Hoke County
Population 56,939 (2025) 390 sq mi
39 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Hoke County since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the strongest was Hazel in 1954 (Category 2).
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195011
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger81
- Wildfire burn scars since 19842
At a glance
The record for Hoke County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi
39
39th of 100 in North Carolina
6 at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsTornadoes since 1950
11
59th of 100 in North Carolina
Fewer than the typical North Carolina county, which has had 14
DetailsAcres burned since 1984
1,237
40th of 100 in North Carolina
2 large fires; the largest was Unnamed, 2009
DetailsStrongest tornado
EF3
April 16, 2011, 52.9 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
Cat. 2
Hurricane Hazel, 1954, 37.6 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 6.9 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 16, 2011
EF3, 52.9 mile path
800 yards wide; 2 killed along the whole path.
Most recent
Thursday, May 21, 2020
EF1, 0.2 mile path
6 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| May 21, 2020 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF3 | 52.9 | 176 | 2 |
| Sep 8, 2004 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 7, 2004 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2004 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1995 | F1 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 1990 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1988 | F0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1986 | F2 | 19.0 | 5 | 0 |
| Feb 11, 1981 | F2 | 12.4 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 24, 1975 | F1 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Hoke County: 1.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
39 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 6 at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
October 15, 1954
Hazel, Category 2
37.6 miles at closest approach, winds near 108 mph.
Most recent
August 31, 2023
Idalia, Tropical storm
93.6 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Idalia | 2023 | 93.6 | Tropical storm |
| Ian | 2022 | 6.9 | Post-tropical |
| Elsa | 2021 | 2.8 | Tropical storm |
| Claudette | 2021 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Isaias | 2020 | 50.9 | Category 1 |
| Nestor | 2019 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Michael | 2018 | 42.6 | Tropical storm |
| Florence | 2018 | 68.3 | Tropical storm |
| Matthew | 2016 | 91.7 | Category 1 |
| Hermine | 2016 | 66.8 | Tropical storm |
| Andrea | 2013 | 9.9 | Tropical storm |
| Beryl | 2012 | 76.9 | Tropical storm |
| Hanna | 2008 | 39.4 | Tropical storm |
| Barry | 2007 | 90.3 | Post-tropical |
| Ernesto | 2006 | 64.6 | Tropical storm |
| Alberto | 2006 | 5.3 | Post-tropical |
| Charley | 2004 | 61.7 | Tropical storm |
| Floyd | 1999 | 89.1 | Category 2 |
| Earl | 1998 | 24.4 | Post-tropical |
| Bonnie | 1998 | 85.0 | Category 2 |
| Josephine | 1996 | 52.4 | Post-tropical |
| Fran | 1996 | 22.5 | Category 1 |
| Bertha | 1996 | 78.7 | Category 1 |
| Allison | 1995 | 51.0 | Post-tropical |
| Hugo | 1989 | 88.9 | Category 1 |
| Kate | 1985 | 72.5 | Tropical storm |
| Bob | 1985 | 55.3 | Tropical storm |
| Diana | 1984 | 39.1 | Tropical storm |
| Dennis | 1981 | 89.3 | Tropical storm |
| David | 1979 | 58.6 | Tropical storm |
| Agnes | 1972 | 31.9 | Tropical storm |
| Alma | 1970 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1965 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Isbell | 1964 | 81.9 | Post-tropical |
| Dora | 1964 | 72.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1961 | 90.1 | Tropical storm |
| Donna | 1960 | 99.3 | Category 2 |
| Brenda | 1960 | 69.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1956 | 96.6 | Post-tropical |
| Flossy | 1956 | 44.6 | Post-tropical |
| Diane | 1955 | 37.3 | Tropical storm |
| Hazel | 1954 | 37.6 | Category 2 |
| Able | 1952 | 68.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1952 | 27.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1947 | 27.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1946 | 70.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1945 | 8.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1944 | 47.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1935 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 9.7 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 40.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1927 | 73.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 38.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1924 | 74.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1920 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 52.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 91.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 34.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 84.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1912 | 0.9 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1910 | 92.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1907 | 86.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1906 | 93.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1904 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 9.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 84.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1901 | 24.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1899 | 14.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 6.6 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 48.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1894 | 68.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 24.9 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 5.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 63.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1893 | 57.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1889 | 35.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 87.5 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 9.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 5.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 60.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 21.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1885 | 67.7 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1883 | 40.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1882 | 54.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1881 | 70.8 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 31.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1877 | 0.0 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1876 | 86.3 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1874 | 39.1 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1872 | 83.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1867 | 2.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1861 | 98.1 | Category 1 |
| Unnamed | 1859 | 46.9 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1857 | 89.8 | Category 2 |
| Unnamed | 1856 | 41.8 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1854 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 45.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1852 | 79.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 21.9 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
1,237 acres burned in 2 large fires since 1984, equal to 0.5% of the land.
Largest
March 30, 2009
Unnamed Fire, 685 acres
685 acres inside Hoke County.
Most recent
March 30, 2009
Unnamed Fire
685 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Unnamed | 2009 | 685 | 685 |
| Unnamed | 2009 | 551 | 552 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 40 days
Heavy smoke on 3 days in 2025, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
9.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
8 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 29 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
39 federal flood insurance claims since 1985, with $616,000 paid.
Most claims in one year
2016: 12 claims
$334,000 paid.
2nd most
2018: 12 claims
$248,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 28376 | 29 | $334,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood24
- Flood3
- Heavy Rain2
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
Most severe crest
September 17, 2018
Flat Creek near Iverness, 9.36 ft
2.36 feet above the 7.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
September 17, 2018
Flat Creek near Iverness, 9.36 ft
Major flooding.
| Sep 17, 2018 | Flat Creek near Iverness | 9.36 | +2.36 |
| Oct 8, 2016 | Flat Creek near Iverness | 8.63 | +1.63 |
| Apr 1, 1973 | Flat Creek near Iverness | 7.30 | +0.30 |
| Jul 24, 1997 | Flat Creek near Iverness | 5.69 | −1.31 |
| Sep 17, 2018 | Rockfish Creek near Raeford | 10.32 | −4.68 |
| Sep 7, 1996 | Rockfish Creek near Raeford | 8.29 | −6.71 |
| Jul 25, 1997 | Rockfish Creek near Raeford | 8.15 | −6.85 |
River gauges
| Flat Creek near Iverness | 7.0 | 9.36 ft | 1 |
| Rockfish Creek near Raeford | 15.0 | 10.32 ft | 0 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 108 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
108
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
48
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
September 2002
−5.94, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
November 2021 to March 2023.
Latest month
September 2026
−5.63, extreme drought
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
7 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1980; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
2
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
September 25, 2006
Magnitude 3.7
7 km W of Rowland, North Carolina; 20.7 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 25, 2006
Magnitude 3.7
7 km W of Rowland, North Carolina; 20.7 miles away.
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
299 events in the National Weather Service record, 248 of them since 1996.
27
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
0
Hail, 2 inches or larger
105
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
37
Winter weather events since 1996
4
Heat events since 1996
2
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 1, 1960
1.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 16, 2010
81 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 4 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Oct 8, 2016Flash Flood$3.1 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rainfall of 9 to 12 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. Numerous roads were closed due to flooding. Numerous homes and businesses were flooded as well. Flooding damaged approximately 433 structures throughout the county, resulting in $3.1 million in property damage.
- Sep 29, 2016Flash Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Dam on a lake adjacent to McLaughlin Lake failed, dumping water into McLaughlin Lake which over topped it's dam and flooded surrounding roads.
- Sep 13, 2018Tropical Storm, Hoke$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Frequent wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph resulted in numerous trees down across Hoke County, including on homes, cars, power lines and damage to structures. Numerous customers lost power in Hoke County as a result of the tropical storm force winds.
- Oct 29, 2020Strong Wind, Hoke$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Frequent wind gusts of 40 to 55 mph resulted in scattered to numerous trees and power lines down across Hoke County, including some on homes. Numerous customers lost power in Hoke County as a result of the strong winds.
- Sep 30, 2022Tropical Storm, Hoke$750,000
National Weather Service narrative
Frequent wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph resulted in scattered to numerous trees and power lines down across Hoke County, including some on homes. Numerous customers lost power in Hoke County as a result of the tropical storm force wind gusts.
- Sep 17, 2018Flood$575,000
National Weather Service narrative
Torrential rainfall of 10 to 15 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. Additional rainfall upstream resulted in major flooding along the Flat Creek near Vass. Flooding damaged approximately 36 structures throughout the county, resulting in $575 thousand in property damage. Crop damage was at least $30 million. Numerous streets and roads were reported flooded.
- Oct 8, 2016High Wind, Hoke$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Frequent wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph resulted in numerous trees down across Hoke County, including on homes, cars, power lines and damage to structures. Numerous customers lost power in Hoke County as a result of the high winds.
- Sep 5, 2019Tropical Storm, Hoke$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Frequent wind gusts of 35 to 55 mph resulted in scattered to numerous trees and power lines down across Hoke County, including some on homes. Numerous customers lost power in Hoke County as a result of the tropical storm force winds.
- May 16, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
Microburst wind damage was observed as far south as Johnson Mill Road and Adcox|Road, just south of Highway 401 and as far north as Plank Road near the Fort Bragg|Military Reservation. The most significant structural damage occurred in the Willow|Trace Mobile Home Park where 44 mobile home out of 50 suffered damage. Four mobile homes were destroyed. A dozen of automobiles within the mobile home park sustained damage from fallen trees and debris. Quarter size hail was also reported to have also caused damage to the homes. One person was known to have been transported to the hospital with a possible back injury and chest pains. ||Outside of Willow Trace Mobile Home Park, 2 trees…
- Sep 6, 2008Flash Flood$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
Law enforcement reported flooding in the Raeford Green Apartments. Water was up to three feet deep in several buildings. Hobson Road and Highway 401 were also flooded and inpassable.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Fayetteville (pwc), 18.2 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1899.
- All-time high
- 107°FJul 22, 1932
- All-time low
- −5°FFeb 14, 1899
- Warmest night
- 84°F2 times, most recently Jun 22, 1928
- Coldest day
- 17°FFeb 13, 1899
- Wettest day
- 8.13 inOct 9, 2016
- Snowiest day
- 24.0 inMar 2, 1927
- Hottest year
- 1942mean 65.3°F
- Coldest year
- 1963mean 57.9°F
- Wettest year
- 193668.70 in
- Driest year
- 200731.79 in
- Snowiest season
- 28.0 in1926-27
Median first snow
January 19
Earliest: November 27, 1938
Median last snow
February 7
Latest: March 26, 1972
35 of 73 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Fayetteville (pwc) (USC00313017), 96 ft elevation, 18.2 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1899 to October 27, 2026; 93.8% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
20 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637-NC |
| Sep 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617-NC |
| Aug 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608-NC |
| Oct 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586-NC |
| Aug 2, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3534-NC |
| Mar 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4487-NC |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3471-NC |
| Oct 4, 2019 | Hurricane | DR-4465-NC |
| Sep 3, 2019 | Hurricane | EM-3423-NC |
| Sep 14, 2018 | Hurricane | DR-4393-NC |
| Sep 10, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3401-NC |
| Oct 10, 2016 | Hurricane | DR-4285-NC |
| Oct 7, 2016 | Hurricane | EM-3380-NC |
| Apr 19, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1969-NC |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3222-NC |
| Sep 10, 2004 | Hurricane | DR-1546-NC |
| Jan 31, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1312-NC |
| Sep 16, 1999 | Hurricane | DR-1292-NC |
| Sep 15, 1999 | Hurricane | EM-3146-NC |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Hurricane | DR-1134-NC |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
How this compares
Where Hoke County stands among 100 counties in North Carolina and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 11 | 59 / 100 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 1 | 21 / 100 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 39 | 39 / 100 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 6 | 34 / 100 |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 1,237 | 40 / 100 |
| Flood insurance claims | 39 | 79 / 100 |
| Flood insurance paid | $616,000 | 79 / 100 |
| Disaster declarations | 20 | 83 / 100 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 29 | 83 / 100 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 161 | 77 / 100 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 37 | 83 / 100 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $9.6 million | 85 / 100 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 1 | 56 / 100 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 108 | 36 / 100 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 9.2 | 60 / 100 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Cumberland County | 25 | 50 |
| Moore County | 16 | 36 |
| Richmond County | 4 | 32 |
| Robeson County | 50 | 57 |
| Scotland County | 11 | 36 |
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00313017.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.