States › Alabama › Madison County › Tornado
Tornado in Madison County, Alabama
96 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 96 tornado events in Madison County, Alabama, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 41 years.
May is the busiest month, with 27 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 48 events against 23 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 12.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 48 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 33 at (E)F0, 33 at (E)F1, 19 at (E)F2, 5 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 | Madison County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 96 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 12.0 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.4 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 48 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
3Mar
10Apr
25May
27Jun
4Jul
7Aug
3Sep
1Oct
2Nov
7Dec
4
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 96 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 1 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 1 Jan 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 9 | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 3 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Feb 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $85K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $600K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F2 | $5.0M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 3 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 1992 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 15 Nov 1989 | Tornado | F4 | $250M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1989 | Tornado | F4 | $250M | — | 21 | 463 | County |
| 28 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 3 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | 9 | 110 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | 5 | 110 | County |
| 1 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 6 | County |
| 27 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 42 | County |
| 19 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 10 | County |
| 26 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 27 | County |
| 24 Nov 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 11 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 2 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Madison County had?
96 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 Madison County?
27 May 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Madison County?
The tornado of 15 Nov 1989, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250M.
How does Madison County compare with Alabama for tornado?
12.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 96 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.