The Wilmington area had an earlier-than-usual brush with tropical activity in 1996. Hurricane Bertha made landfall between Wilmington and Sneads Ferry on July 12, 1996, according to a story in the ...

Hurricane Bertha, a Category 2 storm, hit the Wilmington area on July 12, 1996. The storm brought 105 mph winds and 6-8 inches of rain, causing significant damage and power outages. While no deaths ...