States › Alabama › Jefferson County › Tornado
Tornado in Jefferson County, Alabama
111 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.
Jefferson County, Alabama, has 111 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 51 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 35 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 42 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.5% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 10.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 111 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 27 at (E)F0, 46 at (E)F1, 25 at (E)F2, 7 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 2 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Jefferson County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 111 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.0 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.7 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 111 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
9Mar
14Apr
35May
16Jun
2Jul
2Aug
5Sep
0Oct
4Nov
11Dec
7
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 111 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Feb 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Nov 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Nov 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jan 2021 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | 1 | 30 | County |
| 14 Dec 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 1 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 25 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 23 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | 1 | 75 | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $18M | — | 1 | 20 | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $105K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $5.3M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF4 | $700M | — | 20 | 700 | County |
| 11 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $65K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 28 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $39K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $16K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F5 | $200M | $2.2M | 32 | 258 | County |
| 20 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 3 Feb 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 15 | County |
| 5 Mar 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1980 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 May 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F5 | $25M | — | 22 | 130 | County |
| 15 Aug 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 10 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Nov 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 27 May 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 1 | 44 | County |
| 27 Oct 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 26 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | 3 | — | County |
| 17 May 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 25 | County |
| 10 Nov 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 27 May 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 35 | County |
| 8 Oct 1960 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1959 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 29 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Nov 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 35 | County |
| 15 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 25 | 200 | County |
| 4 May 1953 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1953 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1953 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | 12 | County |
| 13 Feb 1952 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 26 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Jefferson County had?
111 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 Jefferson County?
9 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Jefferson County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $700M; 20 deaths recorded.
How does Jefferson County compare with Alabama for tornado?
10.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 111 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.