Winston-Salem, North Carolina tornadoes
14confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winston-Salem since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: May 8, 2008, EF3.
Every tornado path within 10 miles
Each path is a straight line from where the tornado started to where it ended, which is all most NOAA records hold. Tap a path for its details.
Recent warnings near Winston-Salem
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At a glance
Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond Winston-Salem.
When tornadoes hit here
By month
May is the peak month, with 8 of 14 tornadoes.
By time of day
Most often around 5:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.
By year, 1950 to 2025
The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones.
By rating
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
All 14 tornadoes, newest first
| Date | Rating | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2008 | EF3 | 2.9 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 2 |
| Sep 14, 2007 | EF0 | 0.25 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 7, 2005 | F0 | 8 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F3 | 2 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 5 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 5.5 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 10 |
| May 5, 1989 | F3 | 10.5 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 30 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 0.5 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 8 |
| May 22, 1985 | F3 | 3.5 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1983 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 1982 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 6, 1981 | F2 | 9.4 mi | 17 yd | 0 | 1 |
| Apr 9, 1980 | F1 | 1.9 mi | 37 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1973 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 2 |
Winston-Salem and its county
Winston-Salem is in Forsyth County, where NOAA has recorded 16 tornadoes since 1950. A county's record counts every tornado inside its borders, while this page counts every path within 10 miles of the city, so the two overlap without matching.
Nearby cities
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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. City point and population: US Census Bureau, 2024. Each path is a straight line between NOAA's start and end points.