Storms near McDowell County
The record holds 10 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of McDowell County, North Carolina between 1886 and 2020. The busiest month is September, with 4 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 2 strength.
- 10storms within 50 km
- 0major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 1at 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 McDowell County?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 5 | 50% |
| Tropical storm | 4 | 40% |
| Category 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Category 2 | 1 | 10% |
| Category 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Category 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Category 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown intensity | 0 | 0% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, Atlantic).
McDowell County storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2020, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1886, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1 |
| 1940s | 1 |
| 1950s | 1 |
| 1960s | 1 |
| 1980s | 2 |
| 1990s | 1 |
| 2000s | 1 |
| 2010s | 1 |
| 2020s | 1 |
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 | 0 |
| Jun | 2 |
| Jul | 0 |
| Aug | 3 |
| Sep | 4 |
| Oct | 1 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
Strongest storms near McDowell County
- Hugo (1989)10 September 1989 to 25 September 1989, Category 2 (85 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (140 kt), 918 hPa
- Unnamed storm of August 1949 (North Atlantic)23 August 1949 to 1 September 1949, Tropical storm (50 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 954 hPa
- Gracie (1959)20 September 1959 to 2 October 1959, Tropical storm (45 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 951 hPa
- Zeta (2020)24 October 2020 to 30 October 2020, Tropical storm (45 kt) near here, peak Category 2 (95 kt), 973 hPa
- Unnamed storm of June 1886 (North Atlantic)17 June 1886 to 24 June 1886, Tropical storm (40 kt) near here, peak Category 2 (85 kt)
Most recent storms near McDowell County
- Zeta (2020)24 October 2020 to 30 October 2020, Tropical storm (45 kt) near here, peak Category 2 (95 kt), 973 hPa
- Florence (2018)30 August 2018 to 18 September 2018, Tropical depression (25 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (130 kt), 937 hPa
- Ivan (2004)2 September 2004 to 24 September 2004, Tropical depression (20 kt) near here, peak Category 5 (145 kt), 910 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.
A storm that came near several counties counts in each one, so county counts add up to more than the state's.