Lightning TrackerCharlotte storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Charlotte, NC, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Charlotte, NC
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Charlotte by the numbers
Charlotte sits in one of the most active severe-weather areas in the country: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 529 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 119 hail reports, 396 damaging-wind reports and 14 tornado reports. On average that is 19.7 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in May, July, August, when 59% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 2 hail reports, 57 wind reports and 1 tornado report around Charlotte; the largest hail was 1.00″ (quarter) on Aug 11, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Charlotte
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 2026 | Damaging wind | 23 mi SW · York Co. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Damaging wind | 17 mi NE · Cabarrus Co. |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Damaging wind | 3 mi SW · Mecklenburg Co. |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Damaging wind | 6 mi S · Mecklenburg Co. |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Damaging wind | 3 mi W · Mecklenburg Co. |
| Aug 13, 2026 | Damaging wind | 23 mi SE · Union Co. |
| Aug 11, 2026 | Damaging wind | 15 mi S · York Co. |
| Aug 11, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 19 mi E · Cabarrus Co. |
| Aug 6, 2026 | Damaging wind | 21 mi W · Gaston Co. |
| Jul 28, 2026 | Damaging wind | 2 mi NE · Mecklenburg 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 Charlotte
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Charlotte
Charlotte averages 6.0 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 15 miles from the city centre on Mar 21, 2017. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Charlotte
There have been 14 tornado reports within 25 miles of Charlotte since 2016; the strongest was rated EF2 (Feb 6, 2020, 24 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Charlotte 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 Charlotte
Questions about storms in Charlotte
Does Charlotte get a lot of severe storms?
Charlotte averages 19.7 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 Charlotte?
Most severe-weather reports around Charlotte come in May, July, August.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Charlotte?
2.75 inches (baseball size) on Mar 21, 2017, 15 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Charlotte?
Yes — 14 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF2 on Feb 6, 2020.
How do I get storm alerts for Charlotte?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Charlotte, 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 Charlotte, 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 Sep 29, 2026.