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Tornadoes in Tennessee

Tennessee has recorded 1,447 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 30.5 per year over the last 30 years. They killed 432 people and injured 5,124. April is the most active month.

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Map data: NWS, OpenFreeMap, OpenStreetMap

Tornadoes per year

96: 17961797: 36973698: 32983299: 23992300: 27002701: 14011402: 30023003: 45034504: 15041505: 23052306: 25062507: 10071008: 42084209: 45094510: 33103311: 98119812: 28122813: 43134314: 16141615: 17151716: 10161017: 33173318: 25182519: 19191920: 34203421: 65216522: 422423: 38233824: 19241925: 482548
Tennessee tornadoes per year, 1996–2025
50s: 8950s8960s: 7260s7270s: 15770s15780s: 11180s11190s: 21290s21200s: 27600s27610s: 32210s32220s: 20820s208
Tornadoes per decade (the 2020s are partial)

When tornadoes happen in Tennessee

Jan: 89Jan89Feb: 115Feb115Mar: 202Mar202Apr: 353Apr353May: 283May283Jun: 98Jun98Jul: 43Jul43Aug: 32Aug32Sep: 14Sep14Oct: 46Oct46Nov: 109Nov109Dec: 63Dec63
Tornadoes by month, 1950–2025
EF0: 477EF0477EF1: 578EF1578EF2: 269EF2269EF3: 94EF394EF4: 28EF428EF5: 1EF51
Tornadoes by (E)F rating

Ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita (F) scale; later tornadoes use the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. How the EF scale works.

Deadliest tornadoes in Tennessee

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
December 10, 2021EF4—168.5 mi2,600 yd57515
March 21, 1952F4Hardeman County46.8 mi177 yd38157
February 5, 2008EF3Trousdale County50.3 mi880 yd2263
March 3, 2020EF4Putnam County8.4 mi900 yd1987
April 2, 2006F3Dyer County18 mi880 yd1670
April 3, 1974F4Lincoln County27.5 mi800 yd11121
May 4, 2003F4Madison County39 mi880 yd1186
April 3, 1974F4White County28.4 mi700 yd1051
March 21, 1952F3Dyer County18.1 mi1,000 yd1030
March 31, 2023EF3Hardeman County86 mi1,400 yd923

Strongest tornadoes in Tennessee

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
April 16, 1998F5Wayne County69.4 mi1,760 yd336
December 10, 2021EF4—168.5 mi2,600 yd57515
March 21, 1952F4Hardeman County46.8 mi177 yd38157
March 3, 2020EF4Putnam County8.4 mi900 yd1987
May 4, 2003F4Madison County39 mi880 yd1186
April 3, 1974F4Lincoln County27.5 mi800 yd11121
April 3, 1974F4White County28.4 mi700 yd1051
April 3, 1974F4Fentress County18.8 mi200 yd7150
January 17, 1999F4Madison County16 mi500 yd6106
April 3, 1974F4—11 mi300 yd56

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
August 20, 2025EF0Franklin County0.3 mi100 yd00
June 18, 2025EF0Macon County4.3 mi300 yd00
June 18, 2025EF0Hickman County6.9 mi175 yd00
June 6, 2025EF0Maury County2.6 mi175 yd00
May 30, 2025EF0Loudon County2.5 mi200 yd05
May 25, 2025EF1Franklin County6.8 mi100 yd00
May 20, 2025EF1Cumberland County4.8 mi150 yd00
May 20, 2025EF0Bedford County1.1 mi150 yd00
May 20, 2025EF0Montgomery County3.2 mi200 yd00
May 20, 2025EF0Montgomery County9.3 mi100 yd00

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Shelby County53182297476.8
Davidson County53272902584.5
Wilson County47213187390.5
Rutherford County47196655896.6
Sumner County45220321361.1
Lawrence County43180502431.1
Lincoln County36163578947.4
Gibson County35150331675
Madison County35162746858.2
Franklin County33155117967.3
Montgomery County33158571428.6
Dyer County30151757812.5
Coffee County29175081585.1
Robertson County28152352941.2
Bradley County27212553191.5
Hamilton County27129022140.2
Benton County26170913705.6
Carroll County26112608695.7
Humphreys County26126817325.8
Williamson County26115506003.4

About this data

Tornado records come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database of confirmed tornadoes, 1950–2025. Tornadoes that crossed state lines are counted in the state where they began. Counts in the early decades are lower partly because many weak tornadoes went unreported before Doppler radar and storm spotter networks.