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Tornado in McCracken County, Kentucky
28 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.
McCracken County, Kentucky, has 28 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 20 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 1,497 tornado events recorded in Kentucky; its 11.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.8 statewide.
By rating: 5 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | McCracken County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 28 | 1,497 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 11.3 | 3.8 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.2 | 3.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 246 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
2Mar
2Apr
4May
5Jun
3Jul
2Aug
0Sep
0Oct
4Nov
2Dec
1
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 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.3M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.3M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Feb 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $85K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $350K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | $150K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 18 Jan 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 19 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 19 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has McCracken County had?
28 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 McCracken County?
8 May 2024 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in McCracken County?
The tornado of 14 Mar 2019, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.3M.
How does McCracken County compare with Kentucky for tornado?
11.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.8 statewide; the county holds 28 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.