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Tornado in Graves County, Kentucky
38 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 38 tornado events in Graves County, Kentucky, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
April is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 28 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.5% of the 1,497 tornado events recorded in Kentucky; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 3.8 statewide.
NCEI attributes 24 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 21 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Graves County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 1,497 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 3.8 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.4 | 3.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 24 | 246 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
4Mar
2Apr
12May
8Jun
1Jul
1Aug
0Sep
1Oct
2Nov
1Dec
5
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 38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 24 | 210 | County |
| 6 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $165K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $170K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2016 | Tornado | EF3 | $3.5M | — | — | 10 | County |
| 19 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $4K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Oct 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Graves County had?
38 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 Graves County?
26 May 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Graves County?
The tornado of 10 May 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.5M.
How does Graves County compare with Kentucky for tornado?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 3.8 statewide; the county holds 38 of the state's 1,497 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.