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Tornado in St. Clair 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.
NCEI records 44 tornado events in St. Clair County, Alabama, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 27 years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 12 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 7.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 39 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 11 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 11 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | St. Clair County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 44 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.0 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.7 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 39 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
4Mar
9Apr
11May
6Jun
0Jul
1Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
5Dec
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF4 | $200M | — | 13 | 30 | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $865K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 3 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $82K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $85K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2000 | Tornado | F2 | $175K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 8 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $2.0M | $5K | 2 | 12 | County |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1994 | Tornado | F4 | $500K | $50M | 22 | 150 | County |
| 3 Feb 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 11 | County |
| 5 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 60 | County |
| 27 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has St. Clair 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 St. Clair County?
29 Dec 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in St. Clair County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $200M; 13 deaths recorded.
How does St. Clair County compare with Alabama for tornado?
7.0 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.