Onslow County tornado history

49 tornadoes touched Onslow County, North Carolina between 1950 and 2025 — about 0.6 a year. The strongest was rated EF3 (Apr 16, 2011). Tornadoes here killed 3 and injured 59 people.

49tornadoes since 1950

EF3strongest rating

3killed · 59 injured

10 milongest path · 1999

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

By rating

(E)F028

(E)F116

(E)F24

(E)F31

(E)F40

(E)F50

By month

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak month: April.

By decade

’50’60’70’80’90’00’10’20

Strongest tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured	Killed
Apr 16, 2011	EF3	3.8 mi	450 yd	30	0
Jul 2, 1986	F2	1.5 mi	33 yd	10	3
May 11, 2008	EF2	5 mi	100 yd	6	0
Apr 19, 1978	F2	3.3 mi	50 yd	3	0
Oct 24, 1972	F2	0.7 mi	150 yd	0	0
Apr 15, 1999	F1	10 mi	10 yd	7	0
May 24, 2024	EF1	8.8 mi	150 yd	0	0
Apr 13, 2020	EF1	5.5 mi	640 yd	0	0
Sep 15, 2018	EF1	2.5 mi	275 yd	0	0
Feb 21, 1989	F1	2 mi	100 yd	0	0
Mar 14, 1986	F1	1.2 mi	100 yd	0	0
Aug 1, 1961	F1	1 mi	50 yd	0	0

Most recent tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured
May 24, 2024	EF1	8.8 mi	150 yd	0
Apr 22, 2023	EF0	0.4 mi	25 yd	0
Apr 13, 2020	EF1	5.5 mi	640 yd	0
Sep 15, 2018	EF1	2.5 mi	275 yd	0
Jun 10, 2013	EF1	0.6 mi	50 yd	0
Apr 16, 2011	EF3	3.8 mi	450 yd	30
May 7, 2009	EF0	0.1 mi	10 yd	0
Sep 25, 2008	EF0	0.3 mi	10 yd	0
May 11, 2008	EF2	5 mi	100 yd	6
May 11, 2008	EF0	0.2 mi	20 yd	0
Aug 31, 2006	F0	0.2 mi	25 yd	0
Jul 23, 2006	F0	0.1 mi	25 yd	0

Deadliest: Jul 2, 1986, F2, 3 killed.

Nearby counties

Jones County, NC23 Duplin County, NC42 Pender County, NC48 Lenoir County, NC30 Craven County, NC40 New Hanover County, NC33 Wayne County, NC30 Greene County, NC20

Questions

How many tornadoes has Onslow County, North Carolina had?

49 tornadoes touched Onslow County, North Carolina between 1950 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database — about 0.6 per year.

What was the strongest tornado in Onslow County?

The strongest rating recorded was EF3 on Apr 16, 2011, with a 3.8-mile path.

When is tornado season in Onslow County?

Most of its tornadoes happened in April (8 of 49). 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).