Clayton, NC Tornado History — 86 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Clayton, NC had?
Clayton has had 86 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 7 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Clayton?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Clayton was an EF0 on May 4, 2025.
When is tornado season in Clayton?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Clayton, with 15 on record. April through June account for 35 of the 86 tornadoes on record near Clayton.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Clayton
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 36 total, averaging 1.8 per year over this window.
What storm spotters reported near Clayton
One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Clayton and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 3, 2025 and the most recent on May 3, 2025. It is already counted in the Clayton totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.
UPDATED INFORMATION: A brief EF-0 tornado occurred during the early morning hours of Sunday May 4 2025. A car port and a portion of an outbuilding roof were displaced 1 (RAH)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
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.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Clayton
17 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Clayton since 1950, across 7 events. 601 injuries have been reported across all events. 2011 was the deadliest year on record near Clayton.
The deadliest single event was an EF3 on April 16, 2011, which caused 6 fatalities along a 65.2-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Clayton
What the record shows near Clayton
The 2000s were the busiest decade near Clayton, with 23 of the 86 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 5 so far. The Clayton record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Clayton, 68 reached EF0 or EF1 and 18 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Clayton is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged.
Across the last 20 years Clayton has averaged 1.8 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 36 in total. 2008 was the busiest of them with 6, and 6 of those years passed with none at all.