727
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
21
Direct injuries
$5.1M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Wake County, North Carolina: 727 recorded events between 1958 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 75. That places the county #29 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Wake County, North Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Wake County is the 2010s, when 252 of the county's 727 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 Wake County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 48.0% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #29 for this hazard and #1 within North Carolina, putting it in the 99.1 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Wake County with 199 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 11, 2014 | NEUSE | 75 | 1 | 2 | $0 |
| May 5, 2019 | WILLOW SPGS | 50 | 1 | 1 | $10K |
| Aug 21, 2007 | RALEIGH | 50 | 0 | 8 | $0 |
| Jan 7, 1995 | Fuquay-Varina | 0 | 0 | 4 | $250K |
| Aug 4, 1987 | 0 | 0 | 2 | $0 | |
| Jun 17, 2022 | MACEDONIA | 50 | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| Jan 11, 2014 | BROOKHAVEN | 75 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jan 11, 2014 | FORESTVILLE | 75 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | KNIGHTDALE WNDLL ARP | 50 | $1K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | GARNER | 50 | $20K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | ECHO HGTS | 50 | $20K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | MILLBROOK | 50 | $20K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | BROOKHAVEN | 50 | $10K |
| Dec 19, 2025 | NEUSE | 50 | $5K |
| Dec 19, 2025 | BAYLEAF | 50 | $1K |
| Aug 1, 2025 | CAMP POLK | 50 | $5K |
| Jul 20, 2025 | VARINA | 50 | $5K |
| Jul 13, 2025 | EAGLE ROCK | 50 | $5K |
Other hazards here
More from Wake County
- Hail 393
- Flash Flood 280
- Lightning 41
- Tornado 40
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Widespread trees and power-lines were blown down throughout the county. Some of the trees fell onto homes. Approximately 73,000 people in Wake County lost power. In Raleigh, one large tree toppled onto the patio of NOFO at the Pig restaurant on Fairview Road. There were no injuries. Monetary damages were estimated.
A swath of damage was reported east of Rolesville near Pulley Town Road and continued eastward to near the Wake and Franklin County Line. Numerous pines trees were reported down or snapped off, barns and outbuildings were tossed or destroyed, and damage to fencing.
Several barns and shelters were destroyed and a few homes damaged at Old Stage Road and the NC 42 intersection. Four mobile homes were either damaged or destroyed. Fifteen to twenty homes had trees on or against them. Four persons were taken to the hospital and treated for minor bruises and scratches.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Wake County, North Carolina?
727 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Wake County between 1958 and 2026, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Wake County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Wake County measured 75.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Wake 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 Wake County, North Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-carolina/wake-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.