Buncombe County weather alerts
There are no active weather alerts for Buncombe County, NC right now.
Since 2016 the National Weather Service has issued about 861 alerts that included Buncombe County, roughly 86 a year. The most common is the severe thunderstorm warning (176 from 2016 to 2025). The last tornado warning was issued on July 28, 2026. 7 tornadoes have touched down in the county since 1950.
Updated from the National Weather Service · lists refresh hourly; the live map loads current alerts directly from the NWS
No warnings, watches or advisories include Buncombe County at the moment. This page updates automatically when the National Weather Service issues one. Check neighboring Haywood County, Rutherford County, Yancey County, McDowell County.
Buncombe County alert history
Alert events that included Buncombe County or its forecast zones, from the NWS warning archive.
| Alert type | 2016–2025 | 2026 | Last issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 176 | 19 | September 6, 2026 |
| Flood Advisory | 154 | 14 | October 11, 2026 |
| Wind Advisory | 126 | 6 | October 10, 2026 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 64 | 1 | January 26, 2026 |
| Flood Warning | 49 | 1 | October 11, 2026 |
| Flood Watch | 41 | 2 | October 10, 2026 |
| Frost Advisory | 34 | 3 | May 3, 2026 |
| Cold Weather Advisory | 29 | 3 | February 1, 2026 |
| Freeze Warning | 26 | 1 | October 18, 2026 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 25 | 4 | October 11, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 22 | 4 | September 5, 2026 |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 21 | 1 | March 9, 2026 |
| Freeze Watch | 20 | 1 | October 18, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 17 | 1 | January 30, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Watch | 14 | 2 | January 30, 2026 |
| High Wind Warning | 11 | 2 | October 10, 2026 |
| Red Flag Warning | 9 | 1 | March 28, 2026 |
| Tornado Watch | 7 | 0 | August 7, 2023 |
| High Wind Watch | 5 | 1 | February 7, 2026 |
| Tropical Storm Warning | 3 | 0 | September 25, 2024 |
| Extreme Cold Warning | 3 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
| Tropical Storm Watch | 2 | 0 | September 25, 2024 |
| Tornado Warning | 1 | 1 | July 28, 2026 |
| Extreme Cold Watch | 1 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
| Fire Weather Watch | 1 | 0 | March 1, 2025 |
| Ice Storm Warning | 0 | 1 | January 24, 2026 |
Tornado history in Buncombe County
7 tornadoes have been recorded in Buncombe County since 1950, injuring 5 people. That ranks 75 of 100 counties in North Carolina. The most recent was on May 8, 2024 (rated EF0).
Strongest tornadoes in Buncombe County
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 6, 1977 | F1 | Madison County | 28.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 3 |
| June 6, 1977 | F1 | Madison County | 18.1 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 2 |
| February 18, 1976 | F1 | Buncombe County | 3 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 1999 | F1 | Buncombe County | 2 mi | 440 yd | 0 | 0 |
| February 18, 1976 | F1 | Buncombe County | 0.5 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 0 |
Most recent tornadoes
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2024 | EF0 | Buncombe County | 2.3 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 1999 | F1 | Buncombe County | 2 mi | 440 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1993 | F0 | Buncombe County | 0.2 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| June 6, 1977 | F1 | Madison County | 18.1 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 2 |
| June 6, 1977 | F1 | Madison County | 28.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 3 |
About Buncombe County
- Population: 279,210 (2024 estimate)
- State: North Carolina
- NOAA Weather Radio SAME code: 037021 (how to use it)