Tornado History

Columbus Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Columbus, North Carolina. The records below identify 33 tornadoes from 1950 through 2026, including a highest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $6.1M, with 8 deaths and 28 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes33
Total Deaths8
Total Injuries28
Property Damage$6.1M
Avg Length3.9 mi
Avg Width98 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Columbus, North Carolina

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 0.4 tornadoes per year (0.9/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 6 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F3 in Columbus, North Carolina with 8 deaths
2011 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (8 events)
Longest tornado: 54.6 miles in Columbus, North Carolina
Widest tornado: 880.0 yards in Columbus, North Carolina
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Mar 3, 1991

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Columbus, North Carolina, May is the most active month with 6 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

3210

Summary: 2011 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
F3

Summary: EF0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 10 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$2.5M$250K$25K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1984 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F3 November 16, 20062006F3 October 9, 19501950F2 March 28, 19841984F2 October 4, 19641964F2 June 7, 19831983F2 December 1, 19671967F1 September 7, 20042004F1 September 6, 19741974F1 March 3, 19911991EF1 September 16, 20182018F1 May 20, 20052005EF1 April 13, 20202020EF1 May 21, 20152015EF1 October 11, 20202020EF1 May 9, 2026EF1 April 16, 2011F1 June 2, 1959F1 April 17, 2006F1 May 24, 1975EF0 June 2, 2021EF0 September 5, 2019EF0 April 28, 2011F0 March 8, 1998EF0 May 14, 2024EF0 October 1, 2012F0 July 2, 2003EF0 October 1, 2012EF0 December 24, 2020EF0 May 14, 2024F0 March 3, 1991F0 April 26, 1996EF0 March 15, 2008EF0 April 16, 2011© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Columbus, North Carolina.
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
November 16, 2006F3Columbus, North Carolina2.15 mi300 yd820$500K
October 9, 1950F3Columbus, North Carolina2 mi880 yd03$250K
March 28, 1984F2Columbus, North Carolina9 mi353 yd00$2.5M
October 4, 1964F2Columbus, North Carolina54.6 mi50 yd00$250K
June 7, 1983F2Columbus, North Carolina6 mi450 yd00$250K
December 1, 1967F2Columbus, North Carolina3.8 mi33 yd00N/A
September 7, 2004F1Columbus, North Carolina7 mi40 yd00$700K
September 6, 1974F1Columbus, North Carolina0 mi33 yd02$250K
March 3, 1991F1Columbus, North Carolina1.5 mi73 yd03$250K
September 16, 2018EF1Columbus, North Carolina0.27 mi100 yd00$250K
May 20, 2005F1Columbus, North Carolina2.6 mi50 yd00$200K
April 13, 2020EF1Columbus, North Carolina0.58 mi100 yd00$100K
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Related Location Pages

Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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