McDowell County weather alerts
There are no active weather alerts for McDowell County, NC right now.
Since 2016 the National Weather Service has issued about 1,000 alerts that included McDowell County, roughly 100 a year. The most common is the severe thunderstorm warning (179 from 2016 to 2025). The last tornado warning was issued on May 9, 2024. 6 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 McDowell County at the moment. This page updates automatically when the National Weather Service issues one. Check neighboring Mitchell County, Rutherford County, Yancey County, Buncombe County.
McDowell County alert history
Alert events that included McDowell County or its forecast zones, from the NWS warning archive.
| Alert type | 2016–2025 | 2026 | Last issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 179 | 30 | September 21, 2026 |
| Flood Advisory | 127 | 15 | October 11, 2026 |
| Wind Advisory | 127 | 4 | October 10, 2026 |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 90 | 3 | August 27, 2026 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 56 | 4 | October 11, 2026 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 55 | 1 | January 26, 2026 |
| Flood Watch | 52 | 3 | October 10, 2026 |
| Frost Advisory | 50 | 7 | November 9, 2026 |
| Freeze Warning | 46 | 0 | November 11, 2025 |
| Freeze Watch | 38 | 0 | November 11, 2025 |
| Flood Warning | 28 | 2 | October 11, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 24 | 4 | September 5, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 18 | 1 | January 30, 2026 |
| High Wind Warning | 17 | 1 | February 7, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Watch | 17 | 2 | January 30, 2026 |
| Cold Weather Advisory | 16 | 2 | February 1, 2026 |
| Tornado Watch | 14 | 0 | August 7, 2023 |
| Tornado Warning | 12 | 0 | May 9, 2024 |
| Red Flag Warning | 11 | 1 | March 28, 2026 |
| High Wind Watch | 8 | 1 | February 7, 2026 |
| Heat Advisory | 5 | 3 | July 4, 2026 |
| Tropical Storm Warning | 3 | 0 | September 25, 2024 |
| Fire Weather Watch | 3 | 0 | March 1, 2025 |
| Tropical Storm Watch | 2 | 0 | September 25, 2024 |
| Extreme Cold Warning | 2 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
| Extreme Cold Watch | 0 | 1 | January 31, 2026 |
| Ice Storm Warning | 0 | 1 | January 24, 2026 |
Tornado history in McDowell County
6 tornadoes have been recorded in McDowell County since 1950. That ranks 78 of 100 counties in North Carolina. The most recent was on April 10, 2021 (rated EF0).
Strongest tornadoes in McDowell County
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 1998 | F2 | McDowell County | 3.7 mi | 880 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2000 | F0 | McDowell County | 4 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 |
| April 10, 2021 | EF0 | McDowell County | 0.6 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| October 14, 2014 | EF0 | McDowell County | 0.5 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| April 19, 2019 | EF0 | McDowell County | 0.4 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
Most recent tornadoes
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 10, 2021 | EF0 | McDowell County | 0.6 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| April 19, 2019 | EF0 | McDowell County | 0.4 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| October 14, 2014 | EF0 | McDowell County | 0.5 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2000 | F0 | McDowell County | 4 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1998 | F2 | McDowell County | 3.7 mi | 880 yd | 0 | 0 |
About McDowell County
- Population: 45,269 (2024 estimate)
- State: North Carolina
- NOAA Weather Radio SAME code: 037111 (how to use it)