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Tornado in Pender County, North Carolina
47 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.
Pender County, North Carolina, has 47 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.8% of the 1,691 tornado events recorded in North Carolina; its 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 27 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 4 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 | Pender County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 47 | 1,691 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.5 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 137 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
3Apr
16May
1Jun
3Jul
2Aug
9Sep
9Oct
1Nov
2Dec
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 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $105K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $66K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $33K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $1.3M | — | 3 | 29 | County |
| 27 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Nov 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Pender County had?
47 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 Pender County?
16 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Pender County?
The tornado of 15 Mar 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.0M.
How does Pender County compare with North Carolina for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.5 statewide; the county holds 47 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.