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Tornado in Sumter County, Alabama
30 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.
Sumter County, Alabama, has 30 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 20 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 3.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Sumter County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 30 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.3 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 24.7 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
5Feb
3Mar
6Apr
8May
1Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
1Oct
0Nov
2Dec
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 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Dec 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Feb 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $200K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $268K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $6.9M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.9M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.1M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $22K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 1992 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Dec 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Dec 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sumter County had?
30 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 Sumter County?
15 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sumter County?
The tornado of 15 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $6.9M.
How does Sumter County compare with Alabama for tornado?
3.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 30 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.