NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Butner, NC
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
51 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Butner, North Carolina since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 53 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 5
- Tropical storms
- 46
- Tornadoes
- 53
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
12 deaths in all
What the records show for Butner
The strongest storm to pass near Butner was Hazel in 1954, a Category 1 hurricane with 92 mph winds when its centre passed 27 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 17 miles. The record near Butner begins with an unnamed storm in 1854; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 71 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 7 systems. Of the 51 systems, 11 have come since 2000. Butner has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 54% of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site. The strongest of the 53 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on November 27, 1988; its path came within 17 miles, and it killed 4 people. The deadliest, an EF3 on April 16, 2011, killed 6 people. Of the 53, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 25 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 12. The most recent tornado was on September 27, 2024. Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 58% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Butner. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 64 times since 1955, with stones up to 2.25 inches. Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 49% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Butner.
Compare Butner's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Butner
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 21 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 18 | 71 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 23 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | DennisSep 5 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | IsbellOct 16 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 17 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 27 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleSep 1 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 18 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 2 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 72 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormSep 3 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 20 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 17 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 12 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 23 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Butner: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Butner
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s12(1 EF3+)
- 2000s6
- 1990s10(1 EF3+)
- 1980s8(1 EF3+)
- 1970s4
- 1960s2
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 27, 1988 | F4 | 17 mi | 83 mi | 4 / 154 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF3 | 22 mi | 65.23 mi | 6 / 103 |
| Nov 23, 1992 | F3 | 17 mi | 5.5 mi | 2 / 10 |
| Apr 19, 2019 | EF2 | 20 mi | 10.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 24, 2016 | EF2 | 19 mi | 5.07 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 20, 1998 | F2 | 13 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 20, 1998 | F2 | 7 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 27, 1995 | F2 | 20 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 27, 1995 | F2 | 14 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 29, 1991 | F2 | 24 mi | 26 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 11 mi | 8.7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1984 | F2 | 11 mi | 1.7 mi | 0 / 4 |
The strongest 12 of 53, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Butner
The Storm Prediction Center has 64 hail reports within 10 miles of Butner since 1955, made on 44 separate days. Of these, 41 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.25 inches, fell on July 1, 1990. The most recent report is from April 8, 2020. May has the most reports, 35.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Butner
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Falls Lake, NC, 12 miles southeast of Butner at 280 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 87°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 49°F and 28°F. September is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 47.5 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (25.8 of 47.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 51 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (23); a normal September there has highs of 79°F and 5.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 36 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 82 nights a year. That 47.5 inches is more than at 37 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (26%). Stem, 4 miles northeast, has its own station (Oxford Ag, NC): 46.5 inches a year, 1.0 less than here, and a July average high of 89°F against 87°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | 28 | 3.5 | 7 |
| Feb | 53 | 30 | 2.9 | 7 |
| Mar | 62 | 36 | 4.2 | 7 |
| Apr | 71 | 45 | 3.7 | 7 |
| May | 77 | 55 | 3.5 | 7 |
| Jun | 84 | 64 | 4.1 | 8 |
| Jul | 87 | 68 | 4.8 | 8 |
| Aug | 85 | 67 | 4.7 | 7 |
| Sep | 79 | 61 | 5.3 | 6 |
| Oct | 68 | 48 | 3.3 | 5 |
| Nov | 59 | 37 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Dec | 52 | 32 | 3.9 | 7 |
| Year | 69 | 47 | 47.5 | 80 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Falls Lake, NC (280 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Butner
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 122 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Butner: 97 thunderstorm wind reports, 19 flash floods, 2 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $725,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 79 mph, on September 17, 2004. August has had the most flash floods, 4 of 19. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 270 have had fewer than Butner.
June 10, 2011: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Butner — 1 killed.
June 13, 2013: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Butner — $250,000 damage.
August 27, 2008: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Butner — $100,000 damage.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Granville County, which includes Butner, has been named in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 hurricanes, 3 ice storms, 3 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 25, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Granville County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and tornadoes; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $20.0 million a year, the 58th highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $10.4 million (52%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.