North Carolina has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 1,666 confirmed tornadoes, 9,739 hailstorm events and 19,395 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950., and averages 22.2 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in North Carolina from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).

Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.

North Carolina Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)

• 1,666 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
• 335 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
• 134 direct tornado deaths and 2,676 direct injuries
• 9,739 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
• 19,395 damaging-wind events on record
• 22.2 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
• May is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 17% of North Carolina tornadoes
• 644 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS

When North Carolina Severe Weather Happens

North Carolina tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 52% of all North Carolina tornadoes, with May alone responsible for roughly 17%.

• May: 284 tornadoes (17%) — peak month
• April: 277 tornadoes (16.6%)
• September: 194 tornadoes (11.6%)
• March: 170 tornadoes (10.2%)
• August: 164 tornadoes (9.8%)
• June: 132 tornadoes (7.9%)

Top 10 North Carolina Counties by Tornado Frequency

Tornado activity in North Carolina is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.

The Deadliest Tornadoes in North Carolina History

North Carolina has lost 134 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 12 people in Bertie County in 2011, rated EF3 on the Fujita scale.

North Carolina Tornado Strength Distribution

Most North Carolina tornadoes are weak: roughly 80% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 20.2% of rated tornadoes in the state.

• F0/EF0 (weak): 683 tornadoes — 41.1% of rated events
• F1/EF1: 642 tornadoes — 38.7% of rated events
• F2/EF2 (strong): 246 tornadoes — 14.8% of rated events
• F3/EF3: 62 tornadoes — 3.7% of rated events
• F4/EF4 (violent): 27 tornadoes — 1.6% of rated events

Record-Setting Severe Weather in North Carolina

Largest hailstone: 4.50 inches in diameter, observed in Gaston County on April 3, 1974. The three largest hailstones on record in North Carolina measured 4.50″, 4.50″, 4.50″.

Highest measured wind gust: 80 knots (92 mph) recorded in Carteret County near Harkers Is on June 9, 2007. Most damaging-wind events in North Carolina are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.

How North Carolina Compares Nationally

North Carolina ranks 20th nationally for tornado frequency, in the middle of the pack of US states by severe-weather activity.

• Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
• North Carolina tornado total: 1,666 — ranked 20th nationally.
• North Carolina hail total: 9,739 hail events on record since 1950.
• North Carolina wind total: 19,395 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes does North Carolina have on average per year?

North Carolina averages 22.2 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.

What was the deadliest tornado in North Carolina history?

The April 16, 2011 tornado, rated EF3 on the Fujita scale, killed 12 people and injured 55 in Bertie County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the North Carolina modern record.

Where in North Carolina are tornadoes most common?

The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Carteret County with 80 events. The three most active counties overall are Carteret, Robeson, Onslow.

How does North Carolina compare to its neighbors?

North Carolina shares a severe-weather climate with Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in North Carolina’s neighbors’ records on the same date.

How recent is the data on this map?

The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.

Compare North Carolina to Neighboring States

Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce North Carolina tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare North Carolina’s storm history to its land neighbors:

• Virginia severe storm history — ranked 27th nationally
• Tennessee severe storm history — ranked 21st nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
• Georgia severe storm history — ranked 15th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
• South Carolina severe storm history — ranked 24th nationally

Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map