Every federal disaster in Wilmington since 1962
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered New Castle County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 18since 1962
- Major disasters
- 12the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 13declarations
- Most recent
- 2021Remnants of Hurricane Ida
FEMA's National Risk Index rates New Castle County's overall natural hazard risk relatively high, led by winter weather, inland flooding and coastal flooding. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 2021 | Remnants of Hurricane Ida | Major disaster | DR-4627 |
| Oct 2, 2020 | Tropical Storm Isaias | Major disaster | DR-4566 |
| Apr 5, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4526 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3449 |
| Nov 16, 2012 | Hurricane Sandy | Major disaster | DR-4090 |
| Oct 29, 2012 | Hurricane Sandy | Emergency | EM-3357 |
| Aug 28, 2011 | Hurricane Irene | Emergency | EM-3336 |
| Mar 31, 2010 | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms | Major disaster | DR-1896 |
| Sep 30, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3263 |
| Nov 15, 2004 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding From the Remnants of | Major disaster | DR-1572 |
| Sep 23, 2003 | Tropical Storm Henri | Major disaster | DR-1495 |
| Sep 20, 2003 | Hurricane Isabel | Major disaster | DR-1494 |
| Mar 20, 2003 | Snow | Emergency | EM-3183 |
| Sep 21, 1999 | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations | Major disaster | DR-1297 |
| Jan 12, 1996 | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) | Major disaster | DR-1082 |
| Mar 18, 1993 | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3111 |
| Aug 18, 1965 | Water Shortage | Major disaster | DR-207 |
| Mar 9, 1962 | Severe Storms, High Tides & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-126 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Wilmington had?
Since 1962, the federal government has issued 18 disaster or emergency declarations covering New Castle County, including 12 major disaster declarations. 13 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Wilmington?
Remnants of Hurricane Ida (Major disaster, declared October 24, 2021).
What kinds of disasters hit Wilmington most often?
By FEMA incident type: hurricane (9), snowstorm (4), biological (2) and flood (1).
New to Wilmington? The city profile covers flood maps and emergency alerts, and the risk summary shows FEMA's hazard ratings.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), downloaded October 18, 2026. We list declarations that named New Castle County, plus early statewide declarations from before FEMA designated individual counties. "Major disaster" declarations bring the widest federal aid; "emergency" declarations cover shorter-term help; "fire management" declarations help pay to fight large wildfires.