Storms near North Carolina
The record holds 216 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of North Carolina between 1851 and 2025. The busiest month is September, with 78 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 4 strength. 10 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 216storms within 50 km
- 13major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 75at category 1 strength or more
A storm counts once, however many times it came close. The category is the storm's strongest point within 50 km, which can be weaker than its peak elsewhere.
How strong were the storms near North Carolina?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 28 | 13% |
| Tropical storm | 103 | 48% |
| Category 1 | 38 | 18% |
| Category 2 | 24 | 11% |
| Category 3 | 10 | 5% |
| Category 4 | 3 | 1% |
| Category 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown intensity | 10 | 5% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, Atlantic).
North Carolina storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1851, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1850s | 9 |
| 1860s | 10 |
| 1870s | 10 |
| 1880s | 17 |
| 1890s | 16 |
| 1900s | 10 |
| 1910s | 9 |
| 1920s | 6 |
| 1930s | 7 |
| 1940s | 9 |
| 1950s | 15 |
| 1960s | 14 |
| 1970s | 13 |
| 1980s | 11 |
| 1990s | 13 |
| 2000s | 20 |
| 2010s | 11 |
| 2020s | 16 |
Earlier decades hold fewer storms partly because they were harder to see. Before weather satellites (about the 1960s) many storms that stayed at sea went unrecorded, so compare decades with care.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 0 |
| May | 8 |
| Jun | 21 |
| Jul | 28 |
| Aug | 49 |
| Sep | 78 |
| Oct | 28 |
| Nov | 4 |
| Dec | 0 |
Strongest storms near North Carolina
- Helene (1958)21 September 1958 to 4 October 1958, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 933 hPa
- Hazel (1954)5 October 1954 to 18 October 1954, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 938 hPa
- Diana (1984)8 September 1984 to 16 September 1984, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 949 hPa
- Unnamed storm of August 1887 (North Atlantic)14 August 1887 to 24 August 1887, peak Category 3 (105 kt)
- Unnamed storm of September 1893 (North Atlantic)25 September 1893 to 15 October 1893, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 955 hPa
- Unnamed storm of August 1899 (North Atlantic)3 August 1899 to 4 September 1899, Category 3 (105 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (130 kt), 930 hPa
Most recent storms near North Carolina
- Chantal (2025)4 July 2025 to 7 July 2025, peak Tropical storm (50 kt), 1,002 hPa
- Helene (2024)23 September 2024 to 28 September 2024, Tropical storm (45 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 941 hPa
- Debby (2024)2 August 2024 to 10 August 2024, Tropical storm (40 kt) near here, peak Category 1 (70 kt), 980 hPa
- Ophelia (2023)21 September 2023 to 24 September 2023, peak Tropical storm (60 kt), 981 hPa
- Idalia (2023)26 August 2023 to 8 September 2023, Tropical storm (50 kt) near here, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 945 hPa
Many of these storms killed people and destroyed homes. The figures are the official record's, and this page says nothing about their human cost.
North Carolina ranks number 3 among US states and territories for the number of storms.
Notable storms near North Carolina with their own pages
- Helene (1958)21 September 1958 to 4 October 1958, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 933 hPa
- Hazel (1954)5 October 1954 to 18 October 1954, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 938 hPa
- Diana (1984)8 September 1984 to 16 September 1984, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 949 hPa
- Carol (1954)25 August 1954 to 1 September 1954, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 955 hPa
- Bob (1991)16 August 1991 to 29 August 1991, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 950 hPa
- Emily (1993)22 August 1993 to 6 September 1993, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 960 hPa
- Fran (1996)23 August 1996 to 10 September 1996, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 946 hPa
- Bonnie (1998)19 August 1998 to 31 August 1998, peak Category 3 (100 kt), 954 hPa
- Ione (1955)10 September 1955 to 27 September 1955, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 938 hPa
- Dorian (2019)24 August 2019 to 9 September 2019, peak Category 5 (160 kt), 910 hPa
- Donna (1960)29 August 1960 to 14 September 1960, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 930 hPa
- Gloria (1985)16 September 1985 to 2 October 1985, peak Category 4 (125 kt), 920 hPa
North Carolina counties
Every county that a storm has come near is listed, most storms first. 100 of them have at least 3 storms and their own page.