1 warning is in effect for Columbus County, NC. The most serious is a freeze warning.
Since 2016 the National Weather Service has issued about 871 alerts that included Columbus County, roughly 87 a year. The most common is the severe thunderstorm warning (184 from 2016 to 2025). The last tornado warning was issued on October 11, 2026. 31 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
FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM EST SUNDAY
* WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 31 expected. * WHERE...Portions of southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. * WHEN...From 1 AM to 9 AM EST Sunday. * IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
What to do: Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
| Issued | Alert | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 7:51 AM EST | Freeze Warning | Bladen; Columbus; Inland Pender; Inland Brunswick; Inland Georgetown; Central Horry; Northern Horry |
Alert events that included Columbus County or its forecast zones, from the NWS warning archive.
| Alert type | 2016–2025 | 2026 | Last issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 184 | 26 | September 5, 2026 |
| Flood Advisory | 164 | 6 | August 29, 2026 |
| Heat Advisory | 81 | 33 | September 5, 2026 |
| Tornado Warning | 56 | 8 | October 11, 2026 |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 49 | 8 | November 5, 2026 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 46 | 2 | August 21, 2026 |
| Tornado Watch | 46 | 2 | October 11, 2026 |
| Flood Watch | 40 | 2 | October 10, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 35 | 5 | September 5, 2026 |
| Freeze Warning | 33 | 2 | November 15, 2026 |
| Freeze Watch | 22 | 2 | November 15, 2026 |
| Frost Advisory | 18 | 2 | March 29, 2026 |
| Wind Advisory | 17 | 0 | March 5, 2025 |
| Flood Warning | 16 | 0 | October 13, 2025 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 11 | 3 | February 1, 2026 |
| Cold Weather Advisory | 11 | 3 | February 8, 2026 |
| Tropical Storm Warning | 9 | 0 | August 6, 2024 |
| Extreme Heat Warning | 7 | 3 | August 18, 2026 |
| Red Flag Warning | 6 | 0 | March 22, 2025 |
| Tropical Storm Watch | 4 | 0 | August 2, 2020 |
| Extreme Heat Watch | 4 | 1 | August 18, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Watch | 3 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
| Fire Weather Watch | 3 | 0 | March 1, 2025 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 2 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
| Hurricane Watch | 1 | 0 | September 11, 2018 |
| Hurricane Warning | 1 | 0 | September 11, 2018 |
| Ice Storm Warning | 1 | 0 | January 21, 2022 |
| Extreme Cold Watch | 1 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
| Extreme Cold Warning | 0 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
31 tornadoes have been recorded in Columbus County since 1950, killing 8 people and injuring 150. That ranks 13 of 100 counties in North Carolina. The most recent was on May 14, 2024 (rated EF0).
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 16, 2006 | F3 | Columbus County | 2.2 mi | 300 yd | 8 | 20 |
| October 9, 1950 | F3 | Columbus County | 2 mi | 880 yd | 0 | 3 |
| October 4, 1964 | F2 | Columbus County | 54.6 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| June 7, 1983 | F2 | Columbus County | 6 mi | 450 yd | 0 | 0 |
| November 7, 1995 | F2 | Columbus County | 0.7 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 122 |
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2024 | EF0 | Columbus County | 6 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 2024 | EF0 | Columbus County | 2.2 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 0 |
| June 2, 2021 | EF0 | Columbus County | 0.7 mi | 35 yd | 0 | 0 |
| December 24, 2020 | EF0 | Columbus County | 0.1 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| October 11, 2020 | EF1 | Columbus County | 5.5 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 |