North Carolina heat
Every recorded heat record since 1996 · 75 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 353 heat records in North Carolina from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 23 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the July 25, 1999 heat in Scotland County: 2 deaths across 2 records. North Carolina ranks 30th of 51 states and territories by count and 34th of 50 per square mile.
Heat in North Carolina, 1996 to 2026
Heat records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 3531996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 23average
- Deaths
- 1621 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- –as filed
- Busiest year
- 2025152 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are heat records common in North Carolina?
North Carolina averages about 23 heat records a year since 2000, 30th of 51 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2025 (152). Per 10,000 square miles of land, North Carolina records 73 heat records since 1996, 34th of 50 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in North Carolina have the most heat records?
Per square mile, Chowan County leads North Carolina: 6 days with a heat record since 1996, 34.8 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Onslow County has the most heat records (14 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is the heat season in North Carolina?
87% of its heat records since 1996 fell in June and July. The busiest month is July (206 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 0 · Feb 0 · Mar 0 · Apr 0 · May 11 · Jun 100 · Jul 206 · Aug 23 · Sep 13 · Oct 0 · Nov 0 · Dec 0 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest heat records in North Carolina?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-25 | HeatScotland County · forecast zone Scotland One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A three year old died after he apparently got into his parents car without their permission, shut the door, strapped himself into a child safety seat, an could not get out.. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-06-29 | HeatMecklenburg County · forecast zone Mecklenburg A string of several days in the upper 90s to near 100 degrees resulted in the death of an elderly couple when their home's air conditioning failed. The date and time of death was estimated. Severe thunderstorms brought damaging winds to the southern piedmont in the late afternoon and early evening. Numerous trees and ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-06-13 | HeatPitt County · forecast zone Pitt A man and a woman were found dead in a trailer on June 16th. It is believed they died on June 13th due to extreme heat. The trailer they were found in had no air conditioning and all the windows were closed despite temperatures well into the 90s. Smoke from a large wildfire to the east had spread over the region on ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-07-20 | HeatColumbus County · forecast zone Columbus A heat wave caused many to require hospital treatment in Columbus County and in neighboring counties in Southeast North Carolina. A farm worker died of heat stroke after hospitalization. | 1 | 15 | – | |
| 2007-08-10 | HeatCumberland County · forecast zone Cumberland A 43 year old male collapsed while pumping gas and was found by a highway patrol officer. The man died from heat stroke. The victim's core body temperature was 106 degrees. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-08-02 | HeatRocky Mount, Edgecombe County · forecast zone Edgecombe An elderly woman was found dead in her home Monday morning. She apparently died from heat exposure sometime late Sunday or early Monday (1st or 2nd) | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-07-28 | HeatRobeson County · forecast zone Robeson A 56 YEAR OLD MALE COLLAPSED WHILE WORKING ON THE ROOF OF LAKEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. HE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK WHICH OFFICIALS BELIEVE WAS CAUSED BY THE SWELTERING HEAT. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MID 90S WITH HEAT INDICES EXCEEDING 100 DEGREES | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-06-10 | HeatPitt County · forecast zone Pitt A man was found dead on June 13th near Greenville in Pitt County. The coroner decided the cause of death was extreme heat and estimated the man died on June 10th. High temperatures were around 100 degrees at this time. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-05-27 | HeatGuilford County · forecast zone Guilford Senior Chad Wiley collapsed after a voluntary football workout on campus Tuesday May 27th. Chad was 22 years old. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-07-19 | HeatPerson County · forecast zone Person The body of a migrant worker was found on Walker Farm in Person County. The worker complained of sickness and left the farm around 1130am. The worker was later found dead only a quarter mile away in a creek bed. The heat index by 11am was 103 degrees. | 1 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
Are heat records becoming more frequent in North Carolina?
North Carolina's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | North Carolina | United States | North Carolina's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 48 | 4,355 | 1.1% |
| 2000s | 9 | 9,163 | 0.1% |
| 2010s | 88 | 16,445 | 0.5% |
| 2020-26 | 208 | 26,796 | 0.8% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent heat records in North Carolina
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatHalifax County · forecast zone Halifax | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatEdgecombe County · forecast zone Edgecombe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatNash County · forecast zone Nash | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatFranklin County · forecast zone Franklin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatWilson County · forecast zone Wilson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatWayne County · forecast zone Wayne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatSampson County · forecast zone Sampson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatCumberland County · forecast zone Cumberland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatScotland County · forecast zone Scotland | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Next
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