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New Hanover County, North Carolina
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1954 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
33
Tornado reports
112
Hail reports
178
Floods since 1996
669
All events
16
Deaths
$302.9M
Property damage
Tornado paths in New Hanover County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 33 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
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 34 year old male on a boat was killed by lightning near Masonboro Island.
Two men were clearing debris after Hurricane Isaias when lightning struck and killed the two men. The lightning also sparked an attic fire at a neighboring house.
Lightning struck and killed a man while fishing on the Northeast Cape Fear River near Castle Hayne.
A thunderstorm moved quickly into the Wrightsville Beach area, and lightning struck a young man swimming near the Crystal Pier.
A boy went under the water at Fort Fisher State Park. Two adults and lifeguards attempted to rescue him, but the boy was found dead a couple of hours later in shallow water.
A man got caught in a rip current at Carolina Beach. He was rescued by lifeguards, but never recovered from his injuries, and he died on July 8th.
An Ohio woman vacationing at Kure Beach died on June 8th after being pulled from a rip current on June 6th. Her husband and son also were caught in the rip current, and the husband had to be hospitalized. The 16 year old boy was ok.
Several rip related rescues were made off of Loggerhead Road in the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. Kure Beach lifeguards responded to the scene, and pulled a male from the water, who was either dead at the scene or shortly after.
Kure Beach officials reported that two people got caught in a rip current. Only one survivor.
A 23 year old woman drowned as a result of a rip current at the north end of Carolina Beach.
Large swell waves from distant Hurricane Florence generated rip currents along Pleasure Island Beaches. Deaths by drowning occurred at 1:30 and 2:30 PM EDT at Kure Beach, and at 3 PM EDTat Carolina Beach.
Rip currents at Kure Beach drowned a person who was attempting to rescue another person.
Lightning struck the beach at Bald Head Island, injuring nine people. Seven were treated at the local hospital for tingling feelings. One boy was in cardiac arrest when rescue units arrived and was revived at the scene. Another boy was knocked unconcious and was also revived at t…
Gordon road impassable due to flooding. Middle Sound Loop washed out the the Anchors Bend Marina. High water reported at Holly Shelter Road and Blue Clay. Wood Sorrell Rd closed due to flooding. In Wilmington, 16th St had collapsed at Greenfield St. Road closed. A business was wa…
The eye of slow-moving Hurricane Bonnie made landfall at Cape Fear during the late afternon and moved up thecoast, with the stronger east side of the storm remaining offshore. Wind gusts were generally around 100 MPH along the coast and lighter inland.At the airport, gusts reache…
Lightning Lightning
Lightning started a fire in the attic of a home on Cascade Road.
Lightning Lightning
Lightning started a fire that destroyed a home on Costmary Lane.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Big tree snapped off.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several power outages in the area resulting from fallen trees and limbs.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust measured by ASOS at ILM airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large tree was reported down on River Road in New Hanover County, NC.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorms knocked down a palm tree on Bradford Road in Wilmington.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Parts of Halcyon Lane are impassable due to standing water.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
The tornado formed near the King's Grant subdivision in Wilmington near Jamey Ct, then moved toward the northwest near West Gate Road. There was some minor shingle damage to a home, but mostly large limbs were down along with a couple of snapped/uprooted trees. The tornado crosse…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
ILM airport gusted to 61 mph in a thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree down on 3rd and Market in downtown Wilmington according to trained spotters.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The public reported a tree down on vehicle near White Road and Alamosa Drive.
Lightning Lightning
Per media, Wilmington FD responded to a lightning related fire on Shoal Bay Run.
Lightning Lightning
Reported lightning strike fire to single residence home on Nerkirk Rd off of Myrtle Grove Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A few trees were blown down at Moss Vine Place.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Starfish Lane flooded at Canal Drive.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Neighborhood streets reported flooded along Myrtle Grove Road.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Multiple vehicles were reported flooding along Canal Drive.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Carolina Beach Elementary School plus a dozen other structures were flooded.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Carolina Beach Elementary School plus a dozen other structures were flooded.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Photos shared on social media showed at least 4 feet of water covering Lake Park Blvd next to Carolina Beach Lake Park. At least once vehicle was abandoned in deep water.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust of 59 mph was measured at Johnnie Mercer's Fishing Pier.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Flooding has been noted along Fort Fisher Boulevard in Kure Beach. Law enforcement has blocked off several streets due to flooding.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Roads flooded near the intersection of Lake Park and South Ocean Boulevards.
Lightning Lightning
A lightning strike caused a structural fire in the Deerbrook apartment complex.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Report of vehicle submerged in the Porter's Neck area in northeast New Hanover County.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
NWS employee reporting 1.5 feet of water on road at residence.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Vehicle submerged near Market Street and Cypress Pond Way.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 |
| 2024 | 34 | 0 |
| 2023 | 12 | 1 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 |
| 2020 | 8 | 1 |
| 2019 | 20 | 4 |
| 2018 | 23 | 8 |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 |
| 2016 | 21 | 1 |
| 2015 | 43 | 0 |
| 2014 | 13 | 1 |
| 2013 | 16 | 0 |
| 2012 | 12 | 0 |
| 2011 | 27 | 1 |
| 2010 | 39 | 0 |
| 2009 | 25 | 0 |
| 2008 | 22 | 1 |
| 2007 | 13 | 0 |
| 2006 | 18 | 0 |
| 2005 | 18 | 0 |
| 2004 | 14 | 0 |
| 2003 | 18 | 0 |
| 2002 | 19 | 0 |
| 2001 | 15 | 0 |
| 2000 | 17 | 0 |
| 1999 | 12 | 2 |
| 1998 | 35 | 4 |
| 1997 | 17 | 0 |
| 1996 | 29 | 1 |
| 1995 | 21 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990 | 2 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 3 | 0 |
| 1986 | 7 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 6 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 4 | 0 |
| 1979 | 6 | 0 |
| 1978 | 3 | 2 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 2 | 0 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 3 | 0 |
| 1959 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 3 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in New Hanover County, measured to its path.
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