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Coastal New Hanover County, North Carolina
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 2011 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
0
Tornado reports
0
Hail reports
9
Floods since 1996
109
All events
10
Deaths
$1.5M
Property damage
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
A 21 year old male from Raleigh, NC got caught in a strong rip current before going missing at Kure Beach around noon and is presumed dead.
A 58 year old male drowned after trying to save children caught in a rip current at Fort Fisher, NC around 2pm. Fort Fisher lifeguards reported over 50 rip current related rescues during the day. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 61 rip current rescues and 15 rescues were repo…
A 40 year old high school teacher drowned attempting to rescue two children in a rip current.
A man from Miami was pulled out to sea and drowned. He was pulled from the water near the J Avenue beach access.
In the cleanup after Hurricane Florence, an elderly man had a tree limb injury which led to a fatal infection.
Strong rip currents caused 20 rip related rescues, with one fatality. The fatality occurred about a quarter mile north of the Crystal Pier around 5 pm. The 52 year woman was pulled from the water by bystanders and family members and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Strong rip currents caused two fatalities. The incident occurred near the Dolphin Lane beach access. Witnesses urged two good Samaritans to enter the water and rescue a father and child that were caught in a rip current. The two men never made it back to shore and were retrieved …
Long period swells from Tropical Storm Bonnie produced strong rip currents and rough surf. A man was pulled out to sea at Carolina Beach and drowned.
A young man who was swimming at Carolina Beach got pulled out to sea by a rip current and subsequently drowned. He was swimming between two lifeguard stands near Texas Avenue when the lifeguards saw him go underwater and not come back up.
Even though the center of Hurricane Irene passed over 100 miles east of the coast of southeastern North Carolina, its large windfield produced tropical storm force winds for nearly 24 hours as it made its landfall near Cape Lookout. The highest recorded wind gust at the Wilmingto…
Rip Current Rip Current
Easterly swell led to moderate rip current activity. Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue performed 15 rip current rescues.
Rip Current Rip Current
Southeast swell created numerous rip currents at Wrightsville Beach, which led to 15 rip current rescues performed by the lifeguards.
Rip Current Rip Current
Numerous rip current rescues were performed over the Memorial Day weekend by New Hanover county lifeguards due to moderate to strong rip currents. Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 35 rescues total across all 3 days. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue conducted 28 rip current res…
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue performed a four person rip current rescue Thursday evening. One woman pulled from the water was not breathing and was able to be resuscitated. They recovered in the hospital over the next couple of days.
Rip Current Rip Current
Ocean Rescue personnel performed numerous rescues due to moderate to strong rip current activity created by an east-southeast swell. On Saturday May 16, Carolina Beach lifeguards rescued 20 people from rip currents and Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue performed 8 rescues. On Sunda…
Rip Current Rip Current
Moderate rip current activity led to 15 rip current rescues on April 3rd and 11 rescues on April 4th by Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snow began on January 31 and ended on February 1, ranging from 7 to 9 inches across the zone. Impacts from the storm were limited.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snow began on January 31 and ended on February 1, ranging from 7 to 9 inches across the zone. Impacts from the storm were limited.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 10 rip current rescues.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current rescues.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue conducted 60 to 70 rip current rescues.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 10 rip current rescues during the day due to moderate rip current activity.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Two to three inches of snow and sleet mix fell across coastal New Hanover county. Increase in vehicle incidents morning of the 23rd due to ice per 911. County offices and numerous schools closed.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue performed 25 rip current rescues due to strong rip currents caused by Hurricane Ernesto.
Rip Current Rip Current
Prolonged period of strong rip currents and multiple rescues were reported by ocean rescue groups in New Hanover County. Between July 3rd and July 7th, Wrightsville Beach reported 99 rip current rescues, Carolina Beach reported 86 rescues, and Kure Beach reported 14 rip current r…
Rip Current Rip Current
Prolonged period of strong rip currents and multiple rescues were reported by ocean rescue groups in New Hanover County. Between June 18th and 22nd, Carolina Beach reported 95 rip current rescues, Wrightsville Beach reported 24 rescues, and Kure Beach reported 45 rip current resc…
Coastal Flood Coastal Flood
Wrightsville Beach tide gage at Johnny Mercer Pier crested at 6.68 feet (MLLW).
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach lifeguards reported a total of 22 rescues today in the surf.
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue performed 20 to 25 rip current rescues today. Wrightsville Beach reported 15 to 20 rip rescues.
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 17 rip current rescues.
Rip Current Rip Current
A total of 46 rip current rescues were reported by county lifeguards. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 25 rip current rescues, Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current rescues, and 3 rescues were reported at Kure Beach.
Rip Current Rip Current
A total of 90 rip current rescues were reported by county lifeguards. Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 70 rip current rescues, Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current rescues, and 2 rescues were reported at Kure Beach.
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 70 rip current rescues, Kure Beach Ocean Rescue performed 16 rip rescues, and 12 rescues were reported at Wrightsville Beach.
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue and Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue made 10 rip current rescues each with moderate rip currents reported.
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue made 19 rip current rescues with strong rip currents reported. Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue made 15 rip current rescues with moderate rip currents reported.
Storm Surge/Tide Storm Surge/Tide
Storm surge flooding closed roads in Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach along with some roads east of Greenville Loop Rd. impassable during the peak of the event. A separate area of storm surge developed along the Cape Fear River with 2 feet of water covering Water St. in down…
Tropical Storm Tropical Storm
Tropical storm force wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph associated with Hurricane Ian resulted in some downed trees and isolated downed power lines. Rainfall amounts averaged 3 to 4 inches.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue conducted 15 to 20 rip current rescues.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue conducted 15 rip current rescues.
Tropical Storm Tropical Storm
The NOS gauge at Johnny Mercer Pier measured a 42 knot gust.
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 18 rip current related water rescues at Carolina Beach, NC.
Rip Current Rip Current
Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue reported 16 rip current related water rescues at Carolina Beach, NC.
High Wind High Wind
NOS gauge measured a gust to 65 mph at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach.
High Wind High Wind
NOS gauge measured a gust to 59 mph at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Significant ice accumulations occurred due to freezing rain before sleet mixed in overnight and finishing with a brief dusting of snow. 0.2-0.25 of ice reported by EM, with less on beaches. US-421 was closed in both directions in Carolina Beach near Dow Road N due to icy conditio…
Coastal Flood Coastal Flood
NOS tide gauge at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach measured a water level of 7.71 ft MLLW at 918 AM EST. Coastal flooding occurred on several roads in the Wrightsville Beach area including parts of the Wrightsville Beach Elementary School playground.
Coastal Flood Coastal Flood
NOS tide gauge at Johnny Mercer Pier in Wrightsville Beach measured a water level of 7.75 ft MLLW at 812 AM EST. Additionally, the areas around Wrightsville Beach Elementary School were flooded, several residences along Paige's Creek were inundated, and several vehicles were dama…
Rip Current Rip Current
Strong rip currents led to 30 rescues at Wrightsville Beach, NC.
Rip Current Rip Current
Moderate rip current activity led to several rip current rescues at New Hanover county beaches. Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported sixteen rescues, Kure Beach reported five, and Carolina Beach had one rescue.
Rip Current Rip Current
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue reported fourteen rip current rescues during the day from moderate rip current activity.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 0 |
| 2025 | 5 | 0 |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 |
| 2021 | 11 | 0 |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 |
| 2018 | 13 | 0 |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 |
| 2014 | 5 | 0 |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 |
| 2012 | 17 | 0 |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Coastal New Hanover County, measured to its path.
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