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Tornado in Wayne County, North Carolina
28 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.
Wayne County, North Carolina, has 28 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 20 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.7% of the 1,691 tornado events recorded in North Carolina; its 5.1 per 100 square miles compares with 3.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 4 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 3 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 | Wayne County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 28 | 1,691 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.4 | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 4 | 137 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
8Apr
4May
1Jun
3Jul
1Aug
3Sep
2Oct
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 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $1.5M | — | — | 22 | County |
| 6 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 74 | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 3 | 59 | County |
| 3 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 23 May 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1964 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Mar 1956 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Wayne County had?
28 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 Wayne County?
5 Sep 2019 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Wayne County?
The tornado of 28 Mar 1984, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Wayne County compare with North Carolina for tornado?
5.1 events per 100 square miles against 3.5 statewide; the county holds 28 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.