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Tornado in Charles County, Maryland
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.
Charles County, Maryland, has 28 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 17 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 6.4% of the 438 tornado events recorded in Maryland; its 6.1 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 14 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Maryland
| Measure | Charles County | Maryland | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 28 | 438 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.1 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.7 | 0.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 9 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
2Apr
5May
5Jun
5Jul
3Aug
0Sep
4Oct
1Nov
0Dec
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $65K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F4 | $114M | — | 1 | 122 | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $4K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Charles 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 Charles County?
27 May 2022 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Charles County?
The tornado of 28 Apr 2002, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $114M; 1 death recorded.
How does Charles County compare with Maryland for tornado?
6.1 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 28 of the state's 438 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.