NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Greensboro, 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
28 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Greensboro, North Carolina since 1851, 1 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 51 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 1
- Tropical storms
- 27
- Tornadoes
- 51
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Greensboro
The strongest storm to pass near Greensboro was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 1 hurricane with 79 mph winds when its centre passed 38 miles away. The record near Greensboro begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 61 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 5 systems. Of the 28 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site, 65% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Greensboro. The highest rating among the 51 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on March 28, 2010, came within 10 miles. The deadliest, an EF2 on November 16, 2011, killed 2 people. Of the 51, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 17 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 15. The most recent tornado was on July 6, 2025. Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 62% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Greensboro. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 132 times since 1967, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Greensboro has more hail reports within 10 miles than 92% of the 475 North Carolina cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Greensboro
Of the 28 tracks on the map, 21 were moving northeast as they passed Greensboro, 7 north. The unnamed 1896 storm, the strongest pass, was heading north; its centre passed 38 miles east of Greensboro. None made landfall within 75 miles of Greensboro; 25 of the 28 were hurricanes at their peak, 1 at their closest to the city. In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025), 4 came near Greensboro: 1.3 a decade, against 1.7 a decade from 1851 to 1995.
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 17 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 29 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 18 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 12 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 30 | 38 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 13 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 23 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Greensboro: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
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Tornadoes within 25 miles of Greensboro
By decade
- 2020s5
- 2010s6(1 EF3+)
- 2000s6
- 1990s8(1 EF3+)
- 1980s8(2 EF3+)
- 1970s7
- 1960s7
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1998 | F3 | 24 mi | 12 mi | 2 / 27 |
| Mar 28, 2010 | EF3 | 10 mi | 3.46 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 5, 1989 | F3 | 18 mi | 10.5 mi | 0 / 30 |
| May 22, 1985 | F3 | 22 mi | 3.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 16, 2011 | EF2 | 23 mi | 12.51 mi | 2 / 15 |
| May 8, 2008 | EF2 | 9 mi | 3.85 mi | 1 / 3 |
| Apr 15, 2018 | EF2 | 4 mi | 32.75 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Mar 29, 1991 | F2 | 20 mi | 28 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 19 mi | 5.5 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Jun 6, 1981 | F2 | 18 mi | 9.4 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 1, 1977 | F2 | 15 mi | 9.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1969 | F2 | 19 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 51, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Greensboro
The Storm Prediction Center has 132 hail reports within 10 miles of Greensboro since 1967, made on 72 separate days. Of these, 73 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently August 18, 2000. The most recent report is from March 16, 2025. May has the most reports, 49.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Greensboro
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Greensboro Wtp, NC, 1 mile northeast of Greensboro at 765 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 50°F and 30°F. July is the wettest at 5.8 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 45.9 inches over 86 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 57% of the year's precipitation (26.1 of 45.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 28 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (10); a normal September there has highs of 81°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 42 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 62 nights a year. That 45.9 inches is more than at 20 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (14%). Jamestown, 8 miles southwest, has its own station (High Pt, NC): 48.6 inches a year, 2.7 more than here, and the same July average high, 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50 | 30 | 3.2 | 7 |
| Feb | 54 | 33 | 2.6 | 8 |
| Mar | 62 | 39 | 3.7 | 8 |
| Apr | 71 | 48 | 3.6 | 7 |
| May | 79 | 58 | 3.3 | 8 |
| Jun | 85 | 65 | 5.1 | 8 |
| Jul | 89 | 71 | 5.8 | 7 |
| Aug | 87 | 68 | 4.5 | 9 |
| Sep | 81 | 61 | 4.4 | 6 |
| Oct | 71 | 49 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Nov | 61 | 39 | 3.1 | 5 |
| Dec | 53 | 33 | 3.4 | 8 |
| Year | 70 | 49 | 45.9 | 86 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Greensboro Wtp, NC (765 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 Greensboro
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 320 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Greensboro: 224 thunderstorm wind reports, 92 flash floods and 4 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $6.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 82 mph, on May 25, 2000. August has had the most flash floods, 23 of 92. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 465 have had fewer than Greensboro.
June 3, 2009: flash flood in Greensboro — 1 killed, $2.0 million damage.
NWS: “Numerous streets were closed in downtown Greensboro with as many as 50 to 100 water rescues performed, mainly from stalled out vehicles. Multiple buildings were flooded, with at least 10 to 15 on the UNC-Greenbsoro Campus alone.”
June 30, 1998: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Greensboro — 1 injured.
NWS: “Large trees fell on several houses in Greensboro. There was one injury reported as glass was blown out of a downtown office building.”
June 12, 2010: lightning strike in Greensboro — $1.5 million damage.
NWS: “Lightning struck a large fuel tank at the Colonial Pipeline gasoline tank farm resulting in a large fire destroying the tank and resulting in the closure of Interstate 40 for four hours. The tank contained 840,000 gallons of gasoline at the time of the fire.”
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 Greensboro's 9 ZIP codes have filed 534 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $8.4 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Florence in 2018: 34 claims (6% of all) and $1.2 million, then Hurricane Fran in 1996 with 33 and Hurricane Isabel in 2003 with 18. The year with the most claims was 2000, with 61. 24% 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, 223 have fewer than Greensboro.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Florence2018 | 34 | $1.2 million |
| Hurricane Fran1996 | 33 | $543,000 |
| Hurricane Isabel2003 | 18 | $259,000 |
| Flooding1990 | 12 | $61,000 |
| Hurricane Debby2024 | 12 | $476,000 |
Guilford County, which includes Greensboro, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 hurricanes, 4 snowstorms, 3 ice storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 25, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Guilford County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for inland flooding and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $134.6 million a year, the 6th highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $100.5 million (75%), 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 Greensboro
- Mc Leansville, NC8 mi
- Jamestown, NC8 mi
- Summerfield, NC10 mi
- Pleasant Garden, NC10 mi
- Colfax, NC11 mi
- Browns Summit, NC11 mi
- Oak Ridge, NC11 mi
- High Point, NC12 mi
- Whitsett, NC13 mi
- Climax, NC13 mi
- Archdale, NC14 mi
- Julian, NC14 mi
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