Tornado History

Sampson Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Sampson, North Carolina. The records below identify 22 tornadoes from 1957 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $65.6M, with 14 deaths and 190 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes22
Total Deaths14
Total Injuries190
Property Damage$65.6M
Avg Length12.7 mi
Avg Width284 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Sampson, North Carolina

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

Average 0.3 tornadoes per year (0.6/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 6 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F3 in Sampson, North Carolina with 10 deaths
1960 was the most active year with 2 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (5 events)
Longest tornado: 69.6 miles in Sampson, North Carolina
Widest tornado: 1,407.0 yards in Sampson, North Carolina
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Mar 28, 1984

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 Sampson, North Carolina, April 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.

20

Summary: 1960 was the most active year with 2 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
F4

Summary: EF1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 5 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.

$50.0M$5.0M$500K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1984 with at least $50.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F4 March 28, 19841984F4 April 8, 19571957F3 March 28, 19841984F3 April 18, 19691969F3 February 22, 19711971EF2 April 16, 20112011EF2 August 7, 20242024F2 September 16, 19961996F2 September 11, 19601960EF1 May 23, 20172017EF1 January 3, 20222022EF1 April 19, 20192019EF1 April 29, 20142014EF1 September 27, 20242024F1 May 8, 1960F1 July 10, 1980F0 April 8, 1962EF0 September 16, 2018EF0 November 15, 2008EF0 March 27, 2009F0 August 1, 1980EF0 March 27, 2009© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Sampson, North Carolina.
Measure distance free

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
March 28, 1984F4Sampson, North Carolina6 mi1407 yd050$25.0M
April 8, 1957F4Sampson, North Carolina5.6 mi150 yd432$250K
March 28, 1984F3Sampson, North Carolina25 mi1407 yd1090$25.0M
April 18, 1969F3Sampson, North Carolina21.3 mi300 yd00$25K
February 22, 1971F3Sampson, North Carolina69.6 mi300 yd00$250
April 16, 2011EF2Sampson, North Carolina21.92 mi800 yd09$10.0M
August 7, 2024EF2Sampson, North Carolina4.6 mi40 yd00$500K
September 16, 1996F2Sampson, North Carolina1.4 mi100 yd00$200K
September 11, 1960F2Sampson, North Carolina1 mi37 yd08$25K
May 23, 2017EF1Sampson, North Carolina13.74 mi100 yd01$1.5M
January 3, 2022EF1Sampson, North Carolina0.12 mi75 yd00$1.5M
April 19, 2019EF1Sampson, North Carolina5.34 mi125 yd00$650K
Did any of these records occur near a property you care about?Use an exact street address for a property-centered preview around Sampson, North Carolina.
Check a Sampson, North Carolina address

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.

Terms · Privacy