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Tornado in Elmore County, Alabama
56 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.
Elmore County, Alabama, has 56 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
November is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 29 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.7% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 9.1 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 25 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 11 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Elmore County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 56 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.1 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.3 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | November | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
8Feb
4Mar
7Apr
10May
5Jun
0Jul
2Aug
2Sep
1Oct
0Nov
12Dec
5
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 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jan 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Dec 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Dec 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $50M | — | 6 | 20 | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $13K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.3M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $55K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $11K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $38K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $122K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $18K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F3 | $700K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Nov 1979 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Nov 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 12 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 15 | County |
| 23 Dec 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Elmore County had?
56 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 Elmore County?
26 Mar 2023 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Elmore County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50M; 6 deaths recorded.
How does Elmore County compare with Alabama for tornado?
9.1 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 56 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.