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Tornado in Lee County, Mississippi
41 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 41 tornado events in Lee County, Mississippi, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
April is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,532 tornado events recorded in Mississippi; its 9.1 per 100 square miles compares with 7.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Mississippi
| Measure | Lee County | Mississippi | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 41 | 3,532 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.1 | 7.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.9 | 12.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 537 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
2Mar
6Apr
10May
9Jun
3Jul
0Aug
1Sep
1Oct
2Nov
2Dec
3
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 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $105M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Nov 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF3 | $15M | — | 1 | 30 | County |
| 2 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2008 | Tornado | EF3 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Tornado | F3 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $100 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $600K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 4 Oct 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 19 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 11 | County |
| 30 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 18 | County |
| 24 Dec 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 13 May 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 Mar 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 3 | 20 | County |
| 8 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 21 Mar 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lee County had?
41 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 Lee County?
5 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lee County?
The tornado of 1 Apr 2023, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $105M.
How does Lee County compare with Mississippi for tornado?
9.1 events per 100 square miles against 7.5 statewide; the county holds 41 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 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.