Tropical cyclones have affected North Carolina in every month between May and December; about 35percent of the storms struck the state in September, and 80percent affected the state between August and October, which coincides with the peak of the hurricane season. The earliest storm to affect the state was Subtropical Storm Andrea on May 7, 2007, and the latest was a tropical storm that moved across the Outer Banks on December 2, 1925. The strongest storm to strike the state was Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.[9]

A total of 79tropical or subtropical cyclones affected North Carolina between 1950 and 1979. Collectively, cyclones during the time period resulted in 37total fatalities during the period, as well as about $3billion in damage (2008USD). A cyclone affected the state in every year during the time period, and in three seasons a total of five cyclones assailed the state. The strongest hurricane to hit the state during the time period was Hurricane Hazel, which struck the state as a Category4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Hazel was both the costliest and deadliest cyclone during the period, causing over $1billion in damage (2008USD) and 19deaths.[14] Most storms affected the state in September, though cyclones lashed the state between May and October.