Check North Carolina for hurricane, tornado and flood warnings now, from the coast to the mountains
No active warnings or watches in North Carolina
Nothing is listed right now. Check your exact location for the latest.
North Carolina severe weather alerts by type
What each kind of alert means and where to see it for North Carolina.
North Carolina tornado watches and warnings
None active in North Carolina right now. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible.
North Carolina severe thunderstorm watches and warnings
None active in North Carolina right now. A severe thunderstorm has winds of 58 mph or higher, hail 1 inch across or larger, or both.
North Carolina flood watches and flash flood warnings
None active in North Carolina right now. A flood watch means flooding is possible.
North Carolina winter storm, ice storm, snow and blizzard warnings
None active in North Carolina right now. Winter alerts run from a watch (possible within about 48 hours) to a warning (occurring or imminent) and an advisory for less serious but still inconvenient conditions.
North Carolina heat advisories and extreme heat warnings
None active in North Carolina right now. A heat advisory is the lower level and an extreme heat warning the higher level; both based on the heat index.
North Carolina wind advisories and high wind warnings
None active in North Carolina right now. A wind advisory is for strong winds; a high wind warning is for damaging winds.
North Carolina tropical storm and hurricane alerts
None active in North Carolina right now. Tropical alerts name the wind or surge threat and how soon it is expected: a watch means conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours; a warning means they are expected within about 36 hours.
Other alert types: Fire weather · Coastal · Marine
North Carolina tornado history: last tornado, strongest and worst on record
From the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database, 1950 through 2025.
North Carolina has 1,533 tornadoes on record, about 20 a year, and 762 of them since 2000. That ranks North Carolina number 20 among the 50 states by count. 45 were rated EF3 or stronger, including 7 rated EF4 or EF5. They caused 124 deaths and 2,435 injuries.
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 28 | 37 | 46 | 46 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 43 | 15 |
Most North Carolina tornadoes have come from March through May. The single busiest month is May (17% of the total).
Counts use each tornado's starting state. Ratings before 2007 use the original Fujita scale. The database ends in 2025, so more recent tornadoes are not included.
North Carolina flood map and flood warnings
No flood watch or warning is active in North Carolina right now. Flood zones are mapped by FEMA street by street. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center lets you search an address and see its flood zone.
North Carolina storm tracker: storms and events
No tracked events involve North Carolina right now.
Official sources for North Carolina
ReadyNC (North Carolina Emergency Management): evacuation orders and local alertsNorth Carolina emergency managementFEMA: state and local emergency managementNWS Wakefield, VA: warnings and local alertsNWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC: warnings and local alertsNWS Wilmington, NC: warnings and local alertsNWS Newport/Morehead City, NC: warnings and local alertsNWS Morristown, TN: warnings and local alertsNWS Raleigh, NC: warnings and local alertsNWS Blacksburg, VA: warnings and local alertsNWS safety guidesCommon questions
Is there a tornado warning, winter storm warning or other weather warning in North Carolina right now?
We do not see an active tornado, winter storm or other warning or watch for North Carolina in the latest National Weather Service data. Conditions change quickly, so check your ZIP code for the latest.
When was the last tornado in North Carolina, and how many have there been since 2000?
The most recent tornado in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database for North Carolina is July 6, 2025, rated EF0. The database lists 762 North Carolina tornadoes since 2000 and 1,533 since 1950. It runs through 2025, so it does not include later tornadoes.
What was the deadliest tornado in North Carolina, and what was the strongest?
By rating, the strongest in the record is March 28, 1984, rated EF4, 16 deaths. It is also the deadliest. Ratings before 2007 use the original Fujita scale.
How does North Carolina rank for tornadoes among the states?
North Carolina ranks 20th of 50 states by the number of tornadoes since 1950: 1,533 in all, about 20 a year. 45 were rated EF3 or stronger, 7 of them EF4 or EF5. They caused 124 deaths and 2,435 injuries, and the busiest year was 2004 with 66. Each tornado is counted in the state where it started.
When is tornado season in North Carolina?
Most North Carolina tornadoes in the record came from March through May. May is the busiest single month, with 17% of the total. Tornadoes can happen in any month.
Where do I find North Carolina emergency management and National Weather Service offices?
The state agency is ReadyNC (North Carolina Emergency Management) (https://www.readync.gov/). The National Weather Service offices that cover North Carolina include NWS Wakefield, VA, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC, NWS Wilmington, NC, NWS Newport/Morehead City, NC, NWS Morristown, TN, NWS Raleigh, NC, NWS Blacksburg, VA. Evacuation zones and orders come from your county or state emergency management office, not from this site.
Which North Carolina cities and counties have their own alert pages?
This site has city pages for Buncombe County (Asheville); Cumberland County (Fayetteville); Durham County (Durham); Forsyth County (Winston-Salem); Guilford County (Greensboro); Mecklenburg County (Charlotte); New Hanover County (Wilmington); Wake County (Raleigh). Each city page shows the alerts for the center of that city.
Be ready in North Carolina
Official-source guides for the weather North Carolina sees most.
Cities and counties in North Carolina
Live alerts and local storm history for each city, grouped by the county it is in.
Buncombe County: Asheville
Cumberland County: Fayetteville
Durham County: Durham
Forsyth County: Winston-Salem
Guilford County: Greensboro
Mecklenburg County: Charlotte
New Hanover County: Wilmington
Wake County: Raleigh
Alert data comes from the National Weather Service and is refreshed every 15 minutes.