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Tornado in Grayson County, Kentucky
20 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.
Grayson County, Kentucky, has 20 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 12 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 2 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 1,497 tornado events recorded in Kentucky; its 4.0 per 100 square miles compares with 3.8 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Grayson County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 20 | 1,497 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.0 | 3.8 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.5 | 3.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 246 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
1Mar
6Apr
7May
2Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
2
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 20 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 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | $50K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2000 | Tornado | F3 | $50M | — | — | 16 | County |
| 29 Mar 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F4 | $250 | — | — | 2 | County |
| 21 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 24 Jan 1964 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1959 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 3 | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Grayson County had?
20 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 Grayson County?
15 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Grayson County?
The tornado of 23 May 2000, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50M.
How does Grayson County compare with Kentucky for tornado?
4.0 events per 100 square miles against 3.8 statewide; the county holds 20 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.