North Carolina's Coast: What's at Stake

Posted: 29-May-2007; Updated: 31-Jul-2007

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Maps: Storm surge risk in N.C.
See a series of maps showing how storm surge associated with increasing storm intensity can affect Wilmington.

North Carolina Snapshot

Coastline:* 301 miles (8)

Tidal shoreline:* 3,375 miles (8)

Coastal population: 876,780 (10 percent of the state’s total population) (9)

Percentage of land less than 5 feet above sea level: 4.8 percent (2,356 square miles) (10)

Property value of Atlantic Coast counties: Approximately $105.3 billion (11)

Storm history since 1989: See a list of tropical storms and hurricanes that have had a direct impact on North Carolina since 1989.

* Coastline refers to the general outline of a state's sea coast; tidal shoreline refers to the coastline, as well as offshore islands, sounds, bays, rivers, and creeks measured to the head of tidewaters or to a point where tidal waters narrow to a width of 100 feet.

Twenty North Carolina counties border the Atlantic Ocean. While they represent only 10 percent of the state's population (1), the North Carolina coast is key to one of the state's largest industries: tourism. In 2005, travelers spent more than $2 billion in coastal communities that are vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes.

Three coastal counties—Brunswick, Dare, and New Hanover—rank among the top 10 counties for tourist-related revenue (2). Areas of particular vulnerability include the 70 miles of low-lying barrier islands that border the mainland and are home to Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout.

Hurricanes threaten vital ports

North Carolina has two primary ports: the Port of Wilmington in New Hanover County and Carteret County's Port in Morehead City. Together, they support 48,300 jobs and contribute nearly $30 million in state and local tax revenue (3).

These ports serve a vital role in international commerce, managing over 5.4 million tons of cargo each year (4). North Carolina's exports shipped from these ports include wood pulp, forest products, food products, chemicals and general merchandise. A direct hit by a hurricane on one of these shipping bases could cripple one of the state’s economic engines and have a ripple effect across the country.

A history of storm damage

The last hurricane to hit North Carolina directly was Isabel in 2003. Isabel was a Category 2 hurricane when it hit Drum Inlet along North Carolina’s outer banks on September 18. The fierce winds and 8-foot storm surge caused 17 deaths and over $3 billion in damage (5). It was one of the most significant hurricanes to affect North Carolina and Virginia since Hurricane Hazel in 1954 (6).

Hurricane Floyd, in 1999, was another powerfully damaging storm. It was a Category 2 hurricane when it hit Cape Fear, driving a 10-foot storm surge. It killed a total of 56 people as it moved along the coast, and caused more than $6 billion in damage. Most of the deaths and damage were due to severe flooding from rain; parts of North Carolina saw up to 19 inches of rainfall.

North Carolina is also hit by severe weather systems from storms that make landfall in other states. See a table listing tropical storms and hurricanes that have done significant damage in North Carolina since 1989.

Even fiercer storms are expected

Recent studies show that hurricanes are becoming more powerful—for example, there are twice as many Category 4 and 5 hurricanes today than there were 35 years ago. This trend is expected to continue as global warming gets worse. For coastal residents, another alarming consequence of global warming is sea level rise, which will affect storm surges. These powerful, fast-moving walls of water often accompany tropical storms and hurricanes, and can devastate coastal communities, taking lives and destroying property. Higher sea levels will mean higher storm surges that reach further inland.

What's more, the likelihood that hurricanes will strike North Carolina's coast in 2006 is high. See a series of maps showing how storm surge associated with increasing storm intensity can affect Wilmington, N.C.