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Tornado in Cullman County, Alabama
99 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.
Cullman County, Alabama, has 99 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 46 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 30 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 43 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.1% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 13.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 11 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 27 at (E)F0, 38 at (E)F1, 20 at (E)F2, 10 at (E)F3, 4 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Cullman County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 99 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.5 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.1 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 11 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
8Mar
17Apr
30May
12Jun
2Jul
2Aug
9Sep
1Oct
1Nov
11Dec
0
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 99 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF4 | $20M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F3 | $1.3M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 4 Oct 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $24K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $45K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $55K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 16 Feb 1995 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | $5K | 6 | 130 | County |
| 3 May 1993 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jan 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 35 | County |
| 24 May 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 19 | County |
| 19 May 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 17 | County |
| 23 Feb 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 1 | 36 | County |
| 27 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 6 | County |
| 25 Mar 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 8 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 1952 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 15 Nov 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 2 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cullman County had?
99 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 Cullman County?
22 May 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cullman County?
The tornado of 3 Apr 1974, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Cullman County compare with Alabama for tornado?
13.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 99 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.