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Tornado History

Wilkes Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Wilkes, North Carolina. The records below identify 11 tornadoes from 1973 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F1 (Moderate damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $2.8M, with 0 deaths and 1 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes11
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries1
Property Damage$2.8M
Avg Length3.9 mi
Avg Width125 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Wilkes, North Carolina

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

Average 0.2 tornadoes per year (0.6/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 2 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F1 in Wilkes, North Carolina with 0 deaths
2017 was the most active year with 2 tornadoes
The 1970s had the most tornado activity (4 events)
Longest tornado: 9.1 miles in Wilkes, North Carolina
Widest tornado: 300.0 yards in Wilkes, North Carolina
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Aug 17, 2021

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 Wilkes, North Carolina, May is the most active month with 2 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

20

Summary: 2017 was the most active year with 2 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

EF0
F1
EF1

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.

$1.1M$110K$11K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2017 with at least $1.1M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

EF1 October 23, 20172017EF1 September 5, 20112011F1 May 27, 19731973F1 April 4, 19771977EF1 April 11, 20242024EF1 October 8, 20172017F1 June 1, 19741974EF1 September 26, 20242024F1 May 31, 19751975EF0 August 17, 20212021EF0 August 17, 20212021© OpenStreetMap contributors

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
October 23, 2017EF1Wilkes, North Carolina8.6 mi275 yd01$1.0M
September 5, 2011EF1Wilkes, North Carolina1.32 mi250 yd00$850K
May 27, 1973F1Wilkes, North Carolina9.1 mi33 yd00$250K
April 4, 1977F1Wilkes, North Carolina6.4 mi100 yd00$250K
April 11, 2024EF1Wilkes, North Carolina6 mi150 yd00$250K
October 8, 2017EF1Wilkes, North Carolina4.37 mi300 yd00$100K
June 1, 1974F1Wilkes, North Carolina1 mi33 yd00$25K
September 26, 2024EF1Wilkes, North Carolina0.4 mi75 yd00$15K
May 31, 1975F1Wilkes, North Carolina0 mi33 yd00$2K
August 17, 2021EF0Wilkes, North Carolina0.68 mi75 yd00$85K
August 17, 2021EF0Wilkes, North Carolina0.74 mi50 yd00$15K

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Source And Limits

Data source: NOAA/NCEI. TornadoTrace summarizes historical records for screening and research. Coordinates, damage estimates, narratives, and event details can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. Do not use this page as legal, insurance, engineering, real estate, emergency management, or safety advice.