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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Cherry Point, 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

130 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Cherry Point, North Carolina since 1851, 40 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 113 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
40

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
90

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
113

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
1

2 deaths in all

What the records show for Cherry Point

The strongest storm to pass near Cherry Point was Helene in 1958, a Category 4 hurricane with 135 mph winds when its centre passed 40 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1880, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Cherry Point begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 11 miles away. The 1960s and the 2000s were the busiest decades, with 11 systems each. Of the 130 systems, 23 have come since 2000. Cherry Point has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 96% of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site. The strongest of the 113 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on March 17, 1965; its path came within 13 miles, and it killed 2 people. Of the 113, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 64 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 25. The most recent tornado was on September 16, 2024. Cherry Point has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 98% of the 475 North Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 73 times since 1975, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Cherry Point has more hail reports within 10 miles than 60% of the 475 North Carolina cities.

Compare Cherry Point's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Cherry Point

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Cherry Point, North Carolina, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2023OpheliaSep 2311 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
2021ClaudetteJun 2159 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2020IsaiasAug 466 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
2020ArthurMay 1866 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
2019DorianSep 639 miCategory 2 (101 mph)Category 5
2018FlorenceSep 1451 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 4
2016MatthewOct 942 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 5
2016HermineSep 39 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
2016ColinJun 746 miTropical storm (55 mph)Tropical storm
2014ArthurJul 422 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 2
2012BerylMay 3019 miTropical storm (47 mph)Tropical storm
2011IreneAug 2720 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 3
2008CristobalJul 2050 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
2007GabrielleSep 929 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
2007BarryJun 311 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2006ErnestoSep 154 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 1
2006AlbertoJun 1451 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
2005OpheliaSep 1542 miCategory 1 (83 mph)Category 1
2004CharleyAug 1438 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 4
2004AlexAug 354 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 3
2003IsabelSep 1831 miCategory 2 (97 mph)Category 5
2002KyleOct 124 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
2000HeleneSep 2362 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
1999IreneOct 1865 miCategory 2 (101 mph)Category 2
1999FloydSep 1620 miCategory 1 (89 mph)Category 4
1999DennisSep 59 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1998EarlSep 462 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1998BonnieAug 279 miCategory 1 (84 mph)Category 3
1996JosephineOct 827 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1996BerthaJul 1340 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 3
1996ArthurJun 1930 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
1995AllisonJun 612 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1986CharleyAug 1726 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1985KateNov 2228 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 3
1985GloriaSep 2769 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 4
1984DianaSep 1430 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 4
1982Unnamed 1982 stormJun 1915 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1981DennisAug 2010 miTropical storm (64 mph)Category 1
1975HallieOct 2758 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1975AmyJun 2860 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 1
1972AgnesJun 2135 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 1
1971GingerOct 121 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1971DoriaAug 279 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1970Unnamed 1970 stormAug 1718 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1968GladysOct 2044 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 2
1967DoriaSep 1762 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1965Unnamed 1965 stormJun 1654 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
1964IsbellOct 162 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 3
1964DoraSep 139 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 4
1963Unnamed 1963 stormJun 365 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1962AlmaAug 2860 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 1
1962Unnamed 1962 stormJun 3046 miTropical storm (63 mph)Tropical storm
1961Unnamed 1961 stormSep 1419 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1960DonnaSep 121 miCategory 2 (100 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 3042 miTropical storm (62 mph)Tropical storm
1959Unnamed 1959 stormAug 263 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1958HeleneSep 2740 miCategory 4 (135 mph)Category 4
1956Unnamed 1956 stormOct 1714 miTropical storm (53 mph)Tropical storm
1956FlossySep 2732 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1955IoneSep 1911 miCategory 2 (100 mph)Category 4
1955DianeAug 1775 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 2
1955ConnieAug 1215 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 4
1954CarolAug 3165 miCategory 2 (109 mph)Category 3
1954Unnamed 1954 stormMay 2957 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1953BarbaraAug 1443 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 1
1949Unnamed 1949 stormSep 1358 miTropical storm (43 mph)Tropical storm
1949Unnamed 1949 stormAug 2462 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1947Unnamed 1947 stormSep 2540 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1946Unnamed 1946 stormJul 614 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
1945Unnamed 1945 stormJun 2622 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 2
1944Unnamed 1944 stormAug 274 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
1942Unnamed 1942 stormOct 1259 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1937Unnamed 1937 stormJul 3150 miTropical storm (64 mph)Tropical storm
1934Unnamed 1934 stormSep 337 miTropical storm (44 mph)Tropical storm
1932Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1635 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 1
1930Unnamed 1930 stormSep 1266 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 4
1928Unnamed 1928 stormSep 1962 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 5
1925Unnamed 1925 stormDec 216 miTropical storm (72 mph)Category 1
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3055 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 1
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 179 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 1
1918Unnamed 1918 stormAug 249 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1916Unnamed 1916 stormSep 666 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1667 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
1913Unnamed 1913 stormSep 37 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 1
1912Unnamed 1912 stormJun 1528 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1910Unnamed 1910 stormOct 2026 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 4
1910Unnamed 1910 stormAug 2835 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1908Unnamed 1908 stormSep 125 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1908Unnamed 1908 stormJul 3110 miCategory 1 (79 mph)Category 1
1908Unnamed 1908 stormMay 2955 miCategory 1 (75 mph)Category 1
1907Unnamed 1907 stormJun 2918 miTropical storm (55 mph)Tropical storm
1901Unnamed 1901 stormSep 1837 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 1
1901Unnamed 1901 stormJul 1120 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 1
1900Unnamed 1900 stormOct 1326 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormOct 649 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormAug 1866 miCategory 3 (121 mph)Category 4
1897Unnamed 1897 stormOct 2066 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 1
1897Unnamed 1897 stormSep 2335 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 1039 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1894Unnamed 1894 stormSep 2817 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 2364 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 425 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 4
1893Unnamed 1893 stormJun 1636 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1889Unnamed 1889 stormJun 1858 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 1
1888Unnamed 1888 stormOct 119 miTropical storm (62 mph)Category 2
1887Unnamed 1887 stormOct 2053 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1887Unnamed 1887 stormAug 2072 miCategory 3 (121 mph)Category 3
1885Unnamed 1885 stormOct 275 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 1
1885Unnamed 1885 stormAug 255 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 2
1882Unnamed 1882 stormOct 1262 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 4
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 226 miTropical storm (49 mph)Tropical storm
1881Unnamed 1881 stormSep 940 miTropical storm (70 mph)Category 2
1880Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9overheadCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1879Unnamed 1879 stormAug 1816 miCategory 3 (114 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 2311 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormSep 2974 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1876Unnamed 1876 stormSep 1734 miCategory 1 (87 mph)Category 3
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2965 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 1
1872Unnamed 1872 stormOct 2534 miTropical storm (56 mph)Category 1
1868Unnamed 1868 stormOct 567 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
1863Unnamed 1863 stormSep 184 miTropical storm (67 mph)Tropical storm
1861Unnamed 1861 stormNov 221 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 1
1861Unnamed 1861 stormSep 2718 miTropical storm (72 mph)Category 1
1857Unnamed 1857 stormSep 139 miCategory 1 (79 mph)Category 2
1856Unnamed 1856 stormSep 17 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 3
1856Unnamed 1856 stormAug 1924 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1854Unnamed 1854 stormSep 1073 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1852Unnamed 1852 stormOct 118 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 2
1852Unnamed 1852 stormAug 2868 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1851Unnamed 1851 stormAug 2553 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 Cherry Point: 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 Cherry Point

By decade

  • 2020s10
  • 2010s20
  • 2000s34
  • 1990s28
  • 1980s8
  • 1970s5
  • 1960s8(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Cherry Point, North Carolina
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Mar 17, 1965F313 mi41.3 mi2 / 85
Sep 5, 2019EF218 mi13 mi0 / 0
Nov 24, 2018EF213 mi2.8 mi0 / 0
Nov 26, 2013EF216 mi0.36 mi0 / 2
Apr 16, 2011EF27 mi4.07 mi0 / 7
May 11, 2008EF215 mi4.98 mi0 / 6
Sep 15, 1999F216 mi2 mi0 / 0
Sep 15, 1990F224 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Mar 20, 1989F224 mi0.2 mi0 / 0
May 13, 1971F223 mi44.4 mi0 / 0
Apr 19, 1969F29 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Dec 3, 1967F216 mi0.1 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 113, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Cherry Point

The Storm Prediction Center has 73 hail reports within 10 miles of Cherry Point since 1975, made on 40 separate days. Of these, 33 were 1 inch across or larger, and 4 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on July 28, 2014. The most recent report is from May 28, 2024. July has the most reports, 23.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Weather by month in Cherry Point

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Cherry Point Mcas, NC, 1 mile east of Cherry Point at 29 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 73°F; January is the coolest, at 57°F and 36°F. September is the wettest at 8.2 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 57.5 inches over 80 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 61% of the year's precipitation (35.3 of 57.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 130 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (46); a normal September there has highs of 84°F and 8.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 38 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 38 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.8 inches a year, most of it in January. That 57.5 inches is more than at 116 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (83%). Newport, 9 miles south, has its own station (Newport/Morehead City WFO, NC): 60.7 inches a year, 3.2 more than here, and a July average high of 87°F against 90°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab, NC, 18 miles southeast, averaged 84°F in July and 51°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from July to August. Sea level at the Beaufort tide gauge, 18 miles from Cherry Point, has risen 1.43 ± 0.07 inches per decade from 1953 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 14.3 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 86 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Cherry Point Mcas, NC
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow inWater °F
Jan57364.170.651
Feb60383.470.153
Mar66443.670.059
Apr74523.560.066
May81613.960.073
Jun87694.970.080
Jul90737.490.084
Aug89727.290.083
Sep84688.270.079
Oct76563.860.071
Nov67463.850.062
Dec60403.770.154
Year745457.5800.868

Averages for 1991–2020 at Cherry Point Mcas, NC (29 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Beaufort, Duke Marine Lab, NC, from NOAA Tides & Currents. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.

North Carolina weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Cherry Point

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 90 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Cherry Point: 69 thunderstorm wind reports, 12 flash floods, 5 floods, 3 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. They killed 1 person and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $156,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 84 mph, on July 1, 2012. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 166 have had fewer than Cherry Point.

  • June 12, 2009: flood 2 miles from the centre of Cherry Point — 1 killed, $1,000 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

Craven County, which includes Cherry Point, has been named in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1968, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 23 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 severe storms, 2 tropical storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Isaias, on October 14, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Craven County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes; Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail and coastal flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $118.3 million a year, the 8th highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $92.3 million (78%), is from hurricanes.

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).

Cherry Point in the notable storm records: Hurricane Florence (2018)

What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.

Cities near Cherry Point