11%Everything else21%

By hazard

What Morganton faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Morganton flood?

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

50paid claims since 1993

$6.9Mpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 28 claims, $5.6M
Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Morganton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Burke County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

14flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Morganton

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MorgantonDeclared for Burke County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

9,841 households applied for aid $13.0M aid approved $13.3M to the City of Morganton for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Eta

$104K to the City of Morganton for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$59K to the City of Morganton for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$27K to the City of Morganton for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

38 households applied for aid $31K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

120 households applied for aid $260K aid approved $212K to the City of Morganton for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$70K to the City of Morganton for repairs

Burke County has had 21 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. Morganton covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Morganton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Morganton. 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 Morganton total about $4.4M 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.