429
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
11
Direct injuries
$2.9M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina: 429 recorded events between 1957 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 80. That places the county #178 nationally and #5 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Mecklenburg County is the 2010s, when 139 of the county's 429 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 Mecklenburg County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 48.3% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #178 for this hazard and #5 within North Carolina, putting it in the 94.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Mecklenburg County with 119 recorded events, while Oct 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.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2020 | GRIFFITH | 55 | 1 | 1 | $500K |
| May 2, 2003 | HUNTERSVILLE | 60 | 0 | 3 | $25K |
| May 2, 2003 | CHARLOTTE | 65 | 0 | 2 | $100K |
| Aug 7, 2023 | THRIFT | 50 | 0 | 1 | $500K |
| Apr 13, 2020 | (CLT)CHARLOTTE/DOUGL | 51 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| Jun 4, 2017 | CLT BROCKENBROUGH AR | 40 | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| Jun 21, 1992 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| Aug 20, 1990 | 58 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | GRIFFITH | 50 | $0 |
| Mar 12, 2026 | MATTHEWS | 50 | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2025 | GRIFFITH | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2025 | DAVIDSON | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 1, 2025 | COLLEGE DOWNS | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 1, 2025 | CHADWICK | 50 | $0 |
| May 4, 2025 | NEWELL | 50 | $0 |
| May 4, 2025 | PINEVILLE | 50 | $0 |
| May 3, 2025 | SHOPTON | 50 | $0 |
| Feb 16, 2025 | MINT HILL | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Mecklenburg County
- Hail 246
- Flash Flood 99
- Lightning 46
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Emergency manager and media reported numerous trees blown down in the Dilworth and Elizabeth neighborhoods of Charlotte, with trees down on about a dozen homes. One tree was blown down on a house on Idlewood Circle that killed an occupant and seriously injured another. Other sources reported additional trees down across portions of South Charlotte including the Stonehaven neighborhood and in Mint Hill.
Emergency manager reported numerous trees and power lines blown down throughout the city of Charlotte and vicinity. Multiple trees fell on and damaged homes and vehicles in the city, especially in east Charlotte. One man was injured when a tree fell through his house. Other people were briefly trapped in a home damaged by a fallen tree.
A large swath of wind damage occurred from Ericsson Stadium to the east side of Charlotte. A trained spotter estimated the wind speed to be 90 mph at Dillworth Square. Other estimates were reported of between 75 and 100 mph. There were numerous trees and power lines downed and a canopy was blown off a gas station. Numerous streets were blocked and Interstate 85 was blocked in both directions. Nearly 90,000 people were left without power. The county 911 center said this event generated the most calls since Hurricane Hugo moved through the city.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina?
429 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Mecklenburg County between 1957 and 2026, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Mecklenburg County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Mecklenburg County measured 80.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Mecklenburg 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
“Thunderstorm Wind in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/mecklenburg-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.