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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Stanfield, 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

41 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Stanfield, North Carolina since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 67 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
3

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
38

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
67

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
3

1 deaths in all

What the records show for Stanfield

The strongest storm to pass near Stanfield was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 1 hurricane with 84 mph winds when its centre passed 49 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 8 miles. The record near Stanfield begins with an unnamed storm in 1854; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 45 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 6 systems. Of the 41 systems, 6 have come since 2000. Of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site, 50% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Stanfield. The strongest of the 67 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on May 5, 1989; its path came within 13 miles, and it killed 1 person. Of the 67, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 22 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 16. The most recent tornado was on March 5, 2025. Stanfield has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 59% of the 475 North Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 42 times since 1961, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 75% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Stanfield.

Compare Stanfield's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Stanfield

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Stanfield, North Carolina, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2024DebbyAug 845 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
2021ElsaJul 846 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 1
2021ClaudetteJun 2147 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2019NestorOct 2058 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2018MichaelOct 11overheadTropical storm (52 mph)Category 5
2006AlbertoJun 1453 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1989HugoSep 2246 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 5
1985BobJul 25overheadTropical storm (47 mph)Category 1
1979DavidSep 53 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 5
1970AlmaMay 2651 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 1
1965Unnamed 1965 stormJun 1650 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1959GracieSep 3055 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 4
1952AbleAug 3112 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1952Unnamed 1952 stormAug 282 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1949Unnamed 1949 stormAug 2857 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1945Unnamed 1945 stormSep 1849 miTropical storm (55 mph)Category 4
1944Unnamed 1944 stormOct 2059 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 4
1935Unnamed 1935 stormSep 649 miTropical storm (52 mph)Category 5
1929Unnamed 1929 stormOct 243 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1927Unnamed 1927 stormOct 318 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 333 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1913Unnamed 1913 stormOct 1065 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1912Unnamed 1912 stormJun 1442 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1907Unnamed 1907 stormSep 2356 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1904Unnamed 1904 stormSep 1468 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 1
1902Unnamed 1902 stormOct 1165 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1642 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1901Unnamed 1901 stormJul 1373 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1896Unnamed 1896 stormSep 2949 miCategory 1 (84 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 455 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 4
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 288 miCategory 1 (76 mph)Category 3
1889Unnamed 1889 stormSep 248 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 2
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 1043 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1886Unnamed 1886 stormJul 171 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 2
1886Unnamed 1886 stormJun 2218 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 2
1885Unnamed 1885 stormOct 1333 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1882Unnamed 1882 stormSep 1115 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1878Unnamed 1878 stormSep 1226 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 455 miTropical storm (54 mph)Category 3
1859Unnamed 1859 stormSep 178 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1854Unnamed 1854 stormSep 953 miTropical storm (55 mph)Category 3

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

By decade

  • 2020s9
  • 2010s6
  • 2000s7
  • 1990s9(2 EF3+)
  • 1980s11(1 EF3+)
  • 1970s12
  • 1960s8
  • 1950s5
Strongest tornadoes near Stanfield, North Carolina
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
May 5, 1989F413 mi13 mi1 / 6
Mar 27, 1994F320 mi18.5 mi0 / 2
Oct 18, 1990F316 mi12 mi0 / 2
Mar 31, 2022EF214 mi7.24 mi0 / 0
Feb 6, 2020EF218 mi6.19 mi0 / 0
Mar 3, 2012EF213 mi2.94 mi0 / 4
Jan 14, 2005F223 mi0.3 mi0 / 0
Sep 29, 1999F214 mi6 mi0 / 0
Sep 29, 1999F22 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Mar 6, 1983F220 mi2 mi0 / 9
Apr 27, 1982F217 mi0.1 mi0 / 1
May 18, 1980F29 mi3.3 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 67, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Stanfield

The Storm Prediction Center has 42 hail reports within 10 miles of Stanfield since 1961, made on 35 separate days. Of these, 21 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 3 days, most recently May 5, 1989. The most recent report is from June 10, 2025. June has the most reports, 13.

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

Weather by month in Stanfield

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Concord, NC, 15 miles northwest of Stanfield at 700 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 53°F and 29°F. July is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 47.8 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (25.7 of 47.8 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 41 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (14); a normal September there has highs of 84°F and 4.2 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 61 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 74 nights a year. Snowfall averages 3.3 inches a year, most of it in February. That 47.8 inches is more than at 41 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (29%). Oakboro, 5 miles east, has its own station (Albemarle, NC): 48.2 inches a year, 0.4 more than here, and a July average high of 89°F against 92°F.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Concord, NC
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow in
Jan53293.771.1
Feb57313.161.3
Mar65384.170.4
Apr74474.070.0
May81563.760.0
Jun88654.770.0
Jul92695.370.0
Aug90674.570.0
Sep84614.250.0
Oct74483.550.0
Nov64373.550.0
Dec56323.560.5
Year734847.8763.3

Averages for 1991–2020 at Concord, NC (700 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 Stanfield

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 117 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Stanfield: 88 thunderstorm wind reports, 24 flash floods, 4 floods and 1 heavy rain event. They killed 2 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $690,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 70 mph, on March 4, 2008. June has had the most flash floods, 9 of 24. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 328 have had fewer than Stanfield.

  • September 16, 2018: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Stanfield — 1 killed, $50,000 damage.

  • September 16, 2018: flood 9 miles from the centre of Stanfield — 1 killed, $5,000 damage.

  • November 22, 2006: heavy rain event 3 miles from the centre of Stanfield — 1 injured.

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

Stanly County, which includes Stanfield, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Helene, on September 28, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Stanly County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for tornadoes and strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $21.9 million a year, the 55th highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $13.9 million (64%), 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 Stanfield