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Asheville, NC Tornado History — 15 Tornadoes Since 1950

North Carolina · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Asheville, NC had?

Asheville has had 15 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Asheville?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Asheville was an EF0 on May 8, 2024.

When is tornado season in Asheville?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Asheville, with 5 on record. April through June account for 8 of the 15 tornadoes on record near Asheville.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
15
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
May
5 on record
Per Year Avg
0.2
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Asheville

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 2 total, averaging 0.1 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 0
2024 1
2023 1
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 0
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Asheville since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary EF0° March 16, 2026
4 E Mars Hill, Madison County, NC
An EF-0 tornado with peak estimated winds around 80 mph touched down several miles east of Mars Hill... uprooting and snapping numerous trees. A path of damage was evid (GSP)

Within 25 miles of Asheville. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 1
1970s 9
1990s 3
2020s 2

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 3
EF1 12

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 4
Mar 1
Apr 0
May 5
Jun 3
Jul 0
Aug 1
Sep 0
Oct 1
Nov 0
Dec 0

Have any tornadoes near Asheville been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Asheville from any of the 15 tornadoes since 1950, though 5 injuries have been reported, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Asheville

Costliest Tornado
F1 on June 6, 1977 — est. ~$275K (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F1 on May 6, 1999 — 440 yards wide.
Longest Path
F1 on June 6, 1977 — 28.5 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on May 8, 2024.

What the record shows near Asheville

The 1970s were the busiest decade near Asheville, with 9 of the 15 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 2 so far. The Asheville record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Asheville, 15 reached EF0 or EF1 and 0 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Asheville is rated EF1, of which 12 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Asheville has averaged 0.1 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 2 in total. 2023 was the busiest of them with 1, and 18 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Asheville, NC had?
Since 1950, 15 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Asheville. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Asheville?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Asheville, with 5 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Asheville?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Asheville was an EF0 on May 8, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Asheville?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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