Lightning TrackerDurham storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Durham, NC, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Durham, NC
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Durham by the numbers
Durham sits in one of the most active severe-weather areas in the country: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 816 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 154 hail reports, 653 damaging-wind reports and 9 tornado reports. On average that is 17.9 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in May, June, July, when 57% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 4 hail reports, 76 wind reports and 0 tornado reports around Durham; the largest hail was 1.75″ (golf ball) on Sep 5, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Durham
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2026 | Damaging wind | 12 mi NW · Orange Co. |
| Sep 18, 2026 | Damaging wind | 23 mi SE · Wake Co. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Damaging wind | 14 mi E · Wake Co. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Hail 1.75″ | 20 mi NE · Granville Co. |
| Sep 4, 2026 | Damaging wind | 18 mi N · Person Co. |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Damaging wind | 24 mi E · Wake Co. |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Damaging wind | 6 mi NW · Durham Co. |
| Aug 20, 2026 | Damaging wind | 23 mi SE · Wake Co. |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Damaging wind | 11 mi W · Orange Co. |
| Aug 16, 2026 | Damaging wind | 12 mi NE · 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 Durham
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Durham
Durham averages 3.9 days a year with hail reported nearby. The biggest stone on record since 2016 was 2.25 inches — about the size of a hen egg — reported 20 miles from the city centre on Sep 25, 2020. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Durham
There have been 9 tornado reports within 25 miles of Durham since 2016; the strongest was rated EF2 (Apr 19, 2019, 17 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Durham 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 Durham
Questions about storms in Durham
Does Durham get a lot of severe storms?
Durham averages 17.9 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 Durham?
Most severe-weather reports around Durham come in May, June, July.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Durham?
2.25 inches (hen egg size) on Sep 25, 2020, 20 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Durham?
Yes — 9 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF2 on Apr 19, 2019.
How do I get storm alerts for Durham?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Durham, 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 Durham, 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 3, 2026.