NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Magnolia, 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
99 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Magnolia, North Carolina since 1851, 23 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 78 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 23
- Tropical storms
- 76
- Tornadoes
- 78
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
18 deaths in all
What the records show for Magnolia
The strongest storm to pass near Magnolia was Helene in 1958, a Category 4 hurricane with 137 mph winds when its centre passed 72 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1881, whose centre came within 19 miles. The record near Magnolia begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 54 miles away. The 1990s and the 2000s were the busiest decades, with 8 systems each. Of the 99 systems, 18 have come since 2000. Magnolia has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 82% of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site. The strongest of the 78 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on March 28, 1984; its path came within 16 miles, and it killed 3 people. The deadliest, an F3 on March 28, 1984, killed 12 people. Of the 78, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 32 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 27. The most recent tornado was on September 27, 2024. Magnolia has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 74% of the 475 North Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 51 times since 1978, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 64% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Magnolia.
Compare Magnolia's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Magnolia
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 21 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 14 | 50 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 3 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2014 | ArthurJul 4 | 72 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 1 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | OpheliaSep 14 | 75 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 23 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 38 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1999 | DennisSep 5 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | BonnieAug 27 | 39 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 25 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 12 | 24 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1984 | DianaSep 14 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 19 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 20 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | overhead | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | GingerOct 1 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 27 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | Unnamed 1970 stormAug 17 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1967 | Unnamed 1967 stormJun 18 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | IsbellOct 16 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 47 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1958 | HeleneSep 27 | 72 mi | Category 4 (137 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 17 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 27 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 17 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 22 mi | Category 3 (113 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 13 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 25 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormJul 6 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 25 | 72 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 2 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1925 | Unnamed 1925 stormDec 2 | 74 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 17 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 23 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 24 | 68 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormSep 6 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormSep 3 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 20 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormJul 31 | 57 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 13 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 13 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 42 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 28 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 32 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 33 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 11 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 22 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 9 | 19 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 52 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 55 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 31 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 25 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 23 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 44 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 13 | 42 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 28 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 25 | 14 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 Magnolia: 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 Magnolia
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s17
- 2000s8
- 1990s18
- 1980s4(3 EF3+)
- 1970s9
- 1960s12(1 EF3+)
- 1950s3(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 1984 | F4 | 16 mi | 21 mi | 3 / 149 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F3 | 20 mi | 40 mi | 12 / 101 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F3 | 23 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 81 |
| Apr 18, 1969 | F3 | 17 mi | 25.8 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 8, 1957 | F3 | 4 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 29 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF2 | 17 mi | 29.88 mi | 3 / 13 |
| Aug 7, 2024 | EF2 | 15 mi | 4.67 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 8, 2014 | EF2 | 10 mi | 0.15 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF2 | 25 mi | 2.41 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 1999 | F2 | 8 mi | 30 mi | 0 / 19 |
| Apr 15, 1996 | F2 | 11 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 1996 | F2 | 7 mi | 0.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 78, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Magnolia
The Storm Prediction Center has 51 hail reports within 10 miles of Magnolia since 1978, made on 42 separate days. Of these, 22 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on May 21, 2000. The most recent report is from May 24, 2024. May has the most reports, 24.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Magnolia
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Warsaw 5 E, NC, 9 miles north of Magnolia at 110 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 88°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 52°F and 30°F. September is the wettest at 7.0 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 52.1 inches over 74 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 59% of the year's precipitation (30.7 of 52.1 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 99 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (40); a normal September there has highs of 81°F and 7.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 51 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 64 nights a year. Snowfall averages 2.0 inches a year, most of it in January. That 52.1 inches is more than at 88 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (63%). Rose Hill, 5 miles south, has its own station (Wallace 1SE, NC): 57.2 inches a year, 5.1 more than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 88°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 30 | 3.6 | 6 | 0.9 |
| Feb | 55 | 31 | 3.2 | 5 | 0.5 |
| Mar | 62 | 37 | 4.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 71 | 46 | 3.3 | 5 | 0.0 |
| May | 78 | 55 | 3.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 85 | 64 | 5.1 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 88 | 68 | 6.1 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 86 | 66 | 5.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 81 | 61 | 7.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 3.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 62 | 38 | 3.5 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 55 | 33 | 3.4 | 6 | 0.6 |
| Year | 70 | 48 | 52.1 | 74 | 2.0 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Warsaw 5 E, NC (110 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 Magnolia
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 96 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Magnolia: 82 thunderstorm wind reports, 12 flash floods and 2 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $367,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on May 28, 2000. August has had the most flash floods, 5 of 12. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 166 have had fewer than Magnolia.
March 8, 2005: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of Magnolia — $250,000 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
Duplin County, which includes Magnolia, has been named in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1984, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 19 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tropical storms, 1 severe storm). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Eta, on March 3, 2021. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Duplin County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, hail and lightning; Relatively Low for inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $53.1 million a year, the 26th highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $37.0 million (70%), 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.