Carolina Contractors Association logoCarolina Contractors AssociationPiedmont NC trade groups, credential checks and inland storm data

North Carolina Piedmont

Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem: the Triad's tornado and hail file

Guilford County's roofs have been hit by tornadoes that tracked through Greensboro and High Point, while Forsyth's record is almost all thunderstorm wind and hail. Here is the Triad file from NOAA and FEMA, and where to check a contractor before work starts.

Tornadoes through Greensboro and High Point

DateCountyRatingRecorded damageFrom the survey
April 15, 2018GuilfordEF2$65 millionTouched down north of I-40 near Willow Road, then tracked north
March 28, 2010GuilfordEF3$10 millionBegan as an EF1 near Old Plank Road; the Apple Tree Academy was badly damaged and a small bus rolled 50 yards
May 8, 2008GuilfordEF2$4 millionStrengthened toward the Farmers Market and I-40; one death, three injuries
May 8, 2008ForsythEF3$2.5 millionA second tornado from the same supercell; metal barns heavily damaged near Clemmons

The 2018 tornado is the costliest entry on Guilford's list, and FEMA answered it with DR-4364, a declaration for tornado and severe storms that covers Guilford County. For the ten years from 2016 through 2025, NOAA's Storm Events Database records three tornado events in Guilford, rated EF1 twice and EF2 once, and none at all in Forsyth.

Hail and straight-line wind

Guilford's hail count for 2016 through 2025 is the second highest among the counties this site tracks: 41 events, 33 of them 1 inch or larger, seven at 1.75 inches or more and three at 2 inches, spread over 15 days, per the same database. All three of those 2-inch events came on a single day, March 16, 2025, when two-inch hail was reported at Broadview, Hill Top and Groomtown.

Forsyth records 18 hail events in the window, 14 of an inch or more, including golf ball hail near Winston-Salem State University in May 2016. Its bigger number is wind: 189 thunderstorm wind events, compared with 169 in Guilford.

One wind event from May 25, 2000 still stands out: a fast-moving thunderstorm produced wind damage all the way from Winston-Salem to Raleigh. In Guilford that morning, a downtown Greensboro bank lost its windows and about 50 homes and businesses suffered major damage, with 88 more lightly damaged. A June 2013 storm in Forsyth blew down trees and power lines countywide, hitting the northwest hardest.

When the tropics reach the Triad

FEMA's Florence declaration, DR-4393, includes Guilford, and the database's High Point entry for September 17, 2018 records 6 to 8 inches of rain, flooding on North and South Buffalo creeks and about 119 damaged structures, with $14.63 million in damage. Tropical Storm Michael followed in October 2018, and its declaration, DR-4412, included Forsyth. Earlier, a June 2009 flash flood in Greensboro led to 50 to 100 water rescues and flooded buildings on the UNC Greensboro campus.

Triad associations and checks

  • Greensboro Builders Association. The association's site carries a members directory, continuing education for general contractors, and a fall Parade of Homes tour.
  • HBA of Winston-Salem. Established in 1959, it says it represents Northwest Piedmont building professionals, is affiliated with the North Carolina and national home builders associations, and keeps a public member directory.
  • State license. Search the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors portal by city, such as Greensboro, High Point or Winston-Salem. The license is required on projects valued at $40,000 or more, according to the board.
  • Pace. The Department of Justice's storm-repair alert advises not letting anyone rush you and comparing written estimates from at least three companies.

The directory lists roofers in Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point, and publishes a roof repair cost page for Greensboro.

Frequently asked questions

Was the 2018 Greensboro tornado a federal disaster?

Yes. FEMA declared DR-4364, for a tornado and severe storms, on May 8, 2018, covering Guilford County. NOAA records the April 15 EF2 with $65 million in damage.

Does Winston-Salem get tornadoes?

Forsyth County has none in NOAA's record for 2016 through 2025, but the database includes an EF3 near Clemmons on May 8, 2008.

How large has recent hail been in Greensboro?

Two-inch hail was reported at several Guilford County locations on March 16, 2025, including Groomtown, according to NOAA's Storm Events Database.

Sources

  1. April 15, 2018 — ncei.noaa.gov
  2. March 28, 2010 — ncei.noaa.gov
  3. May 8, 2008 — ncei.noaa.gov
  4. May 8, 2008 — ncei.noaa.gov
  5. DR-4364 — fema.gov
  6. NOAA's Storm Events Database — ncei.noaa.gov
  7. Broadview — ncei.noaa.gov
  8. Hill Top — ncei.noaa.gov
  9. Groomtown — ncei.noaa.gov
  10. golf ball hail near Winston-Salem State University — ncei.noaa.gov
  11. fast-moving thunderstorm — ncei.noaa.gov
  12. about 50 homes and businesses suffered major damage — ncei.noaa.gov
  13. blew down trees and power lines countywide — ncei.noaa.gov
  14. Florence declaration, DR-4393 — fema.gov
  15. 6 to 8 inches of rain, flooding on North and South Buffalo creeks and about 119 damaged structures — ncei.noaa.gov
  16. DR-4412 — fema.gov
  17. 50 to 100 water rescues — ncei.noaa.gov
  18. association's site — greensborobuilders.org
  19. it says — hbaws.net
  20. NC Licensing Board for General Contractors portal — portal.nclbgc.org
  21. the board — nclbgc.org
  22. storm-repair alert — ncdoj.gov