80
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
11
Direct injuries
$16.0M
Property damage
Tornado in Carteret County, North Carolina: 80 recorded events between 1963 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F2. That places the county #113 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Carteret County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Carteret County is the 2000s, when 30 of the county's 80 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Carteret County archive, tornado makes up 17.4% of all recorded severe weather across 10 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #113 for this hazard and #1 within North Carolina, putting it in the 96.2 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Sep is the peak month for tornado in Carteret County with 20 recorded events, while Feb is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-09-05 | EF2 | 13.0 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-11-24 | EF2 | 2.8 mi | 75 yd | Touched down here |
| 2013-11-26 | EF2 | 0.4 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 1967-12-03 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 27 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-01-10 | EF1 | 0.2 mi | 75 yd | Crossed in |
| 2020-09-17 | EF1 | 0.2 mi | 25 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-09-14 | EF1 | 4.5 mi | 300 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-11-13 | EF1 | 2.0 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-09-14 | EF1 | 2.7 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-09-14 | EF1 | 9.3 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 2004 | STELLA | F1 | 0 | 3 | $284K |
| Nov 27, 2013 | CAMP GLENN | EF2 | 0 | 2 | $2.5M |
| May 27, 1974 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $25K | |
| May 18, 1963 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $25K | |
| Jun 25, 2016 | OCEAN | EF0 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| Jun 9, 1977 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2024 | CAPE CARTERET | EF0 | $0 |
| Jan 11, 2024 | HARKERS IS | EF0 | $0 |
| Jan 11, 2024 | HARKERS IS | EF1 | $0 |
| Sep 18, 2020 | MERRIMON | EF1 | $0 |
| Nov 1, 2019 | TRUTTNEYS LNDG | EF0 | $0 |
| Sep 5, 2019 | CAPE CARTERET | EF2 | $0 |
| Nov 24, 2018 | MILL CREEK | EF0 | $0 |
| Nov 24, 2018 | BROAD CREEK | EF2 | $0 |
| Nov 24, 2018 | CAPE CARTERET | EF0 | $0 |
| Nov 13, 2018 | ATLANTIC BEACH | EF1 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Carteret County
- Thunderstorm Wind 208
- Hail 88
- Flash Flood 53
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A waterspout moved ashore off Bogue Sound and produced a 200 yard wide EF1 tornado that tracked rapidly northeast across parts of Morehead City. The tornado first impacted the Carteret Community College with moderate structural damage to several buildings and numerous trees damaged. The tornado then lifted northeast producing minor damage to the Carteret General Hospital with several vehicles in the parking lot damaged. The tornado continued to track rapidly northeast across residential areas snapping or uprooting numerous trees, many that fell on homes producing minor to moderate damage. The tornado caused damage at Crab Point north of Morehead City before apparently moving over the Newport River and dissipating. There were no injuries reported from this tornado and damage was estimated at 4 million dollars.
A waterspout moved ashore on Bogue banks and produced a 200 yard wide EF2 tornado with winds estimated at 125 mph. The tornado did significant damage at the Ocean Sands condominiums ripping the roof off several units. Two people suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from the local hospital. The tornado then tracked rapidly across Bogue Banks causing EF1 damage with numerous trees snapped with minor to moderate damage to several structures. The tornado then apparently moved back over water on Bogue Sound. Total damage on Bogue Banks was estimated at 2.5 million dollars.
Confirmed EF1 tornado with winds of 110 mph touched down 1.5 miles west of Peletier. The tornado tracked west-northwest for about 1/2 mile then lifted near the White Oak River. Approximately 67 homes were damaged, most minor, however 3 mobile homes and a garage were completely destroyed. No injuries or fatalities were reported.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Carteret County, North Carolina?
80 tornado events are recorded in Carteret County between 1963 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Carteret County?
The strongest tornado on record in Carteret County measured F2.
Where does the tornado data for Carteret County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Tornado in Carteret County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/carteret-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.