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Tornado in Worcester County, Massachusetts
52 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 52 tornado events in Worcester County, Massachusetts, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 29 years.
July is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 18 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 25.4% of the 205 tornado events recorded in Massachusetts; its 3.4 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 92 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 23 at (E)F1, 9 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 Massachusetts
| Measure | Worcester County | Massachusetts | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 52 | 205 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.4 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 92 | 105 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | July | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
5Jun
9Jul
16Aug
11Sep
4Oct
5Nov
2Dec
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 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $5.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 10 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 2 | County |
| 3 May 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Nov 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 3 Oct 1970 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | 1 | County |
| 31 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Nov 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 14 | County |
| 24 Oct 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F4 | $250M | — | 90 | 1228 | County |
| 9 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Worcester County had?
52 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 Worcester County?
6 Sep 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Worcester County?
The tornado of 9 Jun 1953, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250M; 90 deaths recorded.
How does Worcester County compare with Massachusetts for tornado?
3.4 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 52 of the state's 205 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.