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Tornado in Benton County, Tennessee
25 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 25 tornado events in Benton County, Tennessee, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 17 years.
May is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 1,704 tornado events recorded in Tennessee; its 6.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Tennessee
| Measure | Benton County | Tennessee | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 25 | 1,704 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.3 | 4.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 15.8 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 408 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
3Mar
4Apr
5May
6Jun
2Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
3Dec
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 25 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 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 27 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F2 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $1.0M | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 14 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1971 | Tornado | F4 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Benton County had?
25 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 Benton 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 Benton County?
The tornado of 5 Feb 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10M.
How does Benton County compare with Tennessee for tornado?
6.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.1 statewide; the county holds 25 of the state's 1,704 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.