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Tornado in Frederick County, Maryland
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 Frederick County, Maryland, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
May is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 8.7% of the 438 tornado events recorded in Maryland; its 5.8 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
By rating: 11 at (E)F0, 23 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Maryland
| Measure | Frederick County | Maryland | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 438 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.8 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.4 | 0.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 9 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
1Apr
6May
9Jun
6Jul
5Aug
3Sep
3Oct
2Nov
1Dec
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $340K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $22K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $80K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1954 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1952 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1952 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Frederick 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 Frederick County?
3 May 2021 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Frederick County?
The tornado of 14 Aug 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $800K.
How does Frederick County compare with Maryland for tornado?
5.8 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 38 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.