Randolph County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37151 · population 144,115 · 782 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 728 records for Randolph County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 413 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (429 records). The deadliest single record is the October 7, 1965 tornado: 1 death and 4 injuries. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1977, 22 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
- 728on 413 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 228 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $60Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Randolph County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 429 since 1961. 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 | 429 | 219 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 5 | $1.5M | 51 of 100 |
| Hail | 110 | 76 | 1983-2025 | 0 | 0 | $44K | 79 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 69 | 68 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 10 | $4.5M | 68 of 100 |
| Floods | 65 | 49 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $37M | 56 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 21 | 18 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 1 | $1.8M | 73 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 15 | 1954-2020 | 1 | 6 | $15M | 71 of 100 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1999-2020 | 0 | 6 | $50K | 59 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 66 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 100 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 75 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 Randolph County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Randolph County from 1954 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 6 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Randolph County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 1 of them in Randolph County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-16 17:05, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF2 | 12.51 mi | 2 |
| 1965-10-07 12:15, as SPC files it | Asheboro | F3 | 1 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Randolph County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-02-06 | Mc Laneton, Randolph County | EF1 0.38 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $285K |
| 2011-11-16 | Fullers, Randolph County | EF1 2.44 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2008-08-27 | Salem, Randolph County | EF0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1998-05-07 | Julian, Randolph County | F1 1 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-11 | Asheboro, Randolph County | F0 1 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-03-29 | Randolph County | F2 28 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-06-16 | Randolph County | F1 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-06-16 | Randolph County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-03-08 | Randolph County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1977-10-01 | Randolph County | F2 9.4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-03-24 | Randolph County | F1 4.1 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Randolph County | F1 2.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1970-08-18 | Randolph County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-04-18 | Randolph County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1965-10-07 | Randolph County | F3 1 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 4 | $25K step |
| 1954-08-17 | Randolph County | F2 2.1 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Randolph County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindLiberty, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindLiberty, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindErect, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindArchdale, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRamseur, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLiberty, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRedcross, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | Thunderstorm WindColeridge, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-12-19 | Thunderstorm WindLiberty, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-12-19 | Thunderstorm WindLiberty, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-10-07 | TornadoRandolph County | F3 1 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 4 | $25K step |
| 2010-12-04 | Winter WeatherRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph Around a half inch of snow fell across the county with up to one inch of snow reported in Archdale. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2007-01-18 | Winter WeatherRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph Snow moved into Central North Carolina just prior to sunrise on January 18th impacting local schools and morning communters. Between one to two inches of snow fell across the area resulting in numerous accidents. About eight children were injured in Asheboro when a school bus over turned and two indirect deaths were ... | 0 | 8 | – | |
| 1999-08-14 | LightningAsheboro, Randolph County Two children and three adults were injured by lightning at Camp Woodfield, a Scout camp in Tabernacle Township west of Asheboro. All were transported to the hospital , treated and released.The group was camping near a tree that got struck by lightning. | 0 | 5 | – | |
| 2011-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindArchdale Johnson Arp, Randolph County Two individual sustained minor injuries when their truck crashed into a downed tree on Old Marlboro Road near Sophia, North Carolina. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $13K |
| 2002-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindAsheboro, Randolph County Thunderstorm winds flipped over a mobile home onto a truck. The home was destroyed, and the two residents were injured. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2020-02-07 | Strong WindRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph An individual was hit by a falling tree on Edith Russell Road in Randleman. The victim was transported to the hospital with life threatening injuries. | 35 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2010-07-17 | Thunderstorm WindSeagrove, Randolph County Severe thunderstorm winds injured a potter, broke pottery and damaged tents at an outdoor pottery festival. The injured person was treated at Randolph Hospital after receiving eight sutures in the back of her head. A tree was also blown down on Yow Drive, one block from the festival. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $4K |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-09-17 | FloodPinson, Randolph County | 0 | 0 | $37M | |
| 2014-03-06 | Ice StormRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2011-11-16 | TornadoFullers, Randolph County | EF1 2.44 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2013-01-17 | Strong WindRandolph County · forecast zone Randolph | 30 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $317K |
| 2020-02-06 | TornadoMc Laneton, Randolph County | EF1 0.38 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $285K |
| 2025-12-19 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Asheboro, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2011-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindArchdale Johnson Arp, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $13K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindRamseur, Randolph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 29, 1991 (tornado, Randolph 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 Randolph 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 | 4 | 20 | 26 | 73 | 186 | 117 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 25 | 44 | 17 | 15 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 25 | 25 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 23 | 23 | 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 9 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Randolph County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 45 · Feb 45 · Mar 33 · Apr 76 · May 129 · Jun 121 · Jul 118 · Aug 72 · Sep 35 · Oct 19 · Nov 6 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Randolph County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Randolph County: 12 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) and tropical storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3637 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2020-05-08 | DR-4543 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2019-01-31 | DR-4412 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2018-09-14 | DR-4393 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-10-07 | EM-3380 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2014-03-31 | DR-4167 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1553 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 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 |
| 1996-02-23 | DR-1103 | Snowstorm | Winter Storm |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
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 Randolph County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 65 flood or flash flood records for Randolph County from 1997 to 2025, on 49 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Randolph County ranks 1522nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | 2018-10-11 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-17 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $395,000 on 65 claims filed in Randolph County; the most in one year was 9 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1987: 3 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 3 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2003: 7 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 4 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2; 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 Randolph County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Randolph County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $39.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $800K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $275K | 7.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $23M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $3.1M | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $624K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $439K | 49 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 Randolph 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 Randolph CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Randolph County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis