NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit West Jefferson, 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
9 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of West Jefferson, North Carolina since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Zeta in 2020. Since 1950, 14 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 9
- Tornadoes
- 14
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for West Jefferson
None of the 9 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed West Jefferson; the strongest was Hugo in 1989, a tropical storm with 60 mph winds when its centre passed 13 miles away. The record near West Jefferson begins with an unnamed storm in 1902; the most recent system was Zeta in 2020, a tropical storm 6 miles away. The 1900s and the 1950s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. Of the 9 systems, one has come since 2000. Of the 475 North Carolina cities on this site, 93% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than West Jefferson. The highest rating among the 14 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 27, 2011, came within 21 miles. Of the 14, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 8 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 5. The most recent tornado was on September 25, 2024. Of the 475 North Carolina cities, 97% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than West Jefferson. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 70 times since 1988, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). West Jefferson has more hail reports within 10 miles than 56% of the 475 North Carolina cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near West Jefferson
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormOct 18 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in West Jefferson: 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 West Jefferson
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s6
- 1990s2
- 1980s1
- 1970s2
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF2 | 21 mi | 12 mi | 2 / 0 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 25 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 25, 2024 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 11, 2024 | EF1 | 22 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 23, 2017 | EF1 | 20 mi | 8.6 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 8, 2017 | EF1 | 5 mi | 7.08 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 5, 2011 | EF1 | 22 mi | 1.32 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 22 mi | 0.41 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 20, 1996 | F1 | 17 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 2 |
| May 31, 1975 | F1 | 19 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F1 | 22 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 14, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in West Jefferson
The Storm Prediction Center has 70 hail reports within 10 miles of West Jefferson since 1988, made on 53 separate days. Of these, 32 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on May 24, 2011. The most recent report is from July 23, 2022. June has the most reports, 20.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in West Jefferson
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Jefferson 2 E, NC, 4 miles northeast of West Jefferson at 2,759 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 81°F and low of 58°F; January is the coolest, at 43°F and 22°F. May is the wettest at 5.3 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.3 inches; the year adds up to 51.0 inches over 83 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year, almost all from July. Lows fall below freezing on about 136 nights a year. Snowfall averages 14.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 51.0 inches is more than at 79 of the 140 North Carolina stations used on this site (56%). Fleetwood, 6 miles south, has its own station (Boone 1 SE, NC): 59.1 inches a year, 8.1 more than here, and a July average high of 79°F against 81°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43 | 22 | 3.9 | 6 | 4.3 |
| Feb | 47 | 24 | 3.3 | 6 | 3.3 |
| Mar | 54 | 29 | 4.1 | 7 | 2.9 |
| Apr | 63 | 36 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 71 | 45 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 78 | 53 | 4.4 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 81 | 58 | 4.8 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 80 | 57 | 4.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 50 | 4.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 66 | 39 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 55 | 29 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.2 |
| Dec | 47 | 25 | 4.0 | 7 | 3.7 |
| Year | 63 | 39 | 51.0 | 83 | 14.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Jefferson 2 E, NC (2,759 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 West Jefferson
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 134 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of West Jefferson: 56 thunderstorm wind reports, 39 flash floods, 22 heavy rain events, 14 floods and 3 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $955,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on May 31, 2004. August has had the most flash floods, 10 of 39. Of the 472 North Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 421 have had fewer than West Jefferson.
April 13, 2020: flash flood 2 miles from the centre of West Jefferson — $340,000 damage.
February 6, 2020: flood 5 miles from the centre of West Jefferson — $139,000 damage.
September 25, 2011: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of West Jefferson — $100,000 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
Flood insurance policyholders in West Jefferson's ZIP code 28694 have filed 61 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1978, and were paid $980,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Helene in 2024: 14 claims (23% of all) and $579,000. 30% 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, 153 have fewer than West Jefferson.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene2024 | 14 | $579,000 |
Ashe County, which includes West Jefferson, has been named in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 5 floods, 4 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Helene, on September 28, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Ashe County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $17.8 million a year, the 61st highest of 100 North Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $11.9 million (67%), 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 West Jefferson
- Jefferson, NC4 mi
- Fleetwood, NC6 mi
- Lansing, NC11 mi
- Deep Gap, NC13 mi
- Purlear, NC14 mi
- Millers Creek, NC15 mi
- Boone, NC15 mi
- Zionville, NC15 mi
- Vilas, NC18 mi
- Mountain City, TN20 mi
- Hays, NC20 mi
- Blowing Rock, NC20 mi
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