Johnston County tornado history

25 tornadoes touched Johnston County, North Carolina between 1950 and 2025 — about 0.3 a year. The strongest was rated EF3 (Apr 16, 2011). Tornadoes here killed 3 and injured 222 people.

25tornadoes since 1950

EF3strongest rating

3killed · 222 injured

160 milongest path · 1992

(E)F0(E)F1(E)F2(E)F3(E)F4(E)F5· dots = start point only

By rating

(E)F012

(E)F110

(E)F21

(E)F32

(E)F40

(E)F50

By month

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak month: November.

By decade

’50’60’70’80’90’00’10’20

Strongest tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured	Killed
Apr 16, 2011	EF3	52.9 mi	800 yd	176	2
Nov 23, 1992	F3	160 mi	100 yd	44	0
Nov 15, 2008	EF2	4.1 mi	150 yd	2	1
May 29, 1973	F1	17.9 mi	10 yd	0	0
Apr 19, 2019	EF1	10.2 mi	125 yd	0	0
Apr 16, 2011	EF1	8.6 mi	100 yd	0	0
May 5, 2009	EF1	7.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Oct 11, 2002	F1	4 mi	75 yd	0	0
Nov 15, 2008	EF1	0.9 mi	50 yd	0	0
Mar 4, 1977	F1	0.5 mi	20 yd	0	0
Nov 4, 1992	F1	0.4 mi	20 yd	0	0
Nov 4, 1992	F1	0.3 mi	20 yd	0	0

Most recent tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured	Killed
May 4, 2025	EF0	0.1 mi	30 yd	0	0
Sep 5, 2019	EF0	0.1 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jul 23, 2019	EF1	0.2 mi	100 yd	0	0
Apr 19, 2019	EF1	10.2 mi	125 yd	0	0
Feb 26, 2013	EF0	0.5 mi	75 yd	0	0
Apr 16, 2011	EF3	52.9 mi	800 yd	176	2
Apr 16, 2011	EF1	8.6 mi	100 yd	0	0
May 5, 2009	EF0	0.4 mi	25 yd	0	0
May 5, 2009	EF1	7.2 mi	30 yd	0	0
Mar 27, 2009	EF0	2.3 mi	20 yd	0	0
Mar 27, 2009	EF0	0.3 mi	20 yd	0	0
Nov 15, 2008	EF1	0.9 mi	50 yd	0	0

Deadliest: Apr 16, 2011, EF3, 2 killed.

Nearby counties

Wayne County, NC30 Wake County, NC40 Wilson County, NC20 Harnett County, NC27 Sampson County, NC25 Nash County, NC19 Greene County, NC20 Franklin County, NC13

Questions

How many tornadoes has Johnston County, North Carolina had?

25 tornadoes touched Johnston County, North Carolina between 1950 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database — about 0.3 per year.

What was the strongest tornado in Johnston County?

The strongest rating recorded was EF3 on Apr 16, 2011, with a 52.9-mile path and 2 deaths.

When is tornado season in Johnston County?

Most of its tornadoes happened in November (6 of 25). Tornadoes can occur in any month, so keep alerts on year-round.

Right now: live tornado warnings map · alerts for your location. Dates link to that day’s full storm reports where available (2004 onward).