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Tornado in Wake County, North Carolina
40 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.
Wake County, North Carolina, has 40 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 1,691 tornado events recorded in North Carolina; its 4.8 per 100 square miles compares with 3.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 7 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Carolina
| Measure | Wake County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 40 | 1,691 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.8 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 7 | 137 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
11Apr
6May
7Jun
3Jul
3Aug
1Sep
3Oct
1Nov
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 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $115M | — | 4 | 67 | County |
| 6 Mar 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $650K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 20 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $3.0M | — | — | 26 | County |
| 15 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F4 | $250M | — | 2 | 105 | County |
| 26 Mar 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 11 Feb 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 7 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Nov 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 9 | County |
| 18 Mar 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Mar 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1950 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1950 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Wake County had?
40 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 Wake County?
3 Aug 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Wake County?
The tornado of 28 Nov 1988, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Wake County compare with North Carolina for tornado?
4.8 events per 100 square miles against 3.5 statewide; the county holds 40 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.