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Tornado in Colbert County, Alabama
50 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 50 tornado events in Colbert County, Alabama, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 32 years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 25 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 8.4 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 25 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Colbert County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 50 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.4 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 8.7 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
4Mar
7Apr
11May
6Jun
2Jul
5Aug
1Sep
1Oct
3Nov
4Dec
4
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 50 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $608K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 5 | County |
| 15 Feb 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Nov 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Dec 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $33K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | $5K | — | 1 | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 16 | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 8 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 1965 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 22 | County |
| 11 Feb 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 19 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 21 Mar 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Feb 1953 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | 1 | 8 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Colbert County had?
50 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Colbert County?
20 May 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Colbert County?
The tornado of 4 Nov 1988, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Colbert County compare with Alabama for tornado?
8.4 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 50 of the state's 3,206 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.