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Tornado in Covington County, Alabama
49 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 49 tornado events in Covington County, Alabama, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 29 years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 22 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 4.8 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 22 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Covington County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 49 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.8 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.1 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
4Mar
5Apr
6May
8Jun
5Jul
3Aug
0Sep
3Oct
6Nov
5Dec
2
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 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Feb 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Oct 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | 2 | 1 | County |
| 13 Mar 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Nov 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 10 | County |
| 28 Oct 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | 4 | County |
| 3 May 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 1964 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 3 May 1956 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Covington County had?
49 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 Covington County?
12 Jan 2023 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Covington County?
The tornado of 22 Feb 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Covington County compare with Alabama for tornado?
4.8 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 49 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.