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Rutherford County, North Carolina
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1964 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
12
Tornado reports
131
Hail reports
41
Floods since 1996
569
All events
6
Deaths
$54.7M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Rutherford County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 12 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.
Tornado F4 Tornado
Historic, catastrophic flash flooding developed along the Broad River during the overnight and early morning hours as rainfall rates began to intensify again during the evening. The most intense rainfall occurred around sunrise, as the tropical rain bands near the center of Helen…
Several trees were blown down in the Green Hill community. One large tree fell on a vehicle traveling along highway 64/74 near Green Hill, destroying the vehicle and causing serious injuries to the two occupants. The 66-year-old male driver died from his injuries several days lat…
Numerous trees were blown down across the county, some of which fell on homes and vehicles. A large tree fell on a mobile home on Spurlin Rd in Ellenboro, killing two 18-year-old twin sisters.
Trees were blown down across the north side of the county. One tree fell on a man on Hudlow Rd, about 6 miles north of Rutherfordton.
A tornado damage path begin near the Ellenboro community, just northeast of the intersection of Pinehurst Rd and Bridge Rd. The track was relatively weak and intermittent for the first mile or so, as it crossed into a wooded area before emerging on Tiney Rd near the Corinth commu…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Utility company reported several trees blown down on power lines and causing outages in the Forest City area.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency manager reported a tree blown down on Highway 221 South. Utility company reported a tree down on power lines and causing an outage on nearby Hines Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines leading to power outages.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported trees blown down near Gilkey School Rd at Highway 221, at Rock Rd and Oak Springs Rd, on Hudlow Rd, and at Whitesides Rd and Indian Trail.
Hail Hail
Public reported quarter size hail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public reported several trees blown down around the Forest City and Bostic areas. Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing an outage near Ellenboro.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public reported trees and some power lines blown down from Rutherfordton, across Forest City, to the Ellenboro area.
Hail Hail
NWS employee and Ham Radio operator reported half dollar to ping pong ball size hail on the north side of Rutherfordton.
Hail Hail
Public reported quarter size hail in the Forest City area.
Hail Hail
Public shared Social Media video of at least quarter size hail falling along Highway 221.
Hail Hail
Public reported quarter-size hail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines near the intersection of Bostic Sunshine Highway and Depriest Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported scattered trees blown down throughout Rutherford County, particularly along Highway 226.
Flood Flood
Although heavy rain and flash flooding ended across Rutherford County by afternoon, flooding continued along the Broad River from the Henderson County line to a few miles downstream of Lake Lure through the afternoon. Water had largely receded to its banks by evening.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
A stream gauge on the Broad River at Bat Cave indicated flash flooding developed, with over a one-foot rise in less than an hour, after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell across the basin in less than 6 hours. Multiple campgrounds and the crawl spaces of a few structures were inundated f…
Tornado EF0 Tornado
Fire dept reported a brief, weak tornado touched down in the Shingle Hollow community. Multiple trees were blown down and mostly light damage was reported to barn roofs and greenhouses.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported multiple trees blown down from Forest City through the Sandy Mush community, with some blocking roadways.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public reported a tree and several large limbs blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported a few trees blown down in the vicinity of Duncans Creek Rd and Bostic Sunshine Highway.
Hail Hail
Fire marshall reported baseball size hail in the Lake Lure area.
Hail Hail
Public reported golf ball size hail on Highway 64 in Green Hill.
Hail Hail
County comms and public reported quarter size hail in Forest City.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms and public reported numerous trees and power lines blown from the Green Hill community, across Rutherfordton, Spindale, and Forest City, to Ellenboro.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported multiple trees blown down on Clark Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported trees blown down on Piney Ridge Rd and on Bethany Church Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Utility company reported trees and limbs blown down on power lines.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Fire dept and public reported a carport and shed destroyed along with multiple trees blown in the Forest City area. Other trees and some power lines were blown down in the Sandy Mush area, with some trees on houses.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported a tree blown down on Beams Mill Rd and another tree down on New House Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law enforcement and public reported numerous trees and large limbs blown down from the Polk County border, to Rutherfordton and across Forest City. Some trees fell on roads and power lines.
Hail Hail
Public reported nickel size hail near the intersection of Highways 221 and 74.
Hail Hail
Public reported (via Social Media) dime to quarter size hail in the Gilkey community.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms and the public reported trees blown down on Bills Creek Rd, on Freeman Town Rd, and on Cove Rd.
Hail Hail
Public reported (via Social Media) nickel size hail near Lake Lure.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law enforcement and public reported multiple trees blown down around Lake Lure, including on Buffalo Shoals Rd and Island Creek Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public reported a few trees blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported numerous trees blown down along with a few power lines across Rutherford County.
Hail Hail
Public reported nickel size hail on Frog Hollow Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms reported a tree blown down on Broyhill Rd and another tree down on Pleasant Hill Church Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County comms relayed reports of at least ten trees blown down across the northern part of the county.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 0 |
| 2024 | 15 | 1 |
| 2023 | 11 | 0 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 1 |
| 2020 | 7 | 0 |
| 2019 | 9 | 1 |
| 2018 | 21 | 0 |
| 2017 | 10 | 1 |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 |
| 2014 | 14 | 0 |
| 2013 | 16 | 0 |
| 2012 | 18 | 1 |
| 2011 | 35 | 0 |
| 2010 | 13 | 1 |
| 2009 | 13 | 0 |
| 2008 | 16 | 0 |
| 2007 | 15 | 0 |
| 2006 | 19 | 0 |
| 2005 | 24 | 1 |
| 2004 | 26 | 0 |
| 2003 | 49 | 0 |
| 2002 | 31 | 0 |
| 2001 | 24 | 0 |
| 2000 | 24 | 1 |
| 1999 | 19 | 0 |
| 1998 | 20 | 0 |
| 1997 | 23 | 0 |
| 1996 | 14 | 0 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 3 | 0 |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | 3 | 0 |
| 1989 | 7 | 1 |
| 1988 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 6 | 0 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 2 |
| 1974 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 1 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Rutherford County, measured to its path.
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