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Tornado in Covington County, Mississippi
56 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.
Covington County, Mississippi, has 56 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 29 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 36 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 3,532 tornado events recorded in Mississippi; its 13.5 per 100 square miles compares with 7.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 28 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Mississippi
| Measure | Covington County | Mississippi | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 56 | 3,532 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.5 | 7.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 30.6 | 12.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 537 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
5Mar
12Apr
17May
4Jun
0Jul
1Aug
1Sep
3Oct
0Nov
3Dec
6
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 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $11K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 11 | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 1 | 4 | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $18K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF4 | $26M | $3.6M | — | 5 | County |
| 12 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF3 | $8.3M | $1.2M | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 6 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Jan 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 21 Feb 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $425K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Dec 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Dec 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 1995 | Tornado | — | $500K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 4 Dec 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Nov 1992 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 100 | County |
| 20 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 21 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 13 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 11 | County |
| 13 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1952 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Covington County had?
56 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 Covington County?
11 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Covington County?
The tornado of 12 Apr 2020, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $26M and crop damage at $3.6M.
How does Covington County compare with Mississippi for tornado?
13.5 events per 100 square miles against 7.5 statewide; the county holds 56 of the state's 3,532 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.