North Carolina
100 counties53 tornadoes rated F3/EF3+76 county disaster declarations
North Carolina has recorded 1,551 tornadoes since 1950, 20th among the states; 181 tropical storms and hurricanes within 50 miles since 1851; 650,304 acres burned by large wildfires since 1984.
2025
- Tornadoes rated F2/EF2+ since 1950
- Tropical cyclone tracks since 1851
- Large wildfires since 1984
Statewide totals
Unique events: a tornado that crossed three counties counts once.
- Tornadoes since 1950
- 1,551
- 20th of 51
- Rated F3/EF3 or stronger
- 53
- 21st of 51
- Tropical cyclones within 50 mi
- 181
- 2nd of 51
- At hurricane strength
- 68
- 4th of 51
- Acres burned since 1984
- 650K
- 225 large fires
- Flood insurance claims
- 108,748
- $2.3 billion paid
County leaders
Where in North Carolina each hazard has struck most.
Most tornadoes
Most tropical cyclones within 50 mi
- 1Hyde County109
- 2Dare County103
- 3Carteret County101
- 4Brunswick County89
- 5Craven County86
Most acres burned
- 1Hyde County90K
- 2Tyrrell County74K
- 3Dare County71K
- 4Carteret County55K
- 5Craven County54K
Most flood claims
- 1Dare County18,950
- 2New Hanover County11,183
- 3Brunswick County9,879
- 4Beaufort County9,462
- 5Carteret County8,997
Notable events
The strongest tornadoes, hurricanes and fires in North Carolina’s record. Each opens its own page.
Tornadoes
- F4 1984, Lenoir16 killed
- F4 1984, Scotland7 killed
- F4 1989, Cleveland4 killed
- F4 1988, Northampton4 killed
- F4 1984, Scotland4 killed
- F4 1974, Cherokee4 killed
- F4 1957, Scotland4 killed
- F4 1984, Sampson3 killed
- F4 1989, Rutherford2 killed
- F4 1989, Union1 killed
Hurricanes and tropical storms
- Helene 1958Cat. 4
- Hazel 1954Cat. 4
- Unnamed 1944Cat. 3
- Unnamed 1899Cat. 3
- Unnamed 1887Cat. 3
- Hugo 1989Cat. 3
- Emily 1993Cat. 3
- Unnamed 1879Cat. 3
- Bob 1991Cat. 3
- Carol 1954Cat. 3
Every county
Sort by any column. Each county opens its full record.
Cities
Places of 10,000 people or more with their own records.
- Charlotte
- Raleigh
- Greensboro
- Durham
- Winston-Salem
- Fayetteville
- Cary
- Wilmington
- High Point
- Concord
- Greenville
- Asheville
- Gastonia
- Apex
- Jacksonville
- Huntersville
- Chapel Hill
- Kannapolis
- Burlington
- Wake Forest
- Mooresville
- Rocky Mount
- Holly Springs
- Wilson
- Fuquay-Varina
- Hickory
- Indian Trail
- Monroe
- Garner
- Salisbury
- Leland
- Cornelius
- Goldsboro
- New Bern
- Sanford
- Matthews
- Clayton
- Morrisville
- Statesville
- Mint Hill
- Kernersville
- Asheboro
- Thomasville
- Shelby
- Knightdale
- Waxhaw
- Clemmons
- Mebane
- Carrboro
- Harrisburg
- Lexington
- Graham
- Boone
- Kinston
- Wendell
- Elizabeth City
- Mount Holly
- Lumberton
- Pinehurst
- Lenoir
- Hope Mills
- Morganton
- Albemarle
- Stallings
- Havelock
- Southern Pines
- Davidson
- Belmont
- Hendersonville
- Eden
- Henderson
- Reidsville
- Laurinburg
- Weddington
- Lewisville
- Roanoke Rapids
- Newton
- Smithfield
- Rolesville
- Lincolnton
- Archdale
- Kings Mountain
- Zebulon
- Pineville
- Elon
- Summerfield
- Spring Lake
- Waynesville
- Tarboro
- Winterville
- Mount Airy
- Morehead City
- Aberdeen