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Tornado in Lee County, Alabama
44 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.
Lee County, Alabama, has 44 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 32 events against 5 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 7.2 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 29 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Lee County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 44 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.2 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.5 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 29 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
9Feb
3Mar
5Apr
10May
4Jun
1Jul
3Aug
2Sep
1Oct
0Nov
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 44 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 23 | 90 | County |
| 3 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 1 Nov 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 13 | County |
| 11 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $4.0M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 23 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.1M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $65K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $34K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $28K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 13 | County |
| 8 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Dec 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 18 Apr 1953 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 6 | 195 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lee County had?
44 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 Lee County?
3 May 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lee County?
The tornado of 16 Nov 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $4.0M.
How does Lee County compare with Alabama for tornado?
7.2 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 44 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.