Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, March 28, 1984

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, March 28, 1984
Start: 1984-03-28T13:05
End: 1984-03-28T21:20
Location: North Carolina

March 28, 1984 · 40 events in 27 counties and zones

25 tornado, 9 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 42
Injuries: 801
Property damage: $348 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 40

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

25 tornado, 9 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Macon

When: March 28, 1:05 PM CST
Where: Macon County
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.120, -83.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbus

When: March 28, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Columbus County
Coordinates: 34.270, -78.650

Tornado, Union

When: March 28, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Union County
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 33 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 35.130, -80.550

Hail, Cumberland

When: March 28, 5:35 PM CST
Where: Cumberland County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.070, -78.900

Hail, Cumberland

When: March 28, 5:55 PM CST
Where: Cumberland County
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Coordinates: 35.130, -78.830

Hail, Hoke

When: March 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hoke County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.920, -79.150

Hail, Harnett

When: March 28, 6:05 PM CST
Where: Harnett County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.370, -78.850

Hail, Moore

When: March 28, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Moore County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.350, -79.420

Hail, Scotland

When: March 28, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Scotland County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.830, -79.480

Hail, Johnston

When: March 28, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Johnston County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.380, -78.550

Tornado, Scotland

When: March 28, 6:25 PM CST
Where: Scotland County
Rating: F4
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 2,113 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.670, -79.500

Tornado, Scotland

When: March 28, 6:25 PM CST
Where: Scotland County
Rating: F4
Path length: 8 mi
Path width: 2,640 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.670, -79.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Cumberland

When: March 28, 6:34 PM CST
Where: Cumberland County
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Coordinates: 35.170, -78.980

Tornado, Robeson

When: March 28, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Robeson County
Rating: F4
Path length: 25 mi
Path width: 2,640 yd
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 280 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.750, -79.370

Tornado, Bladen

When: March 28, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Bladen County
Rating: F3
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 1,407 yd
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.830, -78.870

Tornado, Cumberland

When: March 28, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Cumberland County
Rating: F3
Path length: 11 mi
Path width: 1,407 yd
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 11 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.870, -78.800

Tornado, Nash

When: March 28, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Nash County
Rating: F2
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 177 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 35.950, -77.830

Tornado, Sampson

When: March 28, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Sampson County
Rating: F3
Path length: 25 mi
Path width: 1,407 yd
Deaths: 10 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 90 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.970, -78.600

Tornado, Sampson

When: March 28, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Sampson County
Rating: F4
Path length: 6 mi
Path width: 1,407 yd
Injuries: 50 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.050, -78.250

Hail, Mecklenburg

When: March 28, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Mecklenburg County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.220, -80.820

Tornado, Duplin

When: March 28, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Duplin County
Rating: F4
Path length: 7 mi
Path width: 1,407 yd
Injuries: 40 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.130, -78.170

Tornado, Wayne

When: March 28, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Wayne County
Rating: F3
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 527 yd
Injuries: 74 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.200, -77.900

Tornado, Cumberland

When: March 28, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Cumberland County
Rating: F4
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 2,640 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.920, -78.920

Tornado, Lenoir

When: March 28, 7:37 PM CST
Where: Lenoir County
Rating: F3
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 527 yd
Injuries: 7 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.270, -77.830

Tornado, Wayne

When: March 28, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Wayne County
Rating: F4
Path length: 8 mi
Path width: 1,407 yd
Deaths: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 59 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.180, -78.070

Tornado, Lenoir

When: March 28, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Lenoir County
Rating: F4
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 1,223 yd
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.330, -77.780

Tornado, Bertie

When: March 28, 7:55 PM CST
Where: Bertie County
Rating: F3
Path length: 6 mi
Path width: 880 yd
Deaths: 6 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 19 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 36.130, -77.200

Tornado, Greene

When: March 28, 7:55 PM CST
Where: Greene County
Rating: F4
Path length: 13 mi
Path width: 1,223 yd
Deaths: 7 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.400, -77.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: March 28, 7:55 PM CST
Where: Wayne County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 35.450, -77.970

Tornado, Bertie

When: March 28, 8:10 PM CST
Where: Bertie County
Rating: F2
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 527 yd
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 36.230, -77.000

Tornado, Hertford

When: March 28, 8:15 PM CST
Where: Hertford County
Rating: F2
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 527 yd
Injuries: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 36.270, -76.970

Tornado, Hertford

When: March 28, 8:20 PM CST
Where: Hertford County
Rating: F1
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 177 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 36.330, -76.800

Tornado, Pitt

When: March 28, 8:20 PM CST
Where: Pitt County
Rating: F4
Path length: 20 mi
Path width: 1,223 yd
Deaths: 9 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 153 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 35.500, -77.500

Tornado, Gates

When: March 28, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Gates County
Rating: F3
Path length: 14 mi
Path width: 880 yd
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 10 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 36.370, -76.700

Tornado, Columbus

When: March 28, 8:45 PM CST
Where: Columbus County
Rating: F2
Path length: 9 mi
Path width: 353 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.150, -78.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Martin

When: March 28, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Martin County
Coordinates: 35.830, -77.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Beaufort

When: March 28, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Beaufort County
Coordinates: 35.500, -76.950

Tornado, Chowan

When: March 28, 9:15 PM CST
Where: Chowan County
Rating: F2
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 177 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 36.070, -76.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: March 28, 9:15 PM CST
Where: Washington County
Coordinates: 35.800, -76.700

Tornado, Perquimans

When: March 28, 9:20 PM CST
Where: Perquimans County
Rating: F2
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 177 yd
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 36.080, -76.530

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Tornado, Perquimans	1984-03-28				Direct

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 1984 Every state in 1984 This day in weather history The tornado archive for North Carolina, 1984

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10088977, 10088978, 10088979, 10088980, 10088981, 10088982, 10088983, 10088984, 10088985, 10088986, 10088987, 10088988, 10088989, 10088990, 10088991, 10088992, 10088993, 10088994, 10088995, 10088996, 10088997, 10088998, 10088999, 10089000, 10089001, 10089002, 10089003, 10089004, 10089005, 10089006, 10089007, 10089008, 10089009, 10089010, 10088095, 10088096, 10088097, 10088309, 10088310, 10088311.