States › North Carolina › Sampson County › Tornado
Tornado in Sampson County, North Carolina
23 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.
NCEI records 23 tornado events in Sampson County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 18 years.
April is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 2 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 1,691 tornado events recorded in North Carolina; its 2.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 14 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Sampson County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 23 | 1,691 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 14 | 137 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
1Mar
4Apr
6May
2Jun
0Jul
1Aug
2Sep
4Oct
0Nov
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 23 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 | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $650K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 29 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $355K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $10M | — | — | 9 | County |
| 27 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $50K | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $475K | — | — | 13 | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 10 | 90 | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | 50 | County |
| 1 Aug 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F3 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1962 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 8 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 4 | 32 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sampson County had?
23 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 Sampson County?
27 Sep 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sampson County?
The tornado of 28 Mar 1984, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 10 deaths recorded.
How does Sampson County compare with North Carolina for tornado?
2.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.5 statewide; the county holds 23 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.