North Carolina, 2000

Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, December 17, 2000

December 17, 2000 · NWS RAH · 17 events in 16 counties and zones

12 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 2 hail, 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
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
17

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.

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Cumberland

When
December 17, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Cumberland County, Pope Afb
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
35.167, -78.983

Observers at Pope AFB reported a tornado moving northeast.

Tornado, Harnett

When
December 17, 12:10 AM EST
Where
Harnett County, Anderson Creek
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.283, -78.933

Windows were blown out of buildings at Ray Road and Hwy 210.

Tornado, Harnett

When
December 17, 12:15 AM EST
Where
Harnett County, Coats
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.417, -78.683

Large tree limbs were blown down, smashing car windows.

Hail, Johnston

When
December 17, 12:20 AM EST
Where
Johnston County, Hardy Xrds
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.467, -78.617

Thunderstorm Wind, Nash

When
December 17, 12:20 AM EST
Where
Nash County, Central Portion
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
35.967, -78.000

High winds and heavy rains pounded Nash county. A few tin roofs were blown off barns and outbuildings.

Hail, Franklin

When
December 17, 1:13 AM EST
Where
Franklin County, Bunn
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.967, -78.267

Dime-size hail reported near Lake Royale.

Thunderstorm Wind, Orange

When
December 17, 2:31 AM EST
Where
Orange County, Hillsborough
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.083, -79.117

Trees were blown down along Hwy 57.

Thunderstorm Wind, Anson

When
December 17, 2:35 AM EST
Where
Anson County, Wadesboro
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
34.967, -80.100

Panels were blown off gas tanks at a local store, and power outages were reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Person

When
December 17, 2:40 AM EST
Where
Person County, Timberlake
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.283, -78.950

Numerous reports of trees and power lines down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richmond

When
December 17, 2:55 AM EST
Where
Richmond County, Rockingham
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.933, -79.783

Trees fell onto power lines, causing power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When
December 17, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Montgomery County, Candor
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.300, -79.767

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Granville

When
December 17, 3:25 AM EST
Where
Granville County, Creedmoor
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.117, -78.683

Trees blown down on Hwy 50.

Thunderstorm Wind, Vance

When
December 17, 3:35 AM EST
Where
Vance County, Countywide
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.383, -78.383

Many reports of trees down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Chatham

When
December 17, 3:52 AM EST
Where
Chatham County, Countywide
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.717, -79.233

Trees blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Durham

When
December 17, 4:10 AM EST
Where
Durham County, Durham
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.017, -78.917

Trees down near Cheek and Essex Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Halifax

When
December 17, 4:35 AM EST
Where
Halifax County, Enfield
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
36.183, -77.667

Trees blown down on Hwy 301 near Enfield.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilson

When
December 17, 5:35 AM EST
Where
Wilson County, Sims
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
35.750, -78.067

Trees were blown down across Shiloh Church Road.

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Carolina, 2000Warnings in North Carolina, December 2000

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: 5165497, 5165498, 5165499, 5165500, 5165582, 5165501, 5165502, 5165573, 5165503, 5165575, 5165574, 5165577, 5165576, 5165578, 5165579, 5165580, 5165581.