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Tornado in Knox County, Tennessee
15 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 15 tornado events in Knox County, Tennessee, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 10 years.
May is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 1,704 tornado events recorded in Tennessee; its 3.0 per 100 square miles compares with 4.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 5 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Tennessee
| Measure | Knox County | Tennessee | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 15 | 1,704 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.0 | 4.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 408 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
2Apr
4May
5Jun
1Jul
0Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.7M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $1 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1993 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1993 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 27 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | 2 | 21 | County |
| 15 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Knox County had?
15 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 Knox County?
7 Aug 2023 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Knox County?
The tornado of 21 Feb 1993, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5.0M.
How does Knox County compare with Tennessee for tornado?
3.0 events per 100 square miles against 4.1 statewide; the county holds 15 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.