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North Carolina · County tornado history

Johnston County, North Carolina tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 24 tornadoes in Johnston County, North Carolina from 1950 through 2024, about one every 3.1 years. That ranks it 23 of 99 counties in North Carolina with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF0 on September 5, 2019.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
24
Since 2000
19
Strongest
EF3, April 16, 2011
Most recent
EF0, September 5, 2019
Peak month
November (6)
Per 1,000 sq mi
30
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively High

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Johnston County

November has brought the most, 6 of 24. About 62% touched down between 12 pm and 6 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 11
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 10
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 1
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 2
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Johnston County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 16, 2011 EF3 52.9 mi 800 yd 2 176
November 23, 1992 F3 160 mi 100 yd 44
November 15, 2008 EF2 4.1 mi 150 yd 1 2
May 29, 1973 F1 17.9 mi 10 yd
March 4, 1977 F1 0.5 mi 20 yd
November 4, 1992 F1 0.4 mi 20 yd
November 4, 1992 F1 0.3 mi 20 yd
October 11, 2002 F1 4 mi 75 yd
November 15, 2008 EF1 0.9 mi 50 yd
May 5, 2009 EF1 7.2 mi 30 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Johnston County was an EF3 on April 16, 2011. It killed 2 people and injured 176 along its 52.9-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
September 5, 2019 EF0 0.1 mi 50 yd
July 23, 2019 EF1 0.2 mi 100 yd
April 19, 2019 EF1 10.2 mi 125 yd
February 26, 2013 EF0 0.5 mi 75 yd
April 16, 2011 EF1 8.6 mi 100 yd
April 16, 2011 EF3 52.9 mi 800 yd 2 176
May 5, 2009 EF1 7.2 mi 30 yd
May 5, 2009 EF0 0.4 mi 25 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Johnston County as relatively high, with a score of 94 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.47 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $10,857,094 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Johnston County had?

24 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 19 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Johnston County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF0 on September 5, 2019. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Johnston County?

An EF3 on April 16, 2011, with a 52.9-mile path.

When is tornado season in Johnston County?

November has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.