50
Recorded events
3
Direct deaths
59
Direct injuries
$15.4M
Property damage
Tornado in Onslow County, North Carolina: 50 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured F2. That places the county #372 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Onslow County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Onslow County is the 2000s, when 16 of the county's 50 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 Onslow County archive, tornado makes up 9.2% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #372 for this hazard and #2 within North Carolina, putting it in the 86.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Apr is the peak month for tornado in Onslow County with 7 recorded events, while Dec 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 | EF3 | 3.8 mi | 450 yd | Touched down here |
| 1986-07-02 | EF2 | 1.5 mi | 33 yd | Touched down here |
| 2019-09-05 | EF2 | 13.0 mi | 200 yd | Crossed in |
| 2008-05-11 | EF2 | 5.0 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1978-04-19 | EF2 | 3.3 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 1972-10-24 | EF2 | 0.7 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-05-24 | EF1 | 8.8 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2020-04-13 | EF1 | 5.5 mi | 640 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-09-15 | EF1 | 2.5 mi | 275 yd | Touched down here |
| 2013-06-10 | EF1 | 0.6 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 3, 1986 | F2 | 3 | 10 | $250K | |
| Apr 17, 2011 | MIDWAY PARK | EF3 | 0 | 30 | $9.4M |
| Apr 16, 1999 | RICHLANDS | F1 | 0 | 7 | $2.0M |
| May 11, 2008 | BELGRADE | EF2 | 0 | 6 | $150K |
| Apr 19, 1978 | F2 | 0 | 3 | $250K | |
| Jun 9, 1988 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $2.5M | |
| Aug 2, 1991 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 12, 2026 | BELGRADE | EF1 | $0 |
| Mar 12, 2026 | JACKSONVILLE | EF0 | $0 |
| May 24, 2024 | VERONA | EF1 | $0 |
| Apr 23, 2023 | JARMANTOWN | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | HAW | EF1 | $0 |
| Sep 15, 2018 | WILLIS LNDG | EF1 | $0 |
| Jun 11, 2013 | CAMP LEJEUNE JCT | EF1 | $500 |
| Apr 17, 2011 | MIDWAY PARK | EF3 | $9.4M |
| May 7, 2009 | MIDWAY PARK | EF0 | $0 |
| Sep 25, 2008 | ONSLOW BEACH | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Onslow County
- Thunderstorm Wind 229
- Hail 193
- Flash Flood 47
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Tornado spun up near Tarawa Terrace and quickly increased to EF2 intensity with winds to 125 mph and a damage width of 100 yards. Many residences were damaged severely. The tornado continued to track northeast and crossed Highway 24 and the Holiday City Subdivision at EF2 intensity with many homes severely damaged. The tornado widened to about 450 yards as it crossed the Colonial Heights Subdivision with winds around 100 mph. The tornado narrowed to about 100 yards and increased to EF3 intensity with winds to 145 mph as it crossed Piney Green Road and impacted the Montclair Subdivision. Severe damage to many homes with some totally destroyed. Several vehicles were picked up and tossed. The tornado then appeared to weaken and lift as it moved northeast of Piney Green. Total damage was estimated at 9.4 million dollars. There were 30 injuries directly related to the tornado, 3 critical. No fatalities occurred.
Tornado touched down near Belgrade and moved east into southern Jones county about 1 mile southeast of Belgrade. The tornado had a path length of around 5 miles and was rated as an EF2. Several homes received moderate to severe damage with 6 minor injuries reported. Several outbuildings were destroyed and numerous trees were sheared off.
A National Weather Service storm survey found evidence of an EF1 tornado with winds estimated at 80 to 90 mph touched down north of Jacksonville. The tornado touched down near the intersection on Springwood Drive and Terry Lee Lanier Drive. The tornado produced sporadic damage for about 1/2 mile before lifting. Minor structural damage to a few homes was observed with several trees blown down or snapped. There were no injuries.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Onslow County, North Carolina?
50 tornado events are recorded in Onslow County between 1955 and 2026, causing 3 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Onslow County?
The strongest tornado on record in Onslow County measured F2.
Where does the tornado data for Onslow 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 Onslow County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/onslow-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.