NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Cove City, 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
116 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Cove City, North Carolina since 1851, 31 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 110 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 31
- Tropical storms
- 85
- Tornadoes
- 110
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
18 deaths in all
What the records show for Cove City
The strongest storm to pass near Cove City was Helene in 1958, a Category 4 hurricane with 135 mph winds when its centre passed 70 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1876, whose centre came within 7 miles. The record near Cove City begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 10 miles away. The 1990s and the 2000s were the busiest decades, with 10 systems each. Of the 116 systems, 22 have come since 2000. Cove City has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 89% of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site. The strongest of the 110 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on March 28, 1984; its path came within 23 miles, and it killed 16 people. Of the 110, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 53 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 42. The most recent tornado was on January 10, 2024. Cove City has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 96% of the 475 North Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 54 times since 1974, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 61% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Cove City.
Compare Cove City's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Cove City
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 21 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | DorianSep 6 | 70 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 14 | 69 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 9 | 72 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 3 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2014 | ArthurJul 4 | 53 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 27 | 49 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | GabrielleSep 9 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 1 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | OpheliaSep 15 | 71 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 18 | 40 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 12 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 23 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 10 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1999 | DennisSep 5 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | BonnieAug 27 | 23 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 24 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 71 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 11 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | ArthurJun 19 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1986 | CharleyAug 17 | 55 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1984 | DianaSep 14 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 19 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 20 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | GingerOct 1 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 27 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | Unnamed 1970 stormAug 17 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | GladysOct 20 | 74 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1967 | DoriaSep 17 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | IsbellOct 16 | overhead | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1962 | Unnamed 1962 stormJun 30 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 30 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1958 | HeleneSep 27 | 70 mi | Category 4 (135 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 17 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 27 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | IoneSep 19 | 35 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 12 | 43 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 61 mi | Category 2 (106 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1953 | BarbaraAug 14 | 69 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 13 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 25 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormJul 6 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 26 | 53 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 2 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormOct 12 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 3 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 16 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 31 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1925 | Unnamed 1925 stormDec 2 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 17 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 24 | 40 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormSep 6 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormSep 3 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 20 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormAug 28 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormSep 1 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormJul 31 | 39 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 13 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 23 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 28 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 70 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | overhead | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 20 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 25 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 12 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 23 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 10 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 31 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 18 | 45 mi | Category 3 (113 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 15 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 7 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 25 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 2 | 52 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 13 | 23 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 19 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 10 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 25 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Cove City: 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 Cove City
By decade
- 2020s9
- 2010s14(1 EF3+)
- 2000s30
- 1990s33
- 1980s3(1 EF3+)
- 1970s11(1 EF3+)
- 1960s5(1 EF3+)
- 1950s5
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 1984 | F4 | 23 mi | 28 mi | 16 / 153 |
| Mar 17, 1965 | F3 | 15 mi | 41.3 mi | 2 / 85 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | EF3 | 25 mi | 20.99 mi | 0 / 16 |
| Mar 4, 1977 | F3 | 24 mi | 4.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | EF2 | 19 mi | 1.13 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF2 | 24 mi | 4.07 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF2 | 20 mi | 2.41 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 23 mi | 4.98 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Feb 18, 2008 | EF2 | 22 mi | 1.47 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Apr 15, 1999 | F2 | 8 mi | 30 mi | 0 / 19 |
| Sep 16, 1996 | F2 | 15 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 15, 1996 | F2 | 22 mi | 1.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 110, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Cove City
The Storm Prediction Center has 54 hail reports within 10 miles of Cove City since 1974, made on 43 separate days. Of these, 23 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on July 16, 2000. The most recent report is from May 9, 2023. June has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Cove City
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Kinston 7 SE, NC, 12 miles west of Cove City at 24 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 54°F and 31°F. July is the wettest at 6.6 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 53.1 inches over 78 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 59% of the year's precipitation (31.5 of 53.1 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 116 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (48); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 5.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 45 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 66 nights a year. That 53.1 inches is more than at 96 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (69%). Trenton, 11 miles southwest, has its own station (Richlands, NC): 55.4 inches a year, 2.3 more than here, and the same July average high, 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 31 | 3.7 | 8 |
| Feb | 57 | 33 | 3.2 | 6 |
| Mar | 64 | 38 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Apr | 74 | 47 | 3.6 | 6 |
| May | 81 | 57 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 5.4 | 8 |
| Jul | 90 | 70 | 6.6 | 8 |
| Aug | 88 | 68 | 6.1 | 8 |
| Sep | 83 | 62 | 5.9 | 6 |
| Oct | 75 | 50 | 4.1 | 5 |
| Nov | 65 | 39 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Dec | 57 | 34 | 3.6 | 7 |
| Year | 73 | 50 | 53.1 | 78 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Kinston 7 SE, NC (24 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 Cove City
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 75 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Cove City: 67 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 3 floods and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $6.5 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 71 mph, on July 5, 2002.
September 30, 2010: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Cove City — $6.5 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 Cove City's ZIP code 28523 have filed 10 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1999, and were paid $123,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 90% 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, 0 have fewer than Cove City.
Craven County, which includes Cove City, 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Cove City
- Trenton, NC11 mi
- Vanceboro, NC12 mi
- Grifton, NC14 mi
- New Bern, NC16 mi
- Kinston, NC16 mi
- Ayden, NC19 mi
- Deep Run, NC21 mi
- Hookerton, NC22 mi
- Maysville, NC22 mi
- Winterville, NC24 mi
- Grimesland, NC24 mi
- Chocowinity, NC24 mi
All North Carolina cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Cove City with another place →