Tornadoes in Tennessee
The Storm Prediction Center records 1,500 tornadoes that touched Tennessee between 1950 and 2025, and 1,447 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 660 people and injured 7,065. The busiest month is April, with 370 tornadoes.
- 1,500tornadoes
- 660deaths
- 7,065injuries
- 364per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 95counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Tennessee's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 485 | 32% |
| F1 / EF1 | 595 | 40% |
| F2 / EF2 | 277 | 18% |
| F3 / EF3 | 105 | 7% |
| F4 / EF4 | 35 | 2% |
| F5 / EF5 | 3 | <1% |
| Unknown rating | 0 | 0% |
Tennessee tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 92 |
| 1960s | 73 |
| 1970s | 163 |
| 1980s | 116 |
| 1990s | 213 |
| 2000s | 284 |
| 2010s | 342 |
| 2020s | 217 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Tennessee was 2011, with 104.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 91 |
| Feb | 120 |
| Mar | 209 |
| Apr | 370 |
| May | 291 |
| Jun | 101 |
| Jul | 44 |
| Aug | 33 |
| Sep | 15 |
| Oct | 47 |
| Nov | 112 |
| Dec | 67 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Tennessee
- Athens, Alabama tornado27 April 2011, EF5, 72 deaths, 145 injuries, 132 miles long
- Cary, Mississippi tornado21 February 1971, F4, 58 deaths, 795 injuries, 202.1 miles long
- Woodland Mills, Tennessee tornado10 December 2021, EF4, 57 deaths, 515 injuries, 168.5 miles long
- Bolivar, Tennessee tornado21 March 1952, F4, 38 deaths, 157 injuries, 46.8 miles long
- Gallatin, Tennessee tornado5 February 2008, EF3, 22 deaths, 63 injuries, 50.3 miles long
- Cleveland, Tennessee tornado27 April 2011, EF4, 20 deaths, 335 injuries, 48 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Tennessee
- Athens, Alabama tornado27 April 2011, EF5, 72 deaths, 145 injuries, 132 miles long
- Tullahoma, Tennessee tornado3 April 1974, F5, 16 deaths, 190 injuries, 83.3 miles long
- Clifton, Tennessee tornado16 April 1998, F5, 3 deaths, 36 injuries, 69.4 miles long
- Cary, Mississippi tornado21 February 1971, F4, 58 deaths, 795 injuries, 202.1 miles long
- Woodland Mills, Tennessee tornado10 December 2021, EF4, 57 deaths, 515 injuries, 168.5 miles long
- Bolivar, Tennessee tornado21 March 1952, F4, 38 deaths, 157 injuries, 46.8 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Tennessee
- Tennessee tornado20 August 2025, EF0, 0.3 miles long
- Tennessee tornado18 June 2025, EF0, 4.3 miles long
- Tennessee tornado18 June 2025, EF0, 6.9 miles long
- Tennessee tornado6 June 2025, EF0, 2.6 miles long
- Tennessee tornado30 May 2025, EF0, 5 injuries, 2.5 miles long
Notable Tennessee tornadoes with their own pages
- Athens, Alabama tornado27 April 2011, EF5, 72 deaths, 145 injuries, 132 miles long
- Cary, Mississippi tornado21 February 1971, F4, 58 deaths, 795 injuries, 202.1 miles long
- Woodland Mills, Tennessee tornado10 December 2021, EF4, 57 deaths, 515 injuries, 168.5 miles long
- Bolivar, Tennessee tornado21 March 1952, F4, 38 deaths, 157 injuries, 46.8 miles long
- Gallatin, Tennessee tornado5 February 2008, EF3, 22 deaths, 63 injuries, 50.3 miles long
- Cleveland, Tennessee tornado27 April 2011, EF4, 20 deaths, 335 injuries, 48 miles long
- Cookeville, Tennessee tornado3 March 2020, EF4, 19 deaths, 87 injuries, 8.4 miles long
- Tullahoma, Tennessee tornado3 April 1974, F5, 16 deaths, 190 injuries, 83.3 miles long
- Byhalia, Mississippi tornado21 March 1952, F4, 16 deaths, 74 injuries, 29.6 miles long
- Dyersburg, Tennessee tornado2 April 2006, F3, 16 deaths, 70 injuries, 18 miles long
- Medon, Tennessee tornado4 May 2003, F4, 11 deaths, 86 injuries, 39 miles long
- Fayetteville, Tennessee tornado3 April 1974, F4, 11 deaths, 121 injuries, 27.5 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Tennessee counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 93 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.