Natural hazards · Whiteville

Whiteville, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Whiteville comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Whiteville?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Whiteville to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes61%Inland flooding14%Tornadoes6%Strong wind6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Whiteville faces

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

Hurricanes

61% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Whiteville flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Whiteville.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Columbus County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

62flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Whiteville

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WhitevilleDeclared for Columbus County only

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$46K to the City of Whiteville for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$60K to the City of Whiteville for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

1,809 households applied for aid $2.6M aid approved $1.0M to the City of Whiteville for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1,681 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved $281K to the City of Whiteville for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

205 households applied for aid $48K aid approved $10K to the City of Whiteville for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

831 households applied for aid $999K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

863 households applied for aid $341K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$220K to the City of Whiteville for repairs

Columbus 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. Whiteville is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.