Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, May 15, 1994

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, May 15, 1994
Start: 1994-05-15T17:14
End: 1994-05-15T20:35
Location: North Carolina

May 15, 1994 · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

6 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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

6 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Graham

When: May 15, 5:14 PM EST
Where: Graham County
Coordinates: 35.350, -83.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds blew down power lines.

Hail, Cherokee

When: May 15, 5:14 PM EST
Where: Cherokee County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 35.134, -84.063 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Burke

When: May 15, 5:36 PM EST
Where: Burke County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 35.750, -81.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Catawba

When: May 15, 6:30 PM EST
Where: Catawba County
Coordinates: 35.663, -81.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A SkyWarn amateur radio operator reported that several trees were blown down near Startown, which is 5 miles SE of Newton.

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: May 15, 7:01 PM EST
Where: Polk County
Coordinates: 35.279, -82.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Surry

When: May 15, 7:28 PM EST
Where: Surry County
Coordinates: 36.415, -80.687 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees in Mt Airy.

Thunderstorm Wind, Iredell

When: May 15, 8:00 PM EST to 8:09 PM EST
Where: Iredell County, W and S of
Coordinates: 35.807, -80.873 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds blew down several trees near Mooresville.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rowan

When: May 15, 8:35 PM EST
Where: Rowan County
Coordinates: 35.640, -80.525 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Damaging thunderstorm winds snapped off several trees in the western part of the county near Highway 150.

What these are

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 1994 Every state in 1994 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, May 1994

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: 10338263, 10339055, 10338785, 10338984, 10338773, 10338048, 10338313, 10337793.