Lee County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37105 · population 63,261 · 255 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 339 records for Lee County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 263 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (156 records). The deadliest single record is the April 16, 2011 tornado: 2 deaths, 36 injuries and $74.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1968, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 339on 263 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 442 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $112Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Lee County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 156 since 1963. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among North Carolina's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 156 | 115 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 2 | $940K | 15 of 100 |
| Hail | 58 | 50 | 1956-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 54 | 53 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 3 | – | 30 of 100 |
| Floods | 29 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $31M | 29 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 15 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 1 | $998K | 30 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 21 of 100 |
| Heat | 6 | 6 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1956-2025 | 2 | 36 | $77M | 56 of 100 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2005-2017 | 1 | 0 | $178K | 48 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 100 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Lee County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Lee County from 1956 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 36 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 6 tornadoes whose track touched Lee County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 2 of them in Lee County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 12:53, as SPC files it | Raleigh | EF3 | 65.23 mi | 6 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Lee County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-06 | Rosser, Lee County | EF1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 2015-06-27 | Cumnock, Lee County | EF1 0.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2011-04-16 | White Hill, Lee County | EF3 19.13 mi x 500 yd | 2 | 36 | $75M |
| 2006-05-14 | Broadway, Lee County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-08 | White Hill, Lee County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-04-06 | Lee County | F2 14.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Lee County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindTramway, Lee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormLee County · forecast zone Lee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormLee County · forecast zone Lee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeLee County · forecast zone Lee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatLee County · forecast zone Lee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatLee County · forecast zone Lee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindLemon Spgs, Lee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindLemon Spgs, Lee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-26 | Excessive HeatLee County · forecast zone Lee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindSanford, Lee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindLemon Spgs, Lee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-07-06 | TornadoRosser, Lee County | EF1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoWhite Hill, Lee County The tornado exited Moore County and proceeded to strengthen to an EF1 as it moved into Lee County along Wildlife Road. The tornado blew a single wide trailer off its foundation, while also damaging the home home next door. The tornado continued to intensify to EF3 intensity along Lemon Springs Road striking the St. ... | EF3 19.13 mi x 500 yd | 2 | 36 | $75M |
| 2017-07-18 | LightningJonesboro, Lee County A 39 year old male was struck and killed by a lightning strike while taking cover from the storm under a tree in Sanford, North Carolina. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-12-25 | Winter StormLee County · forecast zone Lee Four to six inches of snow fell countywide with the heaviest amounts recorded along and east of Highway 1 including Sanford. Many roads were impassible due to the heavy snow. A seven year old boy was killed while playing in the road as a car slid on the snow and ice striking the child south of Sanford. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-12-16 | Winter WeatherLee County · forecast zone Lee A prolonged period of light snow and freezing rain in the morning resulted a half inch of snow with a tenth of an inch of freezing rain. This combination created hazardous driving conditions during the morning commute. Three people were injured as the result of car accidents near Sanford. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-04-07 | Strong WindLee County · forecast zone Lee One tree was reported down on a home in the 700 block of 3rd Street in Sanford. One individual in the home was injured as a result. | 40 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2020-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindSanford, Lee County Trees were reported down on homes in Sanford. One child was injured. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $114K |
| 1990-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindLee County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoWhite Hill, Lee County | EF3 19.13 mi x 500 yd | 2 | 36 | $75M |
| 2018-09-17 | FloodLemon Spgs, Lee County | 0 | 0 | $30M | |
| 2025-07-06 | TornadoRosser, Lee County | EF1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 2018-09-13 | Tropical StormLee County · forecast zone Lee | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2016-10-08 | Flash FloodTramway, Lee County | 0 | 0 | $658K | |
| 2020-10-29 | Strong WindLee County · forecast zone Lee | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $570K |
| 1998-07-22 | Thunderstorm WindSanford, Lee County | 0 | 0 | $389K | |
| 2020-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindSanford, Lee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $114K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 6, 1956 (tornado, Lee County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Lee County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 29 | 52 | 42 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 26 | 7 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 18 | 22 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 38 · Feb 29 · Mar 16 · Apr 26 · May 41 · Jun 69 · Jul 57 · Aug 27 · Sep 16 · Oct 4 · Nov 9 · Dec 7 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lee County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Lee County: 11 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (11) and tropical storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3637 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-28 | DR-4827 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3617 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-08-06 | EM-3608 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2022-10-01 | EM-3586 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020-08-02 | EM-3534 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4487 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3471 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-09-03 | EM-3423 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-09-14 | DR-4393 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-10-10 | DR-4285 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-10-07 | EM-3380 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2011-04-19 | DR-1969 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-12-12 | DR-1448 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 2000-01-31 | DR-1312 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1999-09-16 | DR-1292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3146 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1134 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 1968-02-10 | DR-234 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Lee County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 29 flood or flash flood records for Lee County from 1996 to 2025, on 25 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lee County ranks 1540th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 63 claims filed in Lee County; the most in one year was 13 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 1 · 1989: 2 · 1993: 4 · 1996: 3 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 3 · 2003: 5 · 2006: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 5 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 9 · 2018: 13 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Lee County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lee County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.2 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.2M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $346K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $513K | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $765K | 6.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $11M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $606K | once in about 791 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $293K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lee County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in North CarolinaEvery North Carolina tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in North CarolinaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The North Carolina recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Lee CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lee County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis