NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Catawba, 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
18 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Catawba, North Carolina since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 82 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 17
- Tornadoes
- 82
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
7 deaths in all
What the records show for Catawba
The strongest storm to pass near Catawba was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds when its centre passed 37 miles away. The record near Catawba begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 47 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 3 systems. Of the 18 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site, 65% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Catawba. The highest rating among the 82 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 7, 1998, came within 19 miles. The deadliest, an F4 on May 5, 1989, killed 4 people. Of the 82, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 41 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 23. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Catawba has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 78% of the 475 North Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 93 times since 1985, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Catawba has more hail reports within 10 miles than 78% of the 475 North Carolina cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Catawba
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 37 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Catawba: 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 Catawba
By decade
- 2020s10
- 2010s22
- 2000s9
- 1990s18(1 EF3+)
- 1980s5(1 EF3+)
- 1970s13
- 1960s1
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 1989 | F4 | 20 mi | 14 mi | 4 / 52 |
| May 7, 1998 | F4 | 19 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 26, 2022 | EF2 | 19 mi | 5.97 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 23, 2017 | EF2 | 16 mi | 4.87 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 2017 | EF2 | 18 mi | 3.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 11, 2012 | EF2 | 21 mi | 4.15 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF2 | 4 mi | 2.53 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF2 | 23 mi | 2.58 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F2 | 11 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 2005 | F2 | 11 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F2 | 21 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 16, 1994 | F2 | 15 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 82, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Catawba
The Storm Prediction Center has 93 hail reports within 10 miles of Catawba since 1985, made on 72 separate days. Of these, 51 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 3 days, most recently May 20, 2006. The most recent report is from August 17, 2024. June has the most reports, 29.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Catawba
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Statesville 2 NNE, NC, 13 miles northeast of Catawba at 803 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 87°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 49°F and 26°F. August is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and February and October the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 46.7 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (24.1 of 46.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 18 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (8); a normal September there has highs of 80°F and 3.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 33 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 99 nights a year. Snowfall averages 4.9 inches a year, most of it in January. That 46.7 inches is more than at 25 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (18%). Claremont, 5 miles northwest, has its own station (Hickory Faa Airport, NC): 47.3 inches a year, 0.6 more than here, and the same July average high, 87°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49 | 26 | 3.7 | 7 | 2.4 |
| Feb | 53 | 28 | 3.2 | 6 | 0.8 |
| Mar | 61 | 35 | 4.0 | 7 | 0.4 |
| Apr | 70 | 44 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 77 | 54 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 84 | 63 | 4.3 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 87 | 67 | 4.4 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 86 | 65 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 80 | 59 | 3.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 71 | 46 | 3.2 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 60 | 34 | 3.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 52 | 29 | 3.9 | 7 | 1.3 |
| Year | 69 | 46 | 46.7 | 78 | 4.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Statesville 2 NNE, NC (803 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 Catawba
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 170 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Catawba: 151 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 flash floods, 5 floods, 5 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $15.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on May 14, 2006. July has had the most flash floods, 2 of 8. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 81 have had fewer than Catawba.
May 26, 1998: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Catawba — 1 injured.
July 23, 2011: lightning strike 7 miles from the centre of Catawba — 1 injured.
September 27, 2024: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Catawba — $10.0 million 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Catawba's ZIP code 28609 have filed 26 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1981, and were paid $665,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 38% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 263 North Carolina cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 85 have fewer than Catawba.
Catawba County, which includes Catawba, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 hurricanes, 4 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Helene, on September 28, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Catawba County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $45.4 million a year, the 29th highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $27.4 million (60%), 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.
Cities near Catawba
- Claremont, NC5 mi
- Sherrills Ford, NC8 mi
- Conover, NC9 mi
- Newton, NC10 mi
- Troutman, NC10 mi
- Maiden, NC10 mi
- Stony Point, NC11 mi
- Statesville, NC13 mi
- Denver, NC13 mi
- Mooresville, NC14 mi
- Hickory, NC16 mi
- Hiddenite, NC16 mi
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