08/27/2026
15 years ago today, the posture was a lot different. While one of the worst disasters recorded in history for Pamlico County it also was a milestone for better preparedness and response following Irene’s visit.
Do you remember where you were 15 years ago today? On this day in 2011, Hurricane Irene made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane in Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Irene was responsible for seven deaths in North Carolina and roughly $1.2B in damage, equivalent to $1.7B today. At it's peak, over 660,000 North Carolina residents were without power as the powerful storm moved through.
Hurricane-force winds were recorded along the North Carolina coast and areas inland as the storm made landfall. Along with the winds came significant storm surge with some locations recording values over 10 feet. Several tornadoes were also observed hours before the storm made landfall, causing localized damage to areas in northeastern NC.
⚠ Storymap In The Comments Below⬇️