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Holly Springs, NC Tornado History — 63 Tornadoes Since 1950

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

How many tornadoes has Holly Springs, NC had?

Holly Springs has had 63 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Holly Springs?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Holly Springs was an EF1 on July 6, 2025.

When is tornado season in Holly Springs?

March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Holly Springs, with 12 on record. April through June account for 21 of the 63 tornadoes on record near Holly Springs.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
63
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
4
6.3% of total
Peak Month
March
12 on record
Per Year Avg
0.8
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Holly Springs

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 20 total, averaging 1.0 per year over this window.

2026 0+5 prelim
2025 2
2024 1
2023 1
2022 2
2021 0
2020 0
2019 3
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 1
2014 3
2013 0
2012 0
2011 2
2010 0
2009 1
2008 0
2007 4

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Holly Springs since December 29, 2025

These are 5 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 October 11, 2026
3 ENE Clayton, Johnston County, NC
Approximate end of tornado path. The tornado occurred along a 3.2 mile-long discontinuous path... as it momentarily touched down and lifted several times before finally (RAH)
Preliminary EF1° October 11, 2026
3 NNE New Hope, Wake County, NC
EF-1 tornado confirmed. Touched down in the Stone Ridge neighborhood... with a discontinuous path of tree and structural damage northward into the Neuse Crossing neighb (RAH)
Preliminary October 11, 2026
1 E Carpenter, Wake County, NC
(RAH)
Preliminary October 11, 2026
4 SSE Jordan Lake, Chatham County, NC
Numerous mature hardwood and pine trees downed... snapped and twisted on Beaver Creek Road... just south of Pea Ridge Road. Damage was coincident with a radar TDS. (RAH)
Preliminary October 11, 2026
4 SW Carpenter, Wake County, NC
(RAH)

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

What storm spotters reported near Holly Springs

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Holly Springs and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on July 6, 2025 and the most recent on July 6, 2025. It is already counted in the Holly Springs totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

July 6, 2025
4 NW Moncure, Chatham County, NC
WNCN meteorologist observed multiple trees down... including at least one large pine snapped... in the 4000 block of Moncure Pittsboro Rd. (RAH)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 6
1960s 3
1970s 5
1980s 9
1990s 10
2000s 15
2010s 9
2020s 6

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 27
EF1 23
EF2 9
EF3 3
EF4 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 1
Feb 2
Mar 12
Apr 5
May 9
Jun 7
Jul 9
Aug 2
Sep 8
Oct 1
Nov 3
Dec 4

Casualties on Record Near Holly Springs

12 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Holly Springs since 1950, across 3 events. 497 injuries have been reported across all events. 2011 was the deadliest year on record near Holly Springs.

The deadliest single event was an EF3 on April 16, 2011, which caused 6 fatalities along a 65.2-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Holly Springs

Deadliest Tornado
EF3 on April 16, 2011 — 6 fatalities, 65.2 mi path, 500 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on November 28, 1988 — est. ~$275.0M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF3 on April 16, 2011 — 800 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on November 23, 1992 — 160.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on July 6, 2025.

What the record shows near Holly Springs

The 2000s were the busiest decade near Holly Springs, with 15 of the 63 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 6 so far. The Holly Springs record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Holly Springs, 50 reached EF0 or EF1 and 13 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Holly Springs is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged.

Across the last 20 years Holly Springs has averaged 1.0 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 20 in total. 2007 was the busiest of them with 4, and 10 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Holly Springs, NC had?
Since 1950, 63 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Holly Springs. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Holly Springs?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Holly Springs was an EF3 on April 16, 2011, which caused 6 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Holly Springs?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Holly Springs, with 12 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.
Has Holly Springs been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Holly Springs, there has been 0 EF5 and 1 EF4 tornado recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Holly Springs?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Holly Springs was an EF1 on July 6, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Holly Springs?
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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