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Tornado in Limestone County, Alabama
77 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.
Limestone County, Alabama, has 77 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 29 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 52 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 13.8 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 24 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 35 at (E)F0, 22 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 2 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Limestone County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 77 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.8 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.2 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 24 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
2Mar
9Apr
21May
25Jun
3Jul
2Aug
3Sep
0Oct
2Nov
0Dec
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 77 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 | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $927K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $2.4M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | 2 | 30 | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF4 | $1.0B | — | 4 | 75 | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $11K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 5 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $450K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $95K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2000 | Tornado | F2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $2.3M | $50K | — | 12 | County |
| 2 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F4 | $5.0M | — | 1 | 55 | County |
| 26 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F3 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | 11 | 80 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | 5 | 41 | County |
| 11 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Limestone County had?
77 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 Limestone 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 Limestone County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0B; 4 deaths recorded.
How does Limestone County compare with Alabama for tornado?
13.8 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 77 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.