Orange County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot North Carolina Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Orange County is about the same as North Carolina average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Orange County is lower than North Carolina average and is lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #47
| Orange County | 0.04 |
| 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
| Orange County | 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, #62
| Orange County | 96.02 |
| 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 14,257 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Orange County 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: | 3 | Cold: | 52 | Dense Fog: | 13 | Drought: | 89 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 1,526 | Hail: | 4,030 | Heat: | 26 | Heavy Snow: | 253 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 6 | Ice Storm: | 76 | Landslide: | 3 | Strong Wind: | 223 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 6,999 | Tropical Storm: | 8 | Wildfire: | 1 | Winter Storm: | 150 | Winter Weather: | 217 |
| Other: | 582 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Orange County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Orange County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Orange County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 35 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Orange County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 2.6 | 1992-11-23 | 3 | 36°05'N / 79°11'W | 36°07'N / 79°04'W | 5.50 Miles | 1200 Yards | 2 | 10 | 250K | 0 | Orange |
| 12.0 | 1989-05-05 | 2 | 35°55'N / 78°58'W | 36°02'N / 78°54'W | 8.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Durham |
| 13.5 | 1991-03-29 | 2 | 35°52'N / 79°03'W | 35°53'N / 79°03'W | 1.00 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Orange |
| 13.6 | 1984-04-04 | 2 | 36°01'N / 78°53'W | 1.70 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.5M | 0 | Durham | |
| 19.7 | 1952-04-05 | 2 | 35°48'N / 78°53'W | 35°54'N / 78°53'W | 6.90 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Wake |
| 20.8 | 1991-03-29 | 2 | 35°42'N / 79°28'W | 35°52'N / 79°03'W | 25.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Chatham |
| 22.4 | 1956-03-18 | 2 | 35°52'N / 78°48'W | 0.30 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Wake | |
| 27.3 | 1964-07-12 | 2 | 36°24'N / 79°20'W | 36°29'N / 79°11'W | 10.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Caswell |
| 30.1 | 1969-04-18 | 2 | 35°52'N / 79°36'W | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Randolph | |||
| 30.2 | 1965-10-07 | 2 | 35°39'N / 79°24'W | 35°41'N / 79°18'W | 6.10 Miles | 27 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Chatham |
| 30.3 | 1964-07-12 | 2 | 36°29'N / 79°11'W | 36°31'N / 79°08'W | 3.60 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Person |
| 30.7 | 1988-11-28 | 4 | 35°52'N / 78°45'W | 35°58'N / 78°27'W | 20.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 2 | 105 | 250.0M | 0 | Wake |
| 30.8 | 1954-08-17 | 2 | 35°47'N / 79°33'W | 2.10 Miles | 110 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Randolph | |
| 33.9 | 1995-10-27 | 2 | 36°30'N / 78°56'W | 36°33'N / 78°54'W | 4.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Person |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched down on SR 1514. A home was destroyed and two others were significantly damaged on U.S. 501 North. Many trees and power lines were downed. Three mobile homes destroyed. | |||||||||||
| 34.0 | 1952-11-19 | 2 | 36°26'N / 78°43'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Granville | |
| 34.4 | 1995-10-27 | 2 | 36°13'N / 78°32'W | 2.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Granville | |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched in the community of Corinth. Numerous large trees were downed and a new home lost its roof. Numerous barns and farm outbuildings were destroyed. At the intersection of Highway 96 and SR 1643, a home was damaged when a large tree was blown onto the home and the roof was lifted off. Numerous 100-year-old trees were twisted and snapped. A truck and cement outbuilding were also destroyed. | |||||||||||
| 36.1 | 1954-06-16 | 2 | 36°10'N / 79°48'W | 36°12'N / 79°42'W | 6.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 3K | 0 | Guilford |
| 36.6 | 1966-11-02 | 2 | 35°31'N / 78°44'W | 36°00'N / 78°26'W | 37.40 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 9 | 250K | 0 | Wake |
| 38.4 | 1956-04-06 | 2 | 35°30'N / 79°04'W | 35°33'N / 78°49'W | 14.40 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Lee |
| 39.1 | 2010-10-27 | 2 | 36°34'N / 78°52'W | 36°36'N / 78°49'W | 4.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 40K | 0K | Halifax |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado touched down near Highway 96 in the Mayo Community and continued intermittently on the ground for a mile. It destroyed one barn, blew several roofs off sheds, moved one house off its foundation, and downed hundreds of trees. The tornado then strengthened to EF2 status along a 2 mile continuous path, from Watts Trail through North Fork Church Road to Lowery road. In this path approximately 15 telephone poles were snapped off, thousands of trees were downed, and 3 homes had windows blown out, roofs damaged, or trees falling on them. Numerous barns and outbuildings were also destroyed. the tornado then weakened as it approached Lowery Road before lifting. Near Lowery Road one home was damaged with windows blown out and roof damage. Several large trees were also downed along with 2 barns and 3 outbuildings destroyed. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A strong low pressure system over Minnesota pushed a front across our area. Very strong winds aloft set the stage for damaging wind gusts and tornadoes. Enough instability was present ahead of this front to enhance the severe threat. An area of severe thunderstorms and embedded supercells moved into the Piedmont of Virginia late in the evening of the 26th into early on the 27th. These storms produced areas of wind damage and two tornadoes. | |||||||||||
| 39.3 | 1977-10-01 | 2 | 35°48'N / 79°50'W | 35°53'N / 79°42'W | 9.40 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Randolph |
| 39.5 | 1982-06-16 | 2 | 35°33'N / 78°47'W | 35°35'N / 78°45'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Wake |
| 39.6 | 1981-02-11 | 2 | 35°47'N / 78°30'W | 1.90 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Wake | |
| 40.2 | 1982-06-16 | 2 | 35°32'N / 78°49'W | 35°33'N / 78°47'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Harnett |
| 41.7 | 1995-10-27 | 2 | 36°20'N / 78°29'W | 36°20'N / 78°25'W | 3.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10.0M | 0 | Vance |
| Brief Description: A tornado first touched down 4 W of Henderson near Interstate 85. The storm moved north and crossed Interstate 85. Sporadic damage occurred to mostly pine trees around the Ruin Creek Road area until the storm hit the Camperland business sales lot. Here, 25 RV's and five Uhauls were destroyed. The roof of the business was blown off. A few blocks away a medical clinic was destroyed. For several blocks down the road, there was damage to roofs of a department store, grocery, hospital, and shopping center. | |||||||||||
| 41.9 | 1962-01-06 | 2 | 36°35'N / 78°44'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Halifax | |||
| 43.2 | 1969-03-24 | 3 | 36°38'N / 78°48'W | 0.10 Mile | 20 Yards | 1 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Halifax | |
| 43.9 | 1966-11-02 | 2 | 35°30'N / 78°44'W | 35°31'N / 78°44'W | 1.10 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Harnett |
| 44.0 | 1991-03-29 | 2 | 35°38'N / 80°01'W | 35°51'N / 79°35'W | 28.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Randolph |
| 45.5 | 1966-11-02 | 2 | 36°00'N / 78°26'W | 36°15'N / 78°11'W | 22.20 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Franklin |
| 48.1 | 1988-11-28 | 4 | 35°58'N / 78°27'W | 36°06'N / 78°04'W | 21.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 17 | 25.0M | 0 | Franklin |
| 48.7 | 2008-05-08 | 2 | 36°03'N / 80°01'W | 36°06'N / 79°58'W | 4.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 1 | 3 | 4.0M | 0K | Guilford |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado, originally an EF-0, initially touched down just north of Squire Davis Park near the intersection of Sandy Ridge Road and Johnson Street. From there the tornado tracked northeast and intensified to EF-1 intensity as it approached the Farmers Market and Interstate 40. The tornado overturned several cars and tractor trailers as it crossed Interstate 40. A roof was blown off of an office building just north of the interstate as the tornado continued to intensify. As the tornado moved further northeast into an industrial complex, it further strengthened to EF-2 with winds estimated around 130 mph based on damage to warehouses. Numerous warehouses along Little Santee Road, Capital Drive, and West Market Street sustained significant damage. Numerous vehicles and tractor trailers were also overturned in the industrial complex. At its widest point, the tornado was just over 200 yards wide. The tornado quickly lifted off of the ground after crossing West Market Street near the post office. The tornado was on the ground for about four miles. One fatality occurred along West Market Street next to the Lamination Service Building located at 8717 West Market Street. The fatality occurred as a 51 year old man slept in the rig of his tractor trailer. Three other injuries were reported, two of which occurred in automobiles and another in the I.H. Caffey Warehouse Distribution Center. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A strong upper level low moving east-northeast across Kentucky and Tennessee, triggered several instances of severe damaging winds and two tornadoes across the Triad region in the northwest piedmont of North Carolina. | |||||||||||
| 49.1 | 1965-10-07 | 3 | 35°39'N / 79°50'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 1 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Randolph | |
| 49.2 | 1996-04-15 | 2 | 35°53'N / 78°16'W | 35°53'N / 78°16'W | 2.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 5 | 1.0M | 0 | Franklin |
| Brief Description: The storm moved into Franklin county and destroyed a cement block building 1 mile SW of the community of Pilot. The storm then crossed over Hwy 64 where numerous trees were twisted and downed. Several outbuildings were also destroyed. The storm then entered Pilot where the damage path reached 250 yards across. A frame house was rotated, lifted off its foundation, and moved 30 feet. Cars were thrown into a local farm pond along with other debris. As the tornado left Pilot and approached HWY 39, the tornado reached it greatest width of nearly 400 yards. Damage was evident at every home in its path. The storm then weakened before it moved into Nash county. | |||||||||||
| 49.3 | 1992-11-23 | 3 | 35°28'N / 78°41'W | 35°28'N / 78°35'W | 4.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Harnett |
* 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.