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Tornado in Nash County, North Carolina
19 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.
Nash County, North Carolina, has 19 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 16 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 1,691 tornado events recorded in North Carolina; its 3.5 per 100 square miles compares with 3.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Nash County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 19 | 1,691 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.0 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 137 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
3Apr
3May
5Jun
1Jul
1Aug
1Sep
2Oct
1Nov
1Dec
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 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Sep 2024 | Tornado | EF3 | $1.2M | — | — | 15 | County |
| 8 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF3 | $300M | — | — | 16 | County |
| 13 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 22 | County |
| 13 Sep 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Oct 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1953 | Tornado | F3 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Nash County had?
19 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 Nash County?
27 Sep 2024 (Tornado, EF3). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Nash County?
The tornado of 19 Jul 2023, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $300M.
How does Nash County compare with North Carolina for tornado?
3.5 events per 100 square miles against 3.5 statewide; the county holds 19 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.