North Carolina tornadoes

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1,551 confirmed tornadoes since 1950. Most recent: July 6, 2025, EF1. 2026 so far: 13 preliminary reports preliminary

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Carteret County81160
Robeson County5053
Onslow County4964
Pender County4855
Brunswick County4452
Duplin County4252
Dare County41107
Beaufort County4048
Craven County4057
Wake County4048
Columbus County3335
New Hanover County33172
Pitt County3351
Bertie County3043
Lenoir County3075

When tornadoes hit here

By month

2710 Jan: 35Feb: 63Mar: 153Apr: 241May: 271Jun: 136Jul: 125Aug: 152Sep: 190Oct: 97Nov: 68Dec: 20JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

May is the peak month, with 271 of 1551 tornadoes.

By time of day

1720 12 AM: 27: 28: 253 AM: 20: 17: 266 AM: 21: 33: 379 AM: 39: 41: 6812 PM: 90: 131: 1543 PM: 168: 172: 1406 PM: 114: 61: 529 PM: 28: 36: 2312 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 4:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

670 1950: 9: 4: 7: 3: 9: 6: 10: 8: 4: 111960: 10: 8: 3: 11: 12: 9: 5: 8: 6: 91970: 2: 4: 4: 38: 21: 35: 23: 27: 15: 121980: 14: 11: 12: 15: 24: 8: 16: 4: 19: 241990: 17: 27: 29: 15: 24: 26: 54: 10: 66: 372000: 23: 13: 11: 36: 67: 23: 31: 14: 56: 332010: 27: 65: 23: 10: 31: 9: 16: 31: 37: 462020: 46: 19: 19: 22: 43: 1519501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones. This year so far: 13 preliminary reports.

By rating

EF0
665
EF1
611
EF2
217
EF3
41
EF4
12
Unknown
5

Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.

Notable tornadoes

Deadliest

F4, March 28, 1984

16 deaths Longest path

160 miles, F3

November 23, 1992

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Jul 6, 2025EF10.25 mi250 yd00
Jul 6, 2025EF10.6 mi175 yd00
Jul 6, 2025EF11.4 mi100 yd00
Jul 6, 2025EF11 mi150 yd00
Jul 6, 2025EF01.68 mi30 yd00
May 15, 2025EF00.82 mi100 yd00
May 13, 2025EF12.23 mi120 yd00
May 13, 2025EF11.71 mi115 yd00
May 12, 2025EF12.15 mi100 yd00
May 5, 2025EFU0.25 mi50 yd00
May 4, 2025EF00.14 mi30 yd00
May 3, 2025EF01.32 mi20 yd00
Mar 17, 2025EF13.38 mi100 yd08
Mar 16, 2025EF13.14 mi200 yd00
Mar 5, 2025EF12.25 mi75 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF01.67 mi20 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF00.96 mi75 yd00
Sep 27, 2024EF10.5 mi50 yd00
Sep 27, 2024EF10.6 mi50 yd00
Sep 27, 2024EF10.35 mi50 yd00

Every North Carolina county

Coming soon

Free tornado alerts for North Carolina

We are building free email alerts for tornado warnings. Join the waiting list and we will email you once when they are ready. Until then, please rely on the National Weather Service and your phone's emergency alerts.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched.