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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Ramseur, 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

42 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Ramseur, North Carolina since 1851, 4 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Elsa in 2021. Since 1950, 45 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
4

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
38

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
45

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
1

3 deaths in all

What the records show for Ramseur

The strongest storm to pass near Ramseur was Hazel in 1954, a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds when its centre passed 72 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1896, whose centre came within 23 miles. The record near Ramseur begins with an unnamed storm in 1854; the most recent system was Elsa in 2021, a tropical storm 36 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems. Of the 42 systems, 6 have come since 2000. Ramseur has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 50% of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site. The strongest of the 45 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on October 7, 1965; its path came within 12 miles, and it killed 1 person. The deadliest, an EF2 on November 16, 2011, killed 2 people. Of the 45, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 17 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 10. The most recent tornado was on July 6, 2025. Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 72% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Ramseur. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 28 times since 1983, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 92% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Ramseur.

Compare Ramseur's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Ramseur

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Ramseur, North Carolina, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2021ElsaJul 836 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 1
2021ClaudetteJun 2157 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2019NestorOct 2051 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2018MichaelOct 112 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 5
2013AndreaJun 768 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2006AlbertoJun 1464 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1996FranSep 646 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 3
1985BobJul 2536 miTropical storm (43 mph)Category 1
1979DavidSep 535 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 5
1970AlmaMay 2640 miTropical storm (43 mph)Category 1
1965Unnamed 1965 stormJun 1658 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1955DianeAug 1761 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 2
1954HazelOct 1572 miCategory 2 (100 mph)Category 4
1952AbleAug 3140 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1952Unnamed 1952 stormAug 2856 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1949Unnamed 1949 stormAug 2872 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1945Unnamed 1945 stormSep 1820 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 4
1944Unnamed 1944 stormOct 2042 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 4
1935Unnamed 1935 stormSep 643 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 5
1929Unnamed 1929 stormOct 228 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1920Unnamed 1920 stormSep 2372 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 348 miTropical storm (43 mph)Category 1
1912Unnamed 1912 stormJun 1463 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1454 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 1
1902Unnamed 1902 stormOct 1266 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1628 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
1899Unnamed 1899 stormOct 3160 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 2
1896Unnamed 1896 stormSep 2923 miCategory 1 (82 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 1363 miCategory 1 (90 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 471 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 4
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 2833 miTropical storm (72 mph)Category 3
1889Unnamed 1889 stormSep 246 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1028 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1886Unnamed 1886 stormJul 258 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 2
1886Unnamed 1886 stormJun 2220 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1885Unnamed 1885 stormOct 1312 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 1114 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormSep 1214 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 446 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 3
1867Unnamed 1867 stormJun 2349 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1859Unnamed 1859 stormSep 175 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 1
1854Unnamed 1854 stormSep 958 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 3

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Ramseur: 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 Ramseur

By decade

  • 2020s6
  • 2010s5
  • 2000s6
  • 1990s8
  • 1980s5
  • 1970s11
  • 1960s3(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s1
Strongest tornadoes near Ramseur, North Carolina
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Oct 7, 1965F312 mi1 mi1 / 4
Nov 16, 2011EF224 mi12.51 mi2 / 15
Apr 15, 2018EF224 mi32.75 mi0 / 5
Mar 29, 1991F29 mi26 mi0 / 0
Mar 29, 1991F26 mi28 mi0 / 0
Oct 1, 1977F211 mi9.4 mi0 / 0
May 15, 1976F217 mi18.8 mi0 / 7
Apr 18, 1969F211 mi0.1 mi0 / 1
Oct 7, 1965F214 mi6.1 mi0 / 0
Aug 17, 1954F27 mi2.1 mi0 / 0
Jul 6, 2025EF120 mi0.6 mi0 / 0
May 10, 2021EF121 mi1.23 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 45, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Ramseur

The Storm Prediction Center has 28 hail reports within 10 miles of Ramseur since 1983, made on 23 separate days. Of these, 18 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 3 days, most recently June 3, 1998. The most recent report is from April 22, 2025. April has the most reports, 10.

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

Weather by month in Ramseur

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Siler City 2 N, NC, 10 miles east of Ramseur at 610 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 50°F and 30°F. September is the wettest at 5.1 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 45.9 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (23.5 of 45.9 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 42 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (13); a normal September there has highs of 81°F and 5.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 35 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 73 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.5 inches a year, most of it in March. That 45.9 inches is more than at 18 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (13%). Franklinville, 5 miles northwest, has its own station (Asheboro 2 W, NC): 46.7 inches a year, 0.8 more than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 89°F.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Siler City 2 N, NC
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow in
Jan50303.970.4
Feb54323.260.1
Mar62394.270.6
Apr71473.970.0
May78563.660.0
Jun85653.770.0
Jul89693.870.0
Aug87674.070.0
Sep81615.160.0
Oct71483.450.0
Nov61383.560.0
Dec53333.660.4
Year704945.9771.5

Averages for 1991–2020 at Siler City 2 N, NC (610 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.

North Carolina weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Ramseur

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 181 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Ramseur: 166 thunderstorm wind reports and 15 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.2 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 115 mph, on June 30, 1998. July has had the most flash floods, 6 of 15. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 216 have had fewer than Ramseur.

  • July 6, 2025: flash flood 10 miles from the centre of Ramseur — $1.6 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

Randolph County, which includes Ramseur, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms, 2 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on May 8, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Randolph County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $39.4 million a year, the 33rd highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $23.4 million (59%), 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 Ramseur