NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Plymouth, 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
109 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Plymouth, North Carolina since 1851, 20 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ophelia in 2023. Since 1950, 74 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 20
- Tropical storms
- 89
- Tornadoes
- 74
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
16 deaths in all
What the records show for Plymouth
The strongest storm to pass near Plymouth was an unnamed storm in 1879, a Category 3 hurricane with 110 mph winds when its centre passed 31 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Floyd in 1999, whose centre came within 1 mile. The record near Plymouth begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Ophelia in 2023, a tropical storm 33 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1960s, with 10 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 109 systems, 20 have come since 2000. Plymouth has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 79% of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site. The highest rating among the 74 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 5 times; the most recent, on August 3, 2020, came within 9 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on April 16, 2011, killed 12 people. Of the 74, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 41 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 15. The most recent tornado was on May 5, 2025. Plymouth has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 69% of the 475 North Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 30 times since 1984, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 89% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Plymouth.
Compare Plymouth's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Plymouth
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 21 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 12 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 3 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2014 | ArthurJul 4 | 55 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2011 | IreneAug 27 | 31 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | GabrielleSep 9 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 4 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 1 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2003 | IsabelSep 18 | 13 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 12 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 23 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 1 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1999 | DennisSep 5 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | BonnieAug 27 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1997 | DannyJul 24 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 13 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | ArthurJun 20 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1986 | CharleyAug 17 | 37 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | GloriaSep 27 | 73 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1984 | DianaSep 14 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 19 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 20 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 27 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | Unnamed 1970 stormAug 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1967 | DoriaSep 17 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | IsbellOct 16 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoSep 1 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1963 | Unnamed 1963 stormJun 3 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1962 | Unnamed 1962 stormJun 30 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 31 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 30 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 10 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 18 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 27 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | IoneSep 19 | 14 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1955 | ConnieAug 12 | 24 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1953 | BarbaraAug 14 | 43 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 25 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormJul 6 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 26 | 55 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1942 | Unnamed 1942 stormOct 12 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 6 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormSep 3 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1933 | Unnamed 1933 stormAug 23 | 54 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 16 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 42 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1925 | Unnamed 1925 stormDec 3 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 25 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormSep 3 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 15 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormAug 28 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormSep 1 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormJul 31 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 11 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 13 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormAug 18 | 42 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormOct 26 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 23 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 10 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 28 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 23 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 17 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1887 | Unnamed 1887 stormOct 21 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 26 | 45 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 23 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 10 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 36 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 18 | 31 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 15 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 33 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 25 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormNov 2 | 43 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 13 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormAug 19 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 10 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 25 | 6 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 Plymouth: 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 Plymouth
By decade
- 2020s7(1 EF3+)
- 2010s18(2 EF3+)
- 2000s16
- 1990s11(1 EF3+)
- 1980s11
- 1970s7
- 1960s3
- 1950s1(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF3 | 21 mi | 17.88 mi | 12 / 58 |
| Aug 3, 2020 | EF3 | 9 mi | 10 mi | 2 / 14 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | EF3 | 20 mi | 20.99 mi | 0 / 16 |
| Nov 23, 1992 | F3 | 20 mi | 160 mi | 0 / 44 |
| Nov 8, 1957 | F3 | 19 mi | 46.9 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | EF2 | 18 mi | 35.48 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F2 | 18 mi | 6 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | EF2 | 15 mi | 35.46 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 7, 2014 | EF2 | 19 mi | 4.7 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Oct 11, 2002 | F2 | 18 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 17, 1988 | F2 | 19 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 16, 1983 | F2 | in town | 7 mi | 0 / 5 |
The strongest 12 of 74, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Plymouth
The Storm Prediction Center has 30 hail reports within 10 miles of Plymouth since 1984, made on 24 separate days. Of these, 17 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on June 5, 1993. The most recent report is from June 3, 2022. May has the most reports, 9.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Plymouth
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Plymouth 5 E, NC, 5 miles northeast of Plymouth at 20 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 54°F and 34°F. August is the wettest at 6.6 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.4 inches; the year adds up to 54.5 inches over 84 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 58% of the year's precipitation (31.5 of 54.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 109 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (42); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 6.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 44 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 52 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 54.5 inches is more than at 104 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (74%). Jamesville, 11 miles southwest, has its own station (Williamston 1 E, NC): 53.2 inches a year, 1.3 less than here, and the same July average high, 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 34 | 4.0 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Feb | 57 | 35 | 3.4 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Mar | 64 | 41 | 4.2 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 74 | 49 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 80 | 58 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 5.4 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 70 | 5.7 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 69 | 6.6 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 64 | 6.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 75 | 53 | 4.1 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 64 | 42 | 3.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 57 | 37 | 3.6 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Year | 73 | 52 | 54.5 | 84 | 1.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Plymouth 5 E, NC (20 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 Plymouth
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 60 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Plymouth: 54 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 1 flood and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $195,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on July 6, 2017.
October 8, 2005: flash flood 2 miles from the centre of Plymouth — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “State of emergency declared for the city of Washington. Flood damage reported in the downtown area from 3rd to 15th streets.”
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 Plymouth's ZIP code 27962 have filed 69 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1996, and were paid $1.6 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Isabel in 2003: 19 claims (28% of all) and $284,000, then Hurricane Matthew in 2016 with 17 and Hurricane Irene in 2011 with 11. 77% 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, 168 have fewer than Plymouth.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel2003 | 19 | $284,000 |
| Hurricane Matthew2016 | 17 | $870,000 |
| Hurricane Irene2011 | 11 | $97,000 |
Washington County, which includes Plymouth, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1968, 9 of them major disasters (by incident: 16 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tropical storms, 1 fire). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 25, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Washington County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes; Relatively Low for tornadoes, coastal flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hail and inland flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $13.6 million a year, the 73rd highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $10.3 million (76%), 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 Plymouth
- Roper, NC9 mi
- Jamesville, NC11 mi
- Windsor, NC16 mi
- Edenton, NC18 mi
- Pinetown, NC18 mi
- Williamston, NC20 mi
- Belhaven, NC22 mi
- Colerain, NC25 mi
- Washington, NC26 mi
- Hertford, NC28 mi
- Columbia, NC29 mi
- Robersonville, NC30 mi
All North Carolina cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Plymouth with another place →