SECTION 4: RISK ASSESSMENT
incidents related to severe winter storms. As a state, North Carolina received ten disaster declarations related to severe winter storms during this timeframe. Table 4.112 – Emergency & Disaster Declarations in Wake County due to Severe Winter Storms Disaster Number Date Disaster Type Incident Start Incident End 234 1968 Severe Ice Storm 2/10/1968 2/10/1968 3033 1977 Snow 3/2/1977 3/2/1977 3110 1993 Severe Snow and Winter Storm 3/13/1993 3/17/1993 1087 1996 Blizzard 1/6/1996 1/12/1996 1312 2000 Severe Winter Storm 1/24/2000 2/1/2000 1448 2003 Severe Ice Storm 12/4/2002 12/6/2002 Source: FEMA, March 7, 2024 PROBABILITY OF FUTURE OCCURRENCE NCEI records 60 severe winter storm related events during the 25-year period from 1998 through 2023, which is an average of 2.4 events per year or more than 100 percent probability in any given year.
Probability: 4 – Highly Likely CLIMATE CHANGE
Per the 2023 North Carolina Hazard Mitigation Plan, there is uncertainty associated with climate change impacts on future severe winter storms. Global temperature rise could cause shorter and warmer winters in many areas; however, the likelihood of dangerously low temperatures may increase due to continuing trends of temperature extremes. Warmer winters, however, mean that precipitation that would normally fall as snow may begin to fall as rain or freezing rain instead. VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT PEOPLE Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm event. The leading cause of death during winter storms is from automobile or other transportation accidents due to poor visibility and/or slippery roads. Additionally, exhaustion and heart attacks caused by overexertion may result from winter storms. Power outages during very cold winter storm conditions can also create potentially dangerous situations. Elderly people account for the largest percentage of hypothermia victims. In addition, if the power is out for an extended period, residents are forced to find alternative means to heat their homes. The danger arises from carbon monoxide released from improperly ventilated heating sources such as space or kerosene heaters, furnaces, and blocked chimneys. House fires also occur more frequently in the winter due to lack of proper safety precautions when using an alternative heating source. PROPERTY According to reported data of storm impacts recorded by the NCEI, between 1998 and 2023 Wake County experienced $1.04 million in property damage related to the impacts of severe winter storm. Based on this data, Wake County experiences average annual losses of $41,600 due to severe winter storm events.
Wake County, NC Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
WSP June 2024 Page 213
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