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Tornado in Winston County, Alabama
42 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.
Winston County, Alabama, has 42 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 15 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 3,206 tornado events recorded in Alabama; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 7 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 8 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 11 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Winston County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 3,206 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 17.8 | 6.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 7 | 692 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
3Mar
5Apr
9May
2Jun
1Jul
0Aug
3Sep
5Oct
1Nov
9Dec
0
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $12M | — | — | 25 | County |
| 25 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $76K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $17K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F3 | $300K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F3 | $200K | — | 1 | 15 | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $800K | — | — | 13 | County |
| 27 Feb 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $85K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $45K | $12K | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $450K | — | — | 17 | County |
| 20 Feb 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 24 May 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | 5 | 22 | County |
| 26 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 1964 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 11 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Winston County had?
42 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 Winston County?
1 Apr 2023 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Winston County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $12M.
How does Winston County compare with Alabama for tornado?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 42 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.