Granite Falls, NC Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Granite Falls is about the same as North Carolina average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Granite Falls is lower than North Carolina average and is lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #231
| Granite Falls, NC | 0.13 |
| North Carolina | 0.18 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Granite Falls, NC | 0.0000 |
| North Carolina | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #538
| Granite Falls, NC | 102.75 |
| North Carolina | 115.21 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 4,023 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Granite Falls, NC were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 9 | Dense Fog: | 4 | Drought: | 35 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 334 | Hail: | 1,326 | Heat: | 1 | Heavy Snow: | 39 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 12 | Ice Storm: | 18 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 38 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 1,861 | Tropical Storm: | 5 | Wildfire: | 4 | Winter Storm: | 47 | Winter Weather: | 54 |
| Other: | 236 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Granite Falls, NC.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Granite Falls, NC.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Granite Falls, NC.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 26 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Granite Falls, NC.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 4.9 | 1974-04-04 | 2 | 35°49'N / 81°32'W | 35°52'N / 81°27'W | 5.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Caldwell |
| 6.1 | 1951-08-09 | 2 | 35°45'N / 81°20'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Catawba | |
| 6.3 | 1998-05-07 | 4 | 35°52'N / 81°23'W | 35°52'N / 81°19'W | 4.00 Miles | 1320 Yards | 0 | 2 | 1.1M | 0 | Caldwell |
| Brief Description: A violent, F4 tornado touched down near Dudley Shoals then moved east-southeast cutting a winding path through valleys, to the Alexander county border. The damage path was 100 yards wide on average, but reached a width of 3/4 of a mile at times. One well-constructed home was totally destroyed, other homes were damaged, and many mobile homes sustained damage or were destroyed. Supercell thunderstorms developed in a highly sheared atmosphere in eastern Tennessee then moved east across the mountains, foothills and western piedmont of North Carolina. These long-lived, cyclic supercells produced a considerable amount of large hail and some damaging winds in the mountains. The first tornado of the day in western North Carolina occurred in Madison county. Numerous reports of hail as large as golf balls were reported from the mountains. In Madison and Yancey counties, hail covered roads. More supercell thunderstorms developed behind the previous ones and followed similar tracks. In northern Buncombe county, the town of Barnardsville had three separate severe storms cross overhead and drop hail on the ground to a depth of 3 inches. Yancey county also had 3 separate storms move across the county that accumulated hail to 6 inches in depth. The hail was still on the ground the next morning. As the supercells moved into the foothills, they began to curve a little to the right, indicative of strong mesocyclonic circulations present. One supercell produced several tornadoes from Alexander county to Davie county. Another storm produced a tornado that tracked from western Caldwell county into south-central Alexander county. A third supercell that emerged out of the mountains in McDowell county produced several tornadoes from the southern part of that county to northern Mecklenburg county. Damage was fairly significant across western North Carolina with numerous homes either damaged or destroyed. Fortunately, no one was killed. However, 2 people were injured as a result of the violent F4 tornado in eastern Caldwell county. One person received minor injuries from a lightning strike in Yancey county later in the evening. The storms continued to reform in eastern Tennessee until very late in the evening and still produced large hail as they crossed the border into the mountain counties of North Carolina, before weakening shortly after midnight.. | |||||||||||
| 11.3 | 1989-05-05 | 4 | 35°35'N / 81°27'W | 35°41'N / 81°25'W | 6.00 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 3 | 25.0M | 0 | Catawba |
| 14.0 | 1979-05-24 | 2 | 35°45'N / 81°40'W | 0.30 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Burke | |
| 14.6 | 1989-05-05 | 2 | 35°57'N / 81°41'W | 36°01'N / 81°25'W | 15.00 Miles | 73 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Caldwell |
| 15.5 | 1954-08-18 | 2 | 35°40'N / 81°12'W | 35°44'N / 81°09'W | 5.40 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Catawba |
| 15.8 | 2005-07-07 | 2 | 35°50'N / 81°10'W | 35°52'N / 81°08'W | 4.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Alexander |
| Brief Description: This tornado touched down near highway 16 just north of the Catawba County line. Two brick homes and a business received severe roof damage in this area, while a mobile home was completely destroyed. The tornado tracked northeast, damaging the roofs of several homes at a mobile home park along Friendship Church Rd before lifting near the intersection of Millersville Rd and Dairy Rd. Numerous trees were also blown down along the tornado path. | |||||||||||
| 16.7 | 1989-05-05 | 4 | 35°32'N / 81°29'W | 35°35'N / 81°27'W | 3.00 Miles | 800 Yards | 4 | 19 | 25.0M | 0 | Lincoln |
| 17.1 | 1998-05-07 | 2 | 35°33'N / 81°25'W | 35°33'N / 81°24'W | 2.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 212K | 0 | Lincoln |
| Brief Description: The same supercell that produced the tornado in McDowell county spawned a strong tornado in the Vale and Cat Square area. Four homes were destroyed, 50 homes were damaged, a church roof was partially blown off and numerous trees were downed. Supercell thunderstorms developed in a highly sheared atmosphere in eastern Tennessee then moved east across the mountains, foothills and western piedmont of North Carolina. These long-lived, cyclic supercells produced a considerable amount of large hail and some damaging winds in the mountains. The first tornado of the day in western North Carolina occurred in Madison county. Numerous reports of hail as large as golf balls were reported from the mountains. In Madison and Yancey counties, hail covered roads. More supercell thunderstorms developed behind the previous ones and followed similar tracks. In northern Buncombe county, the town of Barnardsville had three separate severe storms cross overhead and drop hail on the ground to a depth of 3 inches. Yancey county also had 3 separate storms move across the county that accumulated hail to 6 inches in depth. The hail was still on the ground the next morning. As the supercells moved into the foothills, they began to curve a little to the right, indicative of strong mesocyclonic circulations present. One supercell produced several tornadoes from Alexander county to Davie county. Another storm produced a tornado that tracked from western Caldwell county into south-central Alexander county. A third supercell that emerged out of the mountains in McDowell county produced several tornadoes from the southern part of that county to northern Mecklenburg county. Damage was fairly significant across western North Carolina with numerous homes either damaged or destroyed. Fortunately, no one was killed. However, 2 people were injured as a result of the violent F4 tornado in eastern Caldwell county. One person received minor injuries from a lightning strike in Yancey county later in the evening. The storms continued to reform in eastern Tennessee until very late in the evening and still produced large hail as they crossed the border into the mountain counties of North Carolina, before weakening shortly after midnight.. | |||||||||||
| 17.1 | 2010-10-26 | 2 | 35°32'N / 81°28'W | 35°34'N / 81°26'W | 3.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 11 | 1.2M | 0K | Lincoln |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This strong tornado touched down near the intersection of Locust Trail and Tola Houser Lane. Several homes at the beginning of the track received major damage to the roof and exterior wall. One home was shifted off its foundation by nearly 20 feet, with an upstairs room removed. Two vehicles at this location were rolled several yards. The tornado moved northeast across Northbrook III School Rd. Several homes were damaged or destroyed and numerous trees snapped off or uprooted just north of the Reeps Grove Church Rd intersection. The damage path at this point was nearly 200 yards wide. The tornado continued northeast, crossing Macedonia Church Rd, Peeler Rd and Patriot Way, with additional homes as well as barns and a chicken house damaged or destroyed. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped off in this area as well. As the tornado continued east northeast, damage became more intermittent in the area around Palm Tree Church Rd, where only the tops of trees were snapped. The tornado entered into Catawba County in the vicinity of Dansbury Lane. Eleven people were injured, two seriously. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Scattered supercell thunderstorms developed over the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia as strong wind shear and moderate instability overspread the region ahead of a strong cold front. A number of tornadoes were spawned by the storms. Two strong tornadoes affected the western piedmont and foothills of North Carolina. | |||||||||||
| 17.4 | 2010-10-26 | 2 | 35°42'N / 81°09'W | 35°43'N / 81°07'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 6.6M | 0K | Catawba |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado touched down initially in an industrial park near Penny Rd, where two large buildings sustained significant roof damage. Part of the exterior wall of one of the buildings collapsed. The tornado moved northeast, causing damage to shingles and siding at several homes on St Vincent Dr. Two outbuildings were thrown 30 to 40 feet and numerous trees were snapped off or uprooted in this area as well. The tornado continued to cause severe damage to trees and generally minor structural damage to homes and a church as it moved northeast toward Catawba St. The damage path continued in a east northeast direction from there, roughly paralleling highway 70. Major roof damage occurred to a food processing plant on highway 70 and several outbuildings were destroyed. Numerous headstones were blown down in a cemetery adjacent to the plant. Numerous trailers were then overturned and part of a building destroyed at a truck depot near Liberty Hill Church Rd. The tornado continued east northeast for about another half mile before lifting. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Scattered supercell thunderstorms developed over the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia as strong wind shear and moderate instability overspread the region ahead of a strong cold front. A number of tornadoes were spawned by the storms. Two strong tornadoes affected the western piedmont and foothills of North Carolina. | |||||||||||
| 21.4 | 1989-05-05 | 4 | 35°28'N / 81°35'W | 35°32'N / 81°29'W | 5.00 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 30 | 25.0M | 0 | Cleveland |
| 28.3 | 2006-11-15 | 2 | 35°31'N / 81°04'W | 35°30'N / 81°04'W | 1.00 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Lincoln |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: NWS survey found tornado damage path on the western shores of Lake Norman near Denver. Most of the damage was concentrated in the Lake Shore Rd and Blade Trail areas. Hundreds of trees were downed, many blocking roads, with some down on homes. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A narrow line of showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of a strong cold front during the evening hours of November 15th. As the line moved into North Carolina a series of tornadoes formed along a break in the line. In all, four tornadoes touched down from the east side of Gastonia to a few miles east of Statesville. The strongest tornado produced a small area of F2 damage. One person later died from injuries suffered in the last tornado in Iredell County. Areas of damaging straight line winds also occurred in other parts of the line. | |||||||||||
| 33.7 | 1998-05-07 | 2 | 35°37'N / 81°59'W | 35°37'N / 81°59'W | 3.70 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 482K | 0 | Mcdowell |
| Brief Description: Another supercell which tracked across the mountains spawned a tornado that travelled through a portion of Glenwood. Several homes and mobiles sustained damage or were destroyed. Supercell thunderstorms developed in a highly sheared atmosphere in eastern Tennessee then moved east across the mountains, foothills and western piedmont of North Carolina. These long-lived, cyclic supercells produced a considerable amount of large hail and some damaging winds in the mountains. The first tornado of the day in western North Carolina occurred in Madison county. Numerous reports of hail as large as golf balls were reported from the mountains. In Madison and Yancey counties, hail covered roads. More supercell thunderstorms developed behind the previous ones and followed similar tracks. In northern Buncombe county, the town of Barnardsville had three separate severe storms cross overhead and drop hail on the ground to a depth of 3 inches. Yancey county also had 3 separate storms move across the county that accumulated hail to 6 inches in depth. The hail was still on the ground the next morning. As the supercells moved into the foothills, they began to curve a little to the right, indicative of strong mesocyclonic circulations present. One supercell produced several tornadoes from Alexander county to Davie county. Another storm produced a tornado that tracked from western Caldwell county into south-central Alexander county. A third supercell that emerged out of the mountains in McDowell county produced several tornadoes from the southern part of that county to northern Mecklenburg county. Damage was fairly significant across western North Carolina with numerous homes either damaged or destroyed. Fortunately, no one was killed. However, 2 people were injured as a result of the violent F4 tornado in eastern Caldwell county. One person received minor injuries from a lightning strike in Yancey county later in the evening. The storms continued to reform in eastern Tennessee until very late in the evening and still produced large hail as they crossed the border into the mountain counties of North Carolina, before weakening shortly after midnight.. | |||||||||||
| 36.7 | 1975-05-18 | 2 | 35°23'N / 81°50'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Rutherford | |||
| 39.0 | 1965-04-09 | 2 | 36°11'N / 81°56'W | 0.50 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Avery | |
| 41.4 | 1994-03-27 | 2 | 35°03'N / 82°03'W | 35°24'N / 81°14'W | 25.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Spartanburg |
| 41.6 | 1973-05-27 | 3 | 35°10'N / 81°46'W | 35°18'N / 81°36'W | 13.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Cleveland |
| 41.7 | 2005-07-07 | 2 | 36°00'N / 80°45'W | 36°03'N / 80°43'W | 3.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.0M | 400K | Iredell |
| Brief Description: This tornado touched down in the Houstonville Rd area and tracked almost due north. Extensive damage was done to a dairy farm in the Houstonville community, with damage to several other agricultural buildings in the area. In the Misty Rd, Anthony Rd area, the roof was torn off a mobile home as well as another home. The tornado continued to track north, crossing into Yadkin County around Tobacco Rd. At least 13 structures were damaged or destroyed in the county. In addition to the structural damage, damage to tobacco and corn crops was extensive. In addition, numerous trees were blown down along highway 21 and Hunting Creek Rd west of the tornado track. It is unclear whether this was a secondary spin-up or straight-line wind. | |||||||||||
| 41.8 | 1990-02-10 | 2 | 35°12'N / 81°33'W | 0.40 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cleveland | |
| 41.9 | 2008-05-09 | 2 | 35°15'N / 81°10'W | 35°16'N / 81°00'W | 9.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 7.0M | 0K | Gaston |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado track began just southeast of Gastonia and continued well into Mecklenburg County on the northwest side of Charlotte. Where the tornado first touched down, part of the roof was blown off the roof of an office building near the intersection of Union Rd and Garrison Bvd. The tornado continued east-northeast to the Garrison Blvd, S New Hope Rd area, where numerous homes and businesses received minor to moderate roof damage and numerous large trees were uprooted. The tornado produced sporadic, mainly minor damage as it moved through McAdenville, where it crossed I-85, blowing several cars off the interstate. The most significant damage was observed in the Catawba Heights/ Belmont area, near I-85, where much of the metal roof was peeled from a large wharehouse, causing 7 million dollars in damage. Another industrial business in this area lost most of its roof. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A mini-supercell thunderstorms produced a tornado with a nearly 20 mile path through the Gastonia and Charlotte metro areas during the early morning hours of May 9th. | |||||||||||
| 45.5 | 1989-05-05 | 4 | 35°11'N / 81°48'W | 35°15'N / 81°49'W | 6.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Rutherford |
| 47.1 | 1973-05-28 | 2 | 35°12'N / 80°59'W | 35°18'N / 80°52'W | 9.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mecklenburg |
| 48.3 | 1989-05-05 | 4 | 35°10'N / 81°50'W | 35°11'N / 81°48'W | 3.00 Miles | 700 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Cherokee |
| 49.1 | 1965-09-12 | 2 | 35°18'N / 80°48'W | 0.30 Mile | 70 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mecklenburg | |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.