Tennessee has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 1,636 confirmed tornadoes, 6,766 hailstorm events and 19,248 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950., and averages 21.8 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. Tennessee sits inside Dixie Alley, the south-eastern severe-weather corridor known for fast-moving and frequently overnight tornadoes. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Tennessee from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).
Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.
Tennessee Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)
- 1,636 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
- 498 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
- 1 confirmed F5/EF5 tornado on record — the maximum rating on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita scales
- 396 direct tornado deaths and 4,989 direct injuries
- 6,766 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
- 19,248 damaging-wind events on record
- 21.8 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
- April is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 24.6% of Tennessee tornadoes
- 697 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS
When Tennessee Severe Weather Happens
Tennessee tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 63% of all Tennessee tornadoes, with April alone responsible for roughly 24.6%.
- April: 403 tornadoes (24.6%) — peak month
- May: 297 tornadoes (18.2%)
- March: 234 tornadoes (14.3%)
- February: 137 tornadoes (8.4%)
- November: 125 tornadoes (7.6%)
- January: 103 tornadoes (6.3%)
Top 10 Tennessee Counties by Tornado Frequency
Tornado activity in Tennessee is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 |
|---|---|
| Shelby | 55 |
| Davidson | 52 |
| Rutherford | 46 |
| Lincoln | 45 |
| Sumner | 45 |
| Wilson | 45 |
| Lawrence | 39 |
| Franklin | 33 |
| Gibson | 33 |
| Madison | 33 |
The Deadliest Tornadoes in Tennessee History
Tennessee has lost 396 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 23 people in Chester County in 1952, rated F4 on the Fujita scale.
| Date | Location | Rating | Direct deaths | Direct injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 22, 1952 | Chester County | F4 | 23 | 100 |
| March 3, 2020 | Putnam County (near Ensor) | EF4 | 19 | 87 |
| April 2, 2006 | Dyer County (near Newbern) | F3 | 16 | 70 |
| February 5, 2008 | Macon County (near Green Grove) | EF3 | 13 | 44 |
| March 22, 1952 | Henderson County | F4 | 11 | 43 |
| May 4, 2003 | Madison County (near Denmark) | F4 | 11 | 66 |
| March 21, 1952 | Dyer County | F3 | 10 | 30 |
| April 3, 1974 | Putnam County | F4 | 10 | 51 |
| February 13, 1950 | Lauderdale County | F2 | 9 | 1 |
| March 31, 2023 | McNairy County (near Rose Creek) | EF3 | 9 | 21 |
Tennessee Tornado Strength Distribution
Most Tennessee tornadoes are weak: roughly 70% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 30.4% of rated tornadoes in the state. Tennessee is one of the few states with a confirmed F5 or EF5 tornado on record.
- F0/EF0 (weak): 517 tornadoes — 31.6% of rated events
- F1/EF1: 621 tornadoes — 38% of rated events
- F2/EF2 (strong): 311 tornadoes — 19% of rated events
- F3/EF3: 131 tornadoes — 8% of rated events
- F4/EF4 (violent): 55 tornadoes — 3.4% of rated events
- F5/EF5 (incredible): 1 tornadoes — 0.1% of rated events
Record-Setting Severe Weather in Tennessee
Largest hailstone: 4.50 inches in diameter, observed in Davidson County on June 4, 1985. The three largest hailstones on record in Tennessee measured 4.50″, 4.50″, 4.50″.
Highest measured wind gust: 76 knots (87 mph) recorded in Tipton County near Munford on July 14, 2015. Most damaging-wind events in Tennessee are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.
How Tennessee Compares Nationally
Tennessee ranks 21st nationally for tornado frequency, in the middle of the pack of US states by severe-weather activity.
- Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
- Tennessee tornado total: 1,636 — ranked 21st nationally.
- Tennessee hail total: 6,766 hail events on record since 1950.
- Tennessee wind total: 19,248 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes does Tennessee have on average per year?
Tennessee averages 21.8 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.
What was the deadliest tornado in Tennessee history?
The March 22, 1952 tornado, rated F4 on the Fujita scale, killed 23 people and injured 100 in Chester County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Tennessee modern record.
Where in Tennessee are tornadoes most common?
The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Shelby County with 55 events. The three most active counties overall are Shelby, Davidson, Rutherford.
How does Tennessee compare to its neighbors?
Tennessee shares a severe-weather climate with Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Tennessee’s neighbors’ records on the same date.
How recent is the data on this map?
The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.
Compare Tennessee to Neighboring States
Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Tennessee tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Tennessee’s storm history to its land neighbors:
- Kentucky severe storm history — ranked 23rd nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Virginia severe storm history — ranked 27th nationally
- North Carolina severe storm history — ranked 20th nationally
- Georgia severe storm history — ranked 15th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Alabama severe storm history — ranked 9th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Mississippi severe storm history — ranked 8th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Arkansas severe storm history — ranked 12th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Missouri severe storm history — ranked 10th nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map
