Charlotte, Concord and Union County: wind, hail and the tropical storms that reach inland

When tropical systems reach Charlotte

Helene, September 2024. NHC's Helene report lists a 57-knot gust at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and notes that the storm's first flash flood emergency, issued at 2154 UTC on September 26, concerned a dam release in the Charlotte area. NOAA's Mecklenburg entry for the next day describes flash flooding around Mountain Island Lake after three days of extreme rain on the Catawba River headwaters; more than a hundred homes and numerous roads downstream of the dam were inundated and damaged, and the recorded damage is $25 million. FEMA's DR-4827 covers Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Union.

Frances, September 2004. FEMA's DR-1546 declaration for Tropical Storm Frances covers the same three counties and lists an incident period starting September 7, 2004. That day, an F2 tornado crossed from South Carolina into southwest Mecklenburg, blowing the roof off a well-constructed home and damaging shingles on several others. Three weeks later, an intense tropical rain band caused flash flooding across Cabarrus County, putting water into homes and businesses around Harrisburg.

Tornadoes in the metro

From 2016 through 2025, NOAA's Storm Events Database records five tornado events in Mecklenburg, three in Cabarrus and three in Union. Three entries, one from before that window, show what they do to buildings:

• March 3, 2012. An EF2 developed rapidly over the eastern Charlotte metro in the early morning hours, injuring four people, then crossed into Cabarrus south of Harrisburg, where it damaged about 30 homes and pushed two off their foundations.
• February 6, 2020. An EF1 track began almost on the state line west of Pineville and damaged the roofs of several large buildings in an industrial area west of I-485, where a wall collapsed. The same day, an EF2 in Cabarrus crossed I-85 near Lane Street.
• March 5, 2025. An EF1 near Porter Ridge High School in Union County collapsed two storage buildings and broke off a light pole at its base.

Hail and straight-line wind

Those are 2016-2025 counts from NOAA's Storm Events Database. The largest hail in the window fell on March 21, 2017, when the public reported ping pong to baseball-size hail covering the ground near Rocky River in Cabarrus, golf ball to tennis ball hail near Harrisburg, and quarter to golf ball size hail from north Charlotte to the UNC Charlotte area.

Wind has taken roofs off outright. A 2001 microburst in Wingate tore the roof off one duplex and damaged five others, and in August 2000 a trained spotter estimated 90 mph winds at Dilworth Square along a damage swath from Ericsson Stadium to the east side of the city.

Charlotte-based associations and checks

• Carolinas AGC is headquartered in Charlotte and represents commercial contractors across both Carolinas.
• CRSMCA, the regional roofing and sheet metal association, lists its 2026 golf tournament for October 22 at Rocky River Golf Club in Concord.
• HBA of Greater Charlotte says it has served the area's home building industry for more than 75 years and has more than 1,500 member firms across Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Union and Mecklenburg counties; it publishes a public member directory.
• The license itself comes from the state. Enter Charlotte or Concord in the city field of the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors search; a license is required for projects valued at $40,000 or more, per the board.

The directory lists roofers in Charlotte and roofers in Concord, and its roof replacement cost page for Charlotte helps you judge a bid.

Frequently asked questions

Did Helene cause damage in Charlotte?

Yes. The National Hurricane Center recorded a 57-knot gust at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and NOAA logged $25 million in flash flood damage around Mountain Island Lake. FEMA's DR-4827 includes Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Union.

What is the strongest recent tornado in the Charlotte area?

The EF2 of March 3, 2012, which moved from eastern Mecklenburg into Cabarrus County, is the strongest in Mecklenburg's NOAA record since 2004.

Does a home builders association membership prove a roofer is licensed?

No. The HBA of Greater Charlotte is a trade group; the license is issued by the state board and shows up on its public search.