Chicamacomico Life Saving Station · Photo: Elizabeth from burlington · CC BY 2.0Storms, floods and disasters in Rodanthe
Rodanthe isn’t graded for hazard risk: Rodanthe has 781 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.
What Rodanthe faces
Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.
Hurricanes
Coastal flooding
Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.
Does Rodanthe flood? No paid flood claims on record
FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Rodanthe. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.
Rodanthe isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Dare County.2 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Rodanthe
Disasters that paid out in Rodanthe itself (aid to households or repair grants to Rodanthe), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2011Hurricane Irene192 households applied for aid$568K aid approved
- 2003Hurricane Isabel46 households applied for aid$45K aid approved
Dare County has had 22 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often hurricanes and tropical storms, then winter storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Rodanthe after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Rodanthe archive →Rodanthe and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waves | — | 153 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Rodanthe faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
- Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
- Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
- Know your evacuation zone and the way off the coast.
- Storm surge comes fast: leave when you’re told, not when the water arrives.
- Move cars to high ground before king tides and nor’easters.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Rodanthe
Is Rodanthe in a flood zone?
Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Dare County, 84% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 39.7% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Rodanthe?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Rodanthe’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
What was the biggest storm in Rodanthe?
By FEMA money that reached Rodanthe, Hurricane Irene (2011): 192 households applied for aid, $568K approved.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Rodanthe.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Rodanthe’s residents lived in the 2020 census; 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. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.