States › Alabama › Lawrence County › Tornado
Tornado in Lawrence County, Alabama
45 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 45 tornado events in Lawrence County, Alabama, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 27 years.
April is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 26 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 6.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 34 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 11 at (E)F0, 20 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 3 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Lawrence County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.5 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.6 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 34 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
3Mar
4Apr
15May
6Jun
2Jul
2Aug
1Sep
0Oct
4Nov
4Dec
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | 2 | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF5 | $40M | — | 14 | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $18K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 4 | 23 | County |
| 18 Oct 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Dec 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $40K | $8K | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 4 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | 14 | 60 | County |
| 29 May 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Nov 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lawrence County had?
45 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 Lawrence County?
20 May 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lawrence County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $40M; 14 deaths recorded.
How does Lawrence County compare with Alabama for tornado?
6.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 45 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.