Storms near Wake County
The record holds 46 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of Wake County, North Carolina between 1854 and 2025. The busiest month is September, with 20 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached category 4 strength. 2 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.
- 46storms within 50 km
- 2major (category 3 to 5) near here
- 6at category 1 strength or more
A storm counts once, however many times it came close. The category is the storm's strongest point within 50 km, which can be weaker than its peak elsewhere.
How strong were the storms near Wake County?
| Category near here | Storms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical depression | 10 | 22% |
| Tropical storm | 28 | 61% |
| Category 1 | 3 | 7% |
| Category 2 | 1 | 2% |
| Category 3 | 1 | 2% |
| Category 4 | 1 | 2% |
| Category 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown intensity | 2 | 4% |
The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, Atlantic).
Wake County storms over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1854, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1850s | 2 |
| 1860s | 2 |
| 1870s | 1 |
| 1880s | 7 |
| 1890s | 3 |
| 1900s | 2 |
| 1910s | 2 |
| 1930s | 1 |
| 1940s | 3 |
| 1950s | 3 |
| 1960s | 1 |
| 1970s | 4 |
| 1980s | 2 |
| 1990s | 3 |
| 2000s | 3 |
| 2010s | 3 |
| 2020s | 4 |
Earlier decades hold fewer storms partly because they were harder to see. Before weather satellites (about the 1960s) many storms that stayed at sea went unrecorded, so compare decades with care.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 0 |
| May | 2 |
| Jun | 4 |
| Jul | 6 |
| Aug | 6 |
| Sep | 20 |
| Oct | 8 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
Strongest storms near Wake County
- Hazel (1954)5 October 1954 to 18 October 1954, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 938 hPa
- Fran (1996)23 August 1996 to 10 September 1996, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 946 hPa
- Unnamed storm of September 1896 (North Atlantic)22 September 1896 to 30 September 1896, Category 2 (85 kt) near here, peak Category 3 (110 kt), 960 hPa
- Unnamed storm of September 1893 (North Atlantic)25 September 1893 to 15 October 1893, Category 1 (80 kt) near here, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 955 hPa
- Unnamed storm of October 1899 (North Atlantic)26 October 1899 to 4 November 1899, Category 1 (75 kt) near here, peak Category 2 (95 kt)
Most recent storms near Wake County
- Chantal (2025)4 July 2025 to 7 July 2025, Tropical depression (25 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (50 kt), 1,002 hPa
- Elsa (2021)30 June 2021 to 10 July 2021, Tropical storm (45 kt) near here, peak Category 1 (75 kt), 991 hPa
- Claudette (2021)17 June 2021 to 23 June 2021, peak Tropical storm (40 kt), 1,003 hPa
Many of these storms killed people and destroyed homes. The figures are the official record's, and this page says nothing about their human cost.
A storm that came near several counties counts in each one, so county counts add up to more than the state's.
Notable storms near Wake County
- Hazel (1954)5 October 1954 to 18 October 1954, peak Category 4 (115 kt), 938 hPa
- Fran (1996)23 August 1996 to 10 September 1996, peak Category 3 (105 kt), 946 hPa