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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Carolina Beach, NC

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

120 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Carolina Beach, North Carolina since 1851, 41 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Chantal in 2025. Since 1950, 69 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
41

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
79

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
69

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
0

no recorded deaths

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Carolina Beach

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Carolina Beach, North Carolina, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2025ChantalJul 669 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
2023OpheliaSep 2346 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
2023IdaliaAug 3129 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 4
2020IsaiasAug 430 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 1
2019DorianSep 633 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 5
2018FlorenceSep 144 miCategory 1 (91 mph)Category 4
2016MatthewOct 818 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 5
2016HermineSep 322 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 1
2016ColinJun 728 miTropical storm (53 mph)Tropical storm
2015AnaMay 1052 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2014ArthurJul 329 miCategory 2 (97 mph)Category 2
2012BerylMay 307 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2011IreneAug 2768 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 3
2008HannaSep 640 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 1
2008CristobalJul 2037 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
2007BarryJun 3overheadTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2006ErnestoSep 110 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 1
2005OpheliaSep 1425 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 1
2004CharleyAug 1428 miTropical storm (71 mph)Category 4
2004AlexAug 364 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 3
2002KyleOct 1130 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1999IreneOct 1852 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 2
1999FloydSep 162 miCategory 2 (101 mph)Category 4
1998EarlSep 467 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1998BonnieAug 2711 miCategory 2 (109 mph)Category 3
1996JosephineOct 838 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1996FranSep 69 miCategory 3 (113 mph)Category 3
1996BerthaJul 12overheadCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 3
1996ArthurJun 1931 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1995AllisonJun 634 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1986CharleyAug 1762 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1985KateNov 226 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 3
1984DianaSep 139 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 4
1982Unnamed 1982 stormJun 1911 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1981DennisAug 20overheadTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
1975HallieOct 2743 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1972AgnesJun 2157 miTropical storm (39 mph)Category 1
1971GingerOct 157 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 2
1971DoriaAug 2753 miTropical storm (61 mph)Tropical storm
1970Unnamed 1970 stormAug 1727 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 1
1968GladysOct 2041 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 2
1967Unnamed 1967 stormJun 1825 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1966AlmaJun 1152 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 3
1964DoraSep 1313 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 4
1963GinnyOct 2668 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 2
1962AlmaAug 2869 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 149 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 1213 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 2913 miTropical storm (68 mph)Tropical storm
1958HeleneSep 2719 miCategory 4 (138 mph)Category 4
1956Unnamed 1956 stormOct 1710 miTropical storm (56 mph)Tropical storm
1956FlossySep 2643 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
1955DianeAug 17overheadTropical storm (69 mph)Category 2
1955ConnieAug 1260 miCategory 1 (94 mph)Category 4
1954HazelOct 1539 miCategory 3 (129 mph)Category 4
1954Unnamed 1954 stormMay 2967 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1952Unnamed 1952 stormAug 2848 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1949Unnamed 1949 stormSep 1319 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1947Unnamed 1947 stormSep 2561 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1946Unnamed 1946 stormJul 613 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
1945Unnamed 1945 stormJun 2528 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 2
1944Unnamed 1944 stormAug 114 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 1
1937Unnamed 1937 stormJul 3160 miTropical storm (60 mph)Tropical storm
1932Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1538 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 1
1930Unnamed 1930 stormSep 1275 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 4
1928Unnamed 1928 stormSep 1950 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 5
1925Unnamed 1925 stormDec 242 miCategory 1 (78 mph)Category 1
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3054 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 1
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 1713 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1920Unnamed 1920 stormSep 2327 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 1
1918Unnamed 1918 stormAug 2443 miTropical storm (71 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormSep 621 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1655 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1913Unnamed 1913 stormSep 369 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 1
1912Unnamed 1912 stormJun 1473 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1910Unnamed 1910 stormOct 205 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 4
1910Unnamed 1910 stormAug 2838 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1908Unnamed 1908 stormSep 165 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1908Unnamed 1908 stormJul 3124 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1908Unnamed 1908 stormMay 2967 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1907Unnamed 1907 stormJun 294 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1904Unnamed 1904 stormNov 435 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1901Unnamed 1901 stormSep 186 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1901Unnamed 1901 stormJul 122 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1900Unnamed 1900 stormOct 1326 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormOct 3163 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 2
1899Unnamed 1899 stormOct 654 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2244 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 943 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1894Unnamed 1894 stormSep 2814 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 1361 miCategory 2 (101 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 471 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 4
1893Unnamed 1893 stormJun 1634 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1889Unnamed 1889 stormJun 1853 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 1
1888Unnamed 1888 stormOct 113 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 2
1887Unnamed 1887 stormAug 2071 miCategory 3 (120 mph)Category 3
1885Unnamed 1885 stormAug 2521 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 2
1883Unnamed 1883 stormSep 1132 miCategory 1 (94 mph)Category 3
1882Unnamed 1882 stormOct 1226 miCategory 1 (79 mph)Category 4
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 2234 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1881Unnamed 1881 stormSep 912 miCategory 2 (99 mph)Category 2
1880Unnamed 1880 stormSep 912 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1879Unnamed 1879 stormAug 1840 miCategory 3 (115 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 2338 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 1171 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
1876Unnamed 1876 stormSep 1712 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2951 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 1
1873Unnamed 1873 stormSep 2037 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 247 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 1
1871Unnamed 1871 stormOct 731 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1871Unnamed 1871 stormAug 2969 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 3
1868Unnamed 1868 stormOct 551 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 1825 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormNov 253 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2723 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1857Unnamed 1857 stormSep 13overheadCategory 2 (101 mph)Category 2
1856Unnamed 1856 stormSep 141 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 3
1852Unnamed 1852 stormOct 1038 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1852Unnamed 1852 stormAug 2814 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1851Unnamed 1851 stormAug 2566 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Carolina Beach: 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 Carolina Beach

By decade

  • 2020s14
  • 2010s25
  • 2000s3
  • 1990s14
  • 1980s1
  • 1970s6
  • 1960s2
  • 1950s4
Strongest tornadoes near Carolina Beach, North Carolina
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Aug 3, 2020EF211 mi8.3 mi0 / 0
Jun 13, 1962F219 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Aug 30, 2023EF14 mi1.54 mi0 / 0
Aug 30, 2023EF18 mi0.25 mi0 / 0
Aug 3, 2020EF125 mi0.27 mi0 / 0
Aug 3, 2020EF113 mi1.48 mi0 / 0
Aug 3, 2020EF115 mi2.59 mi0 / 0
Sep 5, 2019EF119 mi2.86 mi0 / 1
Sep 5, 2019EF121 mi2.56 mi0 / 0
Sep 15, 2018EF16 mi4.45 mi0 / 0
Sep 15, 2018EF113 mi2.92 mi0 / 0
Sep 15, 2018EF118 mi0.6 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 69, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Carolina Beach while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

Other cities in North Carolina