NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Riegelwood, 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
114 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Riegelwood, North Carolina since 1851, 30 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Chantal in 2025. Since 1950, 82 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 30
- Tropical storms
- 84
- Tornadoes
- 82
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
14 deaths in all
What the records show for Riegelwood
The strongest storm to pass near Riegelwood was Helene in 1958, a Category 4 hurricane with 138 mph winds when its centre passed 50 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Fran in 1996, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near Riegelwood begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Chantal in 2025, a tropical storm 57 miles away. The busiest decade was the 2010s, with 10 systems, 4 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 114 systems, 25 have come since 2000. Riegelwood has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 87% of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site. The highest rating among the 82 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on February 15, 2021, came within 13 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on November 16, 2006, killed 8 people. Of the 82, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 49 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 16. The most recent tornado was on July 6, 2025. Riegelwood has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 78% of the 475 North Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 50 times since 1980, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 65% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Riegelwood.
Compare Riegelwood's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Riegelwood
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ChantalJul 6 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2023 | OpheliaSep 23 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 31 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | IanSep 30 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2021 | ClaudetteJun 21 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 3 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | DorianSep 6 | 65 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 14 | 23 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 46 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 3 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2015 | AnaMay 10 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2014 | ArthurJul 3 | 60 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2008 | CristobalJul 20 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 1 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | OpheliaSep 14 | 55 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2000 | HeleneSep 23 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 32 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1998 | BonnieAug 27 | 33 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1996 | FranSep 6 | 2 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 12 | 27 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | ArthurJun 19 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1984 | DianaSep 13 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 19 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 20 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1975 | HallieOct 27 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1975 | AmyJun 28 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1972 | Unnamed 1972 stormJul 12 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1971 | GingerOct 1 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1971 | DoriaAug 27 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | Unnamed 1970 stormAug 17 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | GladysOct 20 | 73 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1967 | Unnamed 1967 stormJun 18 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 42 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1958 | HeleneSep 27 | 50 mi | Category 4 (138 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 17 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1955 | DianeAug 17 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 14 mi | Category 3 (123 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormAug 28 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormSep 13 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 25 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormJul 6 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 25 | 59 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 2 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 19 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1925 | Unnamed 1925 stormDec 2 | 71 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 17 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 23 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1918 | Unnamed 1918 stormAug 24 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormSep 6 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormSep 3 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 20 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormAug 28 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormJul 31 | 51 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormNov 4 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 13 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 13 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 41 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1897 | Unnamed 1897 stormSep 22 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 32 mi | Category 2 (99 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 2 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 11 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 11 | 7 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 12 | 57 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 22 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 9 | 14 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 42 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1879 | Unnamed 1879 stormAug 18 | 70 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 23 | 63 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 38 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 29 | 20 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 20 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 25 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 7 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 23 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1863 | Unnamed 1863 stormSep 18 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1861 | Unnamed 1861 stormSep 27 | 48 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 13 | 31 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 28 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 25 | 35 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 Riegelwood: 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 Riegelwood
By decade
- 2020s15(1 EF3+)
- 2010s23
- 2000s11(1 EF3+)
- 1990s21
- 1980s1
- 1970s3
- 1960s5
- 1950s3(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16, 2006 | F3 | 3 mi | 2.15 mi | 8 / 20 |
| Feb 15, 2021 | EF3 | 13 mi | 21.9 mi | 3 / 10 |
| Oct 9, 1950 | F3 | 23 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Aug 13, 2004 | F2 | 23 mi | 5 mi | 3 / 29 |
| Aug 7, 2024 | EF2 | 23 mi | 4.67 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 6, 2009 | EF2 | 18 mi | 1.37 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 7, 1995 | F2 | 25 mi | 0.7 mi | 0 / 122 |
| Jul 1, 1990 | F2 | 14 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 4, 1964 | F2 | 13 mi | 54.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 1962 | F2 | 17 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 16, 2025 | EF1 | 16 mi | 3.14 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 2023 | EF1 | 24 mi | 0.25 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 82, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Riegelwood
The Storm Prediction Center has 50 hail reports within 10 miles of Riegelwood since 1980, made on 45 separate days. Of these, 23 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 5 days, most recently May 8, 2024. The most recent report is from May 8, 2024. May has the most reports, 19.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Riegelwood
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Wilmington 7 N, NC, 21 miles east of Riegelwood at 40 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 33°F. September is the wettest at 9.7 inches of precipitation on average and April the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 63.5 inches over 82 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 62% of the year's precipitation (39.6 of 63.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 114 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (43); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 9.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 58 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 56 nights a year. That 63.5 inches is more than at 128 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (91%). Bolton, 6 miles southwest, has its own station (Longwood, NC): 57.2 inches a year, 6.3 less than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 89°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Wilmington, NC, 21 miles southeast, averaged 84°F in July and 49°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from June to August. Sea level at the Wilmington tide gauge, 21 miles from Riegelwood, has risen 1.10 ± 0.07 inches per decade from 1935 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 11.0 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 64 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 33 | 4.0 | 6 | 49 |
| Feb | 59 | 35 | 3.7 | 6 | 51 |
| Mar | 65 | 41 | 4.1 | 6 | 59 |
| Apr | 73 | 50 | 3.3 | 5 | 67 |
| May | 80 | 59 | 4.9 | 7 | 74 |
| Jun | 86 | 67 | 6.2 | 8 | 80 |
| Jul | 89 | 71 | 7.5 | 9 | 84 |
| Aug | 88 | 70 | 7.8 | 9 | 83 |
| Sep | 83 | 64 | 9.7 | 7 | 79 |
| Oct | 75 | 52 | 4.6 | 5 | 71 |
| Nov | 66 | 42 | 3.8 | 5 | 63 |
| Dec | 59 | 36 | 3.9 | 6 | 53 |
| Year | 73 | 52 | 63.5 | 82 | 68 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Wilmington 7 N, NC (40 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Wilmington, NC, from NOAA Tides & Currents. 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 Riegelwood
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 67 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Riegelwood: 57 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 flash floods and 2 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $450,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on April 26, 1996. September has had the most flash floods, 5 of 8. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 81 have had fewer than Riegelwood.
April 15, 2007: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Riegelwood — $150,000 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
Columbus County, which includes Riegelwood, has been named in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 13 of them major disasters (by incident: 22 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tropical storms, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Isaias, on October 14, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Columbus County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for strong wind; Relatively High for hurricanes and lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail and inland flooding; Very Low for coastal flooding. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $42.1 million a year, the 30th highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $22.1 million (53%), 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.