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Tornado in Fayette 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.
Fayette County, Alabama, has 56 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 31 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 28 events against 14 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 8.9 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 27 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 8 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Fayette County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 56 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.9 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 34.7 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
8Mar
11Apr
13May
6Jun
4Jul
1Aug
1Sep
2Oct
0Nov
6Dec
1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Feb 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $81K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $6.6M | — | 4 | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.4M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $77K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $27K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F3 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F3 | $500K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F3 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $85K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 2 | 29 | County |
| 28 Jan 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1952 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1952 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1952 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 1952 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Fayette 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 Fayette County?
5 Jun 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Fayette County?
The tornado of 3 Apr 1974, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Fayette County compare with Alabama for tornado?
8.9 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.