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Tornado in Rutherford County, Tennessee
47 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.
Rutherford County, Tennessee, has 47 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.8% of the 1,704 tornado events recorded in Tennessee; its 7.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Tennessee
| Measure | Rutherford County | Tennessee | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 47 | 1,704 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.6 | 4.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 408 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
7Feb
4Mar
9Apr
13May
8Jun
1Jul
1Aug
1Sep
0Oct
1Nov
2Dec
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 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Nov 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.4M | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $450K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 17 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | $11K | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | $12K | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | $4K | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF4 | $100M | — | 2 | 58 | County |
| 28 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $4.4M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2003 | Tornado | F3 | $1.8M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F3 | $2.3M | — | — | 31 | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $1.6M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1997 | Tornado | F4 | $4.7M | — | — | 18 | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | $5K | — | 4 | County |
| 28 Jan 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1984 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 17 Feb 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 17 Feb 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Rutherford County had?
47 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 Rutherford County?
15 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Rutherford County?
The tornado of 10 Apr 2009, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Rutherford County compare with Tennessee for tornado?
7.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.1 statewide; the county holds 47 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.