Storm Records: North Carolina
Every storm the National Weather Service has filed in North Carolina: its floods, heat, cold, winter storms, hail, wind, lightning and tornadoes, year by year and county by county, each episode with its narrative.
The worst in North Carolina on the map
The deadliest and costliest episodes on record here, colored by kind of event.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 54,913
- Deaths
- 730
- Injuries
- 3,894
- Damage
- $17 billion
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.
Every year
Tap a year for every episode in it.
Deaths each year
By kind of event
| Kind of event | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 20,476 | 46 | 355 | $149 million |
| Hail | 9,900 | 0 | 1 | $203 million |
| Winter Weather | 4,302 | 26 | 52 | $871,000 |
| Flash Flood | 4,053 | 147 | 29 | $2.7 billion |
| Winter Storm | 2,297 | 27 | 188 | $35 million |
| Heavy Snow | 1,724 | 4 | 2 | $4.0 million |
| High Wind | 1,711 | 15 | 38 | $282 million |
| Tornado | 1,691 | 137 | 2,808 | $2.1 billion |
| Drought | 1,652 | 0 | 0 | $97 million |
| Flood | 1,194 | 39 | 7 | $1.7 billion |
| Heavy Rain | 821 | 2 | 7 | $11 million |
| Lightning | 813 | 41 | 277 | $58 million |
| Strong Wind | 771 | 26 | 26 | $72 million |
| Tropical Storm | 644 | 28 | 5 | $875 million |
| Ice Storm | 486 | 1 | 0 | $301 million |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 470 | 9 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | 424 | 33 | 26 | $8.6 billion |
| Excessive Heat | 227 | 0 | 0 | |
| Frost/Freeze | 184 | 0 | 0 | $58 million |
| Rip Current | 160 | 100 | 21 | |
| Sleet | 137 | 0 | 0 | |
| Coastal Flood | 128 | 0 | 0 | $19 million |
| Heat | 126 | 16 | 21 | |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 117 | 2 | 0 | |
| Funnel Cloud | 93 | 0 | 0 | |
| Debris Flow | 64 | 22 | 11 | $39 million |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 61 | 0 | 0 | $253 million |
| Dense Fog | 50 | 1 | 16 | $54,000 |
| Waterspout | 37 | 0 | 1 | $100,000 |
| Wildfire | 33 | 0 | 0 | $5.6 million |
| Blizzard | 19 | 0 | 0 | |
| Freezing Fog | 18 | 0 | 0 | |
| High Surf | 17 | 8 | 0 | |
| Dust Devil | 8 | 0 | 0 | $25,000 |
| Astronomical Low Tide | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Dense Smoke | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| Tropical Depression | 1 | 0 | 0 | $20,000 |
The deadliest
- Tornado and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 25 to 29, 2024Tropical Cyclone Helene began organizing over the western Caribbean on the 23rd and 24th of September before rapidly intensifying as it moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico on the 25th and 26th.
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, March 28, 1984
- Flash Flooding in North Carolina, September 15 to 16, 1999Rainfall associated with Hurricane Floyd produced unprecedented flash flooding across the eastern half of the state. Every river and stream flooded nearby roads and communities.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, October 8 to 13, 2016Hurricane Matthew skirted by the North Carolina coast on October 8, 2016, dropping torrential rainfall of 8 to 15 inches and producing wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph across Central and Eastern North Carolina.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 14 to 16, 1999Hurricane Floyd caused the largest peace time evacuation in the nations history. He also caused massive record flooding across inland sections of eastern North Carolina.
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, April 16, 2011Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds, large hail, and several tornadoes across portions of northeast North Carolina.
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 13 to 25, 2018A ridge of high pressure over eastern North America stalled Florence's forward motion a few miles off the southeast North Carolina coast on September 13th.
- Hurricane and Tornadoes in North Carolina, September 13 to 18, 2018Hurricane Florence was a long-lived Cape Verde hurricane and the wettest tropical cyclone on record in the Carolinas.
- Tornadoes in North Carolina, April 16, 2011A strong storm system that had a history of producing deadly tornadoes across Oklahoma and the deep south on the 14th and 15th weakened as it crossed the southern Appalachians during the early morning hours of the 16th.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, November 16, 2006A fast moving tornadic thunderstorm moved ashore on the coast of Brunswick County. There was no damage found until the storm moved across extreme eastern Columbus County and then extreme western Pender County.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in North Carolina, November 12 to 14, 2020Tropical Cyclone Eta moved from the eastern Gulf of Mexico, across the northern Florida peninsula, to off the South Carolina coast throughout the 11th and 12th.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 1996Hurricane FRAN was the worst natural economic disaster to occur in North Carolina history. In the RAH county warning area along, the damage exceeded 2 billion dollars. Damage to crops, livestock, farm equipment/buildings was over 400 million.
- Hurricane and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, October 8 to 13, 2016Hurricane Matthew moved northeast offshore of the North Carolina coast late on October 8th through October 9th. Widespread heavy rain developed on October 8th and continued through early on October 9th as Matthew approached and moved offshore of the coast.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 17 to 18, 2021Tropical Storm Fred made landfall in the Florida Panhandle on the 16th and lifted steadily north through Georgia and into the southern Appalachians during the 16th and throughout the 17th.
- Hurricane and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, October 8 to 17, 2016Major Hurricane Matthew moved up the southeast coast and slowly weakened to a category 1 storm as it moved up along the South Carolina coast and then eastward near the North Carolina coast.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, July 6 to 7, 2025Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall over northeastern South Carolina during the morning hours of July 6.
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, April 3, 1974
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, December 4, 2010As a storm system track just south of the region between one to three inches of snow fell along and north of Highway 64 to the Virginia border. The heaviest snow fell in a band more more than 30 miles wide.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, September 25 to 28, 2024Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane late Thursday, September 26, and moved quickly northward into the southeastern states, and then turned slightly northwestward towards the southern Appalachian Mountains overnight into Friday morning,…
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, May 5, 1989
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, September 27 to 30, 2010A stalled front across eastern North Carolina combined with a deep southerly flow of very moist air led to several days of torrential rain across eastern North Carolina from September 27th through the 30th.
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, February 2 to 5, 1996An unusual winter storm began with freezing rain on Friday morning, February 2 across Greene, Lenoir, Pitt, Martin, Washington and Beaufort counties.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in North Carolina, June 16, 2003Highway 24 in southern Montgomery County was flooded, along with several other secondary roads.
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 4 to 6, 1996Hurricane Fran moved onshore near Cape Fear Thursday evening (9/6) and raced north toward Raleigh cutting a swath of destruction. The Category 3 hurricane destroyed or damaged 90% of the homes in North Topsail Beach. The town hall and police station were destroyed.
- Hurricane and Tornadoes in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 2011Hurricane Irene made landfall during the morning of the 27th, near Cape Lookout, as a large category 1 hurricane on the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
The costliest
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 15 to 16, 1999
- Tornado and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 25 to 29, 2024
- Hurricane and Tornadoes in North Carolina, September 14 to 16, 2018
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, October 8 to 13, 2016
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 14 to 16, 1999
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 4 to 6, 1996
- Tornadoes and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, September 13 to 25, 2018
- Hurricane and Tornadoes in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 2011
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 17 to 19, 2003
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, September 25 to 28, 2024
- Hurricane and Tornadoes in North Carolina, September 13 to 18, 2018
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, March 28, 1984
- Tornadoes in North Carolina, April 16, 2011
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in North Carolina, July 19, 2023
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, November 28, 1988
- Hurricane in North Carolina, July 12 to 13, 1996
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 1996
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, August 17 to 18, 2021
- Hurricane in North Carolina, September 5 to 6, 1996
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, May 5, 1989
- Hurricane in North Carolina, August 26 to 28, 1998
- Hurricane and High Wind in North Carolina, September 15 to 16, 1999
- Hurricane and Tropical Storm in North Carolina, October 8 to 17, 2016
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, May 13, 2019
- Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in North Carolina, December 4 to 5, 2002
Counties
Every storm event filed in each county, including the zone-filed ones that covered it.
- Alamance County532
- Alexander County422
- Alleghany County335
- Anson County364
- Ashe County593
- Avery County681
- Beaufort County507
- Bertie County295
- Bladen County628
- Brunswick County604
- Buncombe County892
- Burke County840
- Cabarrus County603
- Caldwell County616
- Camden County202
- Carteret County516
- Caswell County480
- Catawba County746
- Chatham County548
- Cherokee County319
- Chowan County225
- Clay County161
- Cleveland County681
- Columbus County630
- Craven County606
- Cumberland County679
- Currituck County378
- Dare County459
- Davidson County633
- Davie County425
- Duplin County589
- Durham County624
- Edgecombe County388
- Forsyth County715
- Franklin County490
- Gaston County651
- Gates County248
- Graham County442
- Granville County401
- Greene County288
- Guilford County924
- Halifax County462
- Harnett County559
- Haywood County581
- Henderson County728
- Hertford County257
- Hoke County298
- Hyde County253
- Iredell County768
- Jackson County800
- Johnston County864
- Jones County276
- Lee County339
- Lenoir County460
- Lincoln County537
- Macon County495
- Madison County651
- Martin County322
- McDowell County666
- Mecklenburg County1,047
- Mitchell County607
- Montgomery County343
- Moore County627
- Nash County540
- New Hanover County759
- Northampton County308
- Onslow County599
- Orange County584
- Pamlico County209
- Pasquotank County296
- Pender County511
- Perquimans County223
- Person County461
- Pitt County647
- Polk County413
- Randolph County728
- Richmond County295
- Robeson County722
- Rockingham County867
- Rowan County694
- Rutherford County637
- Sampson County622
- Scotland County307
- Stanly County477
- Stokes County602
- Surry County938
- Swain County489
- Transylvania County550
- Tyrrell County158
- Union County630
- Vance County307
- Wake County1,645
- Warren County313
- Washington County219
- Watauga County679
- Wayne County605
- Wilkes County794
- Wilson County452
- Yadkin County440
- Yancey County599
Counties and zones as filed
The places filed most often, as the offices named them.
| County or zone | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake | 1,527 | 14 | 235 | $585 million |
| Mecklenburg | 889 | 10 | 50 | $64 million |
| Guilford | 804 | 6 | 9 | $108 million |
| Surry | 789 | 0 | 20 | $9.6 million |
| Johnston | 756 | 12 | 91 | $108 million |
| Rockingham | 749 | 2 | 41 | $52 million |
| Wilkes | 652 | 2 | 3 | $13 million |
| Robeson | 647 | 9 | 345 | $20 million |
| Randolph | 626 | 1 | 17 | $37 million |
| New Hanover | 615 | 10 | 35 | $15 million |
| Cumberland | 595 | 9 | 199 | $289 million |
| Forsyth | 595 | 1 | 61 | $88 million |
| Burke | 591 | 0 | 26 | $59 million |
| Iredell | 573 | 5 | 15 | $8.9 million |
| Columbus | 572 | 11 | 53 | $62 million |
| Craven | 556 | 3 | 53 | $10 million |
| Bladen | 556 | 7 | 16 | $49 million |
| Pitt | 554 | 11 | 173 | $32 million |
| Catawba | 550 | 1 | 15 | $116 million |
| Sampson | 548 | 15 | 224 | $146 million |
| Onslow | 544 | 5 | 151 | $26 million |
| Moore | 542 | 2 | 9 | $43 million |
| Brunswick | 534 | 5 | 14 | $13 million |
| Avery zone | 527 | 1 | 0 | $84 million |
| Wayne | 525 | 11 | 170 | $258 million |
| Cleveland | 521 | 0 | 52 | $35 million |
| Davidson | 520 | 5 | 30 | $34 million |
| Rowan | 518 | 0 | 15 | $5.8 million |
| Durham | 514 | 3 | 13 | $47 million |
| Duplin | 507 | 3 | 92 | $37 million |
| Mitchell zone | 507 | 0 | 0 | $11 million |
| Union | 506 | 4 | 32 | $33 million |
| Gaston | 499 | 6 | 27 | $16 million |
| Stokes | 495 | 0 | 16 | $26 million |
| Yancey zone | 492 | 0 | 0 | $11 million |
| Buncombe | 489 | 40 | 16 | $610 million |
| Orange | 471 | 7 | 16 | $79 million |
| Carteret | 462 | 4 | 14 | $17 million |
| Harnett | 458 | 4 | 41 | $58 million |
| Cabarrus | 457 | 1 | 8 | $19 million |
| Chatham | 455 | 3 | 3 | $30 million |
| Rutherford | 454 | 5 | 22 | $44 million |
| Pender | 445 | 6 | 49 | $15 million |
| Henderson | 442 | 7 | 24 | $224 million |
| Nash | 440 | 8 | 58 | $545 million |
| Alamance | 416 | 3 | 8 | $12 million |
| McDowell | 416 | 2 | 4 | $111 million |
| Madison zone | 415 | 0 | 1 | $16 million |
| Beaufort | 408 | 4 | 87 | $79 million |
| Buncombe zone | 403 | 3 | 0 | $148 million |
| Haywood zone | 402 | 3 | 2 | $32 million |
| Stanly | 396 | 5 | 8 | $37 million |
| Franklin | 386 | 3 | 28 | $44 million |
| Caswell | 380 | 0 | 3 | $6.4 million |
| Caldwell | 379 | 1 | 15 | $44 million |
| Lincoln | 374 | 6 | 35 | $32 million |
| Lenoir | 373 | 5 | 49 | $59 million |
| Halifax | 368 | 2 | 14 | $100 million |
| Wilson | 358 | 4 | 27 | $89 million |
| Swain zone | 353 | 0 | 0 | $3.3 million |
| Watauga | 347 | 4 | 9 | $265 million |
| Person | 339 | 0 | 2 | $5.3 million |
| Yadkin | 338 | 0 | 8 | $13 million |
| Watauga zone | 332 | 0 | 2 | $48 million |
| Dare | 328 | 9 | 41 | $6.7 million |
| Northern Jackson zone | 317 | 0 | 0 | $2.7 million |
| Ashe zone | 310 | 2 | 1 | $22 million |
| Graham zone | 306 | 0 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| Granville | 298 | 0 | 3 | $5.0 million |
| Anson | 297 | 2 | 7 | $43 million |
| Edgecombe | 295 | 9 | 9 | $112 million |
| Henderson zone | 286 | 5 | 4 | $50 million |
| Ashe | 283 | 1 | 0 | $118 million |
| Macon zone | 282 | 4 | 10 | $11 million |
| Transylvania | 280 | 0 | 16 | $64 million |
| Transylvania zone | 270 | 3 | 7 | $25 million |
| Montgomery | 262 | 0 | 7 | $26 million |
| Cherokee | 258 | 4 | 26 | $31 million |
| Southern Jackson zone | 258 | 0 | 0 | $5.7 million |
| Lee | 251 | 3 | 38 | $86 million |
| Davie | 243 | 0 | 2 | $730,000 |
| Martin | 242 | 0 | 10 | $4.7 million |
| Northampton | 240 | 0 | 18 | $29 million |
| Scotland | 238 | 2 | 29 | $51 million |
| Polk | 236 | 4 | 8 | $17 million |
| Madison | 236 | 7 | 6 | $56 million |
| Hoke | 232 | 1 | 11 | $37 million |
| Alexander | 228 | 8 | 4 | $4.1 million |
| Richmond | 225 | 0 | 1 | $54 million |
| Jackson | 225 | 1 | 13 | $15 million |
| Bertie | 221 | 21 | 111 | $46 million |
| Warren | 217 | 3 | 3 | $3.1 million |
| Greene | 213 | 8 | 64 | $58 million |
| Macon | 213 | 1 | 2 | $3.6 million |
| Pasquotank | 210 | 0 | 32 | $6.1 million |
| Vance | 210 | 1 | 1 | $13 million |
| Jones | 208 | 1 | 16 | $16 million |
| Currituck | 206 | 3 | 2 | $1.1 million |
| Catawba zone | 196 | 1 | 0 | $13 million |
| Iredell zone | 195 | 2 | 0 | $14 million |
| Alexander zone | 194 | 0 | 0 | $11 million |
| Hertford | 190 | 1 | 15 | $53 million |
| Alleghany zone | 187 | 0 | 4 | $13 million |
| Davie zone | 182 | 0 | 0 | $11 million |
| Gates | 180 | 4 | 14 | $9.4 million |
| Haywood | 179 | 10 | 6 | $406 million |
| Rowan zone | 176 | 5 | 0 | $12 million |
| Lincoln zone | 163 | 0 | 1 | $12 million |
| Cleveland zone | 160 | 2 | 2 | $15 million |
| Mecklenburg zone | 158 | 11 | 3 | $50 million |
| Hyde | 156 | 1 | 5 | $1.8 million |
| Avery | 154 | 6 | 11 | $46 million |
| Burke Mountains zone | 154 | 0 | 1 | $1.0 million |
| McDowell Mountains zone | 153 | 0 | 1 | $3.6 million |
| Gaston zone | 152 | 2 | 3 | $23 million |
| Surry zone | 149 | 7 | 6 | $13 million |
| Chowan | 148 | 2 | 2 | $2.3 million |
| Alleghany | 148 | 0 | 7 | $7.2 million |
| Eastern Dare zone | 147 | 23 | 0 | $593 million |
| Cabarrus zone | 146 | 1 | 0 | $15 million |
| Perquimans | 144 | 2 | 9 | $3.2 million |
| Caldwell Mountains zone | 144 | 0 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Wilkes zone | 142 | 2 | 2 | $12 million |
| Caldwell zone | 141 | 0 | 1 | $12 million |
| Burke zone | 139 | 1 | 0 | $18 million |
| McDowell zone | 139 | 1 | 14 | $18 million |
| Washington | 137 | 5 | 6 | $3.5 million |
| Graham | 136 | 2 | 14 | $648,000 |
| Swain | 136 | 1 | 3 | $10 million |
| Pamlico | 132 | 1 | 46 | $12 million |
| Camden | 125 | 0 | 0 | $760,000 |
| Clay | 124 | 1 | 0 | $1.5 million |
| Union zone | 124 | 0 | 0 | $14 million |
| Person zone | 122 | 1 | 0 | $3.0 million |
| Guilford zone | 120 | 1 | 0 | $14 million |
| Forsyth zone | 120 | 4 | 2 | $5.0 million |
| Rockingham zone | 118 | 2 | 1 | $13 million |
| Wake zone | 118 | 7 | 6 | $8.1 million |
| Alamance zone | 116 | 1 | 0 | $3.5 billion |
| Rutherford zone | 115 | 1 | 0 | $11 million |
| Orange zone | 113 | 0 | 2 | $6.3 million |
| Davidson zone | 113 | 2 | 2 | $10 million |
| Rutherford Mountains zone | 111 | 0 | 0 | $1.5 million |
| Durham zone | 110 | 2 | 1 | $4.4 million |
| Carteret zone | 109 | 16 | 9 | $508 million |
| Coastal New Hanover zone | 109 | 10 | 4 | $1.5 million |
| Johnston zone | 108 | 8 | 3 | $20 million |
| Yancey | 107 | 14 | 1 | $96 million |
| Stokes zone | 107 | 4 | 0 | $12 million |
| Franklin zone | 104 | 3 | 2 | $4.0 million |
Every year
- 2026
- 2025
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
- 2001
- 2000
- 1999
- 1998
- 1997
- 1996
- 1995
- 1994
- 1993
- 1992
- 1991
- 1990
- 1989
- 1988
- 1987
- 1986
- 1985
- 1984
- 1983
- 1982
- 1981
- 1980
- 1979
- 1978
- 1977
- 1976
- 1975
- 1974
- 1973
- 1972
- 1971
- 1970
- 1969
- 1968
- 1967
- 1966
- 1965
- 1964
- 1963
- 1962
- 1961
- 1960
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
- 1956
- 1955
- 1954
- 1953
- 1952
- 1951
- 1950
More
Every tornado in North CarolinaEvery warning in North Carolina since 1986River gauges in North CarolinaEvery state
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.