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Tornado in Sumner County, Tennessee
45 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 45 tornado events in Sumner County, Tennessee, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 22 years.
May is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.6% of the 1,704 tornado events recorded in Tennessee; its 8.5 per 100 square miles compares with 4.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 16 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Tennessee
| Measure | Sumner County | Tennessee | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 1,704 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.5 | 4.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 16 | 408 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
6Feb
4Mar
3Apr
6May
15Jun
1Jul
2Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
4Dec
4
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | $10M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $45K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $65K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $225K | $40K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $19K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $120K | $30K | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $450K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF3 | $10M | — | 8 | 14 | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F3 | $69M | — | 7 | 121 | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 5 May 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | — | — | 17 | County |
| 3 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $3.0M | — | — | 28 | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 7 May 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 19 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 10 | County |
| 3 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 24 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1955 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sumner County had?
45 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 Sumner County?
9 Dec 2023 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sumner County?
The tornado of 7 Apr 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $69M; 7 deaths recorded.
How does Sumner County compare with Tennessee for tornado?
8.5 events per 100 square miles against 4.1 statewide; the county holds 45 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.