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Tornado in Columbus County, North Carolina
34 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Columbus County, North Carolina, has 34 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2% of the 1,691 tornado events recorded in North Carolina; its 3.6 per 100 square miles compares with 3.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 8 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 14 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Columbus County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 34 | 1,691 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.6 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.8 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 8 | 137 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
6May
6Jun
3Jul
1Aug
0Sep
4Oct
5Nov
2Dec
2
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 34 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $4K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 1 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $27K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2006 | Tornado | F3 | $500K | — | 8 | 20 | County |
| 17 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Nov 1995 | Tornado | — | $600K | — | — | 12 | County |
| 3 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 1 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 1950 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Columbus County had?
34 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Columbus County?
9 May 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Columbus County?
The tornado of 28 Mar 1984, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Columbus County compare with North Carolina for tornado?
3.6 events per 100 square miles against 3.5 statewide; the county holds 34 of the state's 1,691 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.