Lightning TrackerCary storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Cary, NC, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Cary, NC
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Cary by the numbers
Cary sits in one of the most active severe-weather areas in the country: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 911 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 174 hail reports, 725 damaging-wind reports and 12 tornado reports. On average that is 19.6 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in May, June, July, when 58% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 7 hail reports, 93 wind reports and 0 tornado reports around Cary; the largest hail was 1.50″ (walnut / ping pong ball) on Sep 5, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Cary
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2026 | Damaging wind | 7 mi W · Wake Co. |
| Sep 18, 2026 | Damaging wind | 13 mi SE · Wake Co. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Damaging wind | 15 mi NE · Wake Co. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Hail 1.50″ | 20 mi E · Wake Co. |
| Sep 4, 2026 | Damaging wind | 23 mi E · Wake Co. |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Damaging wind | 20 mi NE · Wake Co. |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Damaging wind | 20 mi NW · Durham Co. |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Damaging wind | 8 mi SE · Wake Co. |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Damaging wind | 22 mi NW · Orange Co. |
| Aug 16, 2026 | Damaging wind | 24 mi N · Granville Co. |
One line per day and type — the closest report that day. Distance and direction from the city centre. The latest SPC reports are preliminary until NOAA finalises them.
Storm reports by year
Storm season in Cary
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Cary
Cary averages 4.3 days a year with hail reported nearby. The biggest stone on record since 2016 was 2.75 inches — about the size of a baseball — reported 13 miles from the city centre on May 13, 2019. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Cary
There have been 12 tornado reports within 25 miles of Cary since 2016; the strongest was rated EF2 (May 13, 2019, 19 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Cary on your iPhone
Lightning Tracker shows storm risk around you, live severe-weather alerts and how close the storm is — free on the App Store.
Storm trackers near Cary
Questions about storms in Cary
Does Cary get a lot of severe storms?
Cary averages 19.6 days a year with at least one hail, damaging-wind or tornado report within 25 miles, based on NOAA Storm Prediction Center reports 2016–2025.
When is storm season in Cary?
Most severe-weather reports around Cary come in May, June, July.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Cary?
2.75 inches (baseball size) on May 13, 2019, 13 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Cary?
Yes — 12 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF2 on May 13, 2019.
How do I get storm alerts for Cary?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Cary, NC. For alerts on your phone, Lightning Tracker for iPhone shows storm risk and warnings for your location.
How this page works: storm reports are NOAA Storm Prediction Center local storm reports (final database 2016–2025, preliminary daily reports after that) within 25 miles of Cary, NC. They are reports of hail, damaging wind and tornadoes — not lightning strike counts, which no free public dataset provides at city level. Live alerts come from the National Weather Service API, the outlook from Open-Meteo forecast models. Updated Oct 6, 2026.