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Tornado in Sunflower County, Mississippi
36 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.
Sunflower County, Mississippi, has 36 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 20 different years.
September is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 3,532 tornado events recorded in Mississippi; its 5.2 per 100 square miles compares with 7.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 28 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 11 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 2 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Mississippi
| Measure | Sunflower County | Mississippi | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 3,532 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.2 | 7.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.2 | 12.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 28 | 537 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | September | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
4Mar
1Apr
7May
3Jun
0Jul
2Aug
0Sep
8Oct
1Nov
4Dec
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 36 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 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 22 Oct 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $180K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $650K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | $200K | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 18 May 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F5 | $2.5M | — | 25 | 342 | County |
| 21 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | 3 | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F5 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1967 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1966 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Jul 1954 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sunflower County had?
36 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 Sunflower County?
11 Jan 2020 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sunflower County?
The tornado of 21 Feb 1971, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 25 deaths recorded.
How does Sunflower County compare with Mississippi for tornado?
5.2 events per 100 square miles against 7.5 statewide; the county holds 36 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.