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Tornado in Moore County, North Carolina
16 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.
Moore County, North Carolina, has 16 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 10 different years.
September is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 3 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 1,691 tornado events recorded in North Carolina; its 2.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.5 statewide.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Moore County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 16 | 1,691 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.3 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 137 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | September | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
2Apr
2May
1Jun
2Jul
1Aug
1Sep
5Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
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 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Feb 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Moore County had?
16 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 Moore County?
19 Apr 2019 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Moore County?
The tornado of 11 Feb 1981, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Moore County compare with North Carolina for tornado?
2.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.5 statewide; the county holds 16 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.