PUBLISHED 6:00 AM ET Mar. 07, 2021 PUBLISHED 6:00 AM EST Mar. 07, 2021 SHARE NORTH CAROLINA – It's Severe Weather Preparedness Week. Severe storms can happen any time of the year here, but they occur more frequently in March, April, and May. What You Need To Know April is the peak month for tornadoes in North Carolina Damaging straight-line winds in a severe thunderstorm can cause as much damage as a tornado Large hail can also be dangerous or even deadly Now is a good time to refresh our memory on how severe weather can impact our part of the country. Tornadoes Tornado near Wilson on April 16, 2011. Thirty tornadoes touched down that day across North Carolina, making it the largest tornado outbreak in the state's recorded history. Photo by Kevin M. Smith.