Jefferson County, Alabama
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1952 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
111
Tornado reports
490
Hail reports
163
Floods since 1996
1,814
All events
127
Deaths
$2.0B
Property damage
Tornado paths in Jefferson County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 111 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
This tornado initially touched down in rural northern Greene County and moved northeast through southern Tuscaloosa and western Jefferson Counties. The tornado caused devastating damage consistent with a violent EF4 rating to portions of the city of Tuscaloosa and western suburbs…
National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Jefferson County and determined that it was consistent with an EF3 tornado, with maximum winds near 150 mph. The tornado began along Chapel Hills Parkway, where minor shingle damage occurred. The tornado tracked …
The tornado touched down in central Jefferson county and tracked northeastward for 15.69 miles, before lifting in western St. Clair county. It touched down along Pawnee Village Rd, about 3.25 miles northeast of Tarrant where several businesses sustained roof and wall damage. The …
A child was left in a hot car along Pine Tree Dr in the northeastern part of Birmingham during the afternoon hours and passed away due to heat-related impacts. Heat indices at nearby Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport reached 100-105F for several hours during the afte…
Tree damage occurred along Red Mountain. A fatality and an injury occurred on 21st Avenue South the next morning after a tree fell on power workers during storm cleanup.
A line of severe thunderstorms with winds estimated at 60-70 mph moved through southern portions of Jefferson County, with widespread tree and power line damage. Some trees landed on homes. Several trees were downed in the McCalla area, including Stage Coach Rd, Victoria Dr, and …
A tree fell onto a passing car on Crestwood Blvd in Birmingham around 10:45 AM CST, resulting in a fatality. Non-thunderstorm gradient winds at nearby station KBHM gusted to 30-40 mph during this time.
High winds toppled a large tree onto a brick home. The tree killed two children and injured three adults inside the home.
A cluster of slow moving thunderstorms developed over the Birmingham metro area and produced flash flooding. Numerous roads were impassible and vehicles were flooded in the downtown area and near the University of Alabama-Birmingham campus. Flash flooding was also reported in the…
Heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Depression Claudette produced widespread flooding across Jefferson County during the evening hours on June 19th and the early morning hours on June 20th. Many roads in the Birmingham metro area were flooded and impassable and several water …
A large tree fell on a home resulting in a fatality.
A mix of winter precipitation resulted in hazardous travel conditions across Jefferson County. Snow accumulations ranged from one and a half to just over two inches. Ice and snow accumulations caused numerous traffic accidents and shut down roadways, leaving thousands of stranded…
In addition to two direct fatalities, 8 illnesses were reported.
This tornado initially touched down in northeast Tuscaloosa County, and traveled to the northeast, crossing into Jefferson County northeast of Groundhog Rd. As the tornado tracked toward, across, and then parallel to Lock 17 Rd, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornad…
A tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System. It touched down in south central Jefferson County where it affected the Cahaba Heights and Liberty Park communities of the Birmingham Metro area. The tornado touched down near Gresham Elementary School. It knocked down s…
After investigating a very complex pattern of widespread damage with both a ground survey team and an aerial survey, surveys teams concluded that a portion of the damage in the city of Leeds was caused by a tornado. The tornado touched down east of Interstate 20 near Henry Ellen …
Heavy rain weakened the root system of a large oak tree that toppled onto a passing truck killing a 15-year old male passenger and injuring the driver. Three to five inches of rain fell in the area, and the Sheriffs Department investigator believed that standing water surrouding …
Jefferson County reported numerous trees and power lines down. One woman was killed in Ensley when a large tree smashed her car. One person was injured when a tree fell onto an automobile traveling down Mountain Brook Parkway. One person was injured when an 18-wheel truck was blo…
A Birmingham man died Sunday morning from hypothermia after being found outside of the Norwood boarding house where he lived. The coroner reported that the man's body temperature was 77 degrees when he was found. The morning low reported at the Birmingham airport was 16 degrees.
Lightning struck a drilling rig at the Shoal Creek Mine in western Jefferson County. The lightning ignited methane gas in the mine, and six miners were injured by the subsequent fire.
A tornado first touched down just north of Lakeshore Parkway along Snow Drive. Here the damage was very light with large tree branches broken. The tornado tracked northeast, skirting John Carroll High School before producing significant tree damage along Oak Grove Road. One home …
A tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System. It touched down in far northern Jefferson County, northeast of Warrior, and tracked northeastward into Blount County and across the western bank of Mountain Woods Lake before it lifted northeast of Sagefield Rd. The dama…
Hundreds of trees and power lines were snapped off or blown down during Katrina. Numerous roadways were impassable due to the fallen trees. Many structures, homes and vehicles were damaged. At least 150,000 customers were without power for several hours.
Significant flooding occurred throughout Jefferson County. Doppler radar estimated up to 12 inches of rain fell across the county in a few hours, with 5 to 8 inches of the total occurring in just one hour. Especially hard hit were Leeds, Brookside, Cardiff, Fultondale, Trussville…
The tornado path began on Shades Crest just west of US 31. The tornado paralleled Shades Crest before moving down a hill and across the Birmingham Water Works and US 280. The tornado continued to travel northeasterly just north of Overton Road through a heavily wooded residential…
Significant flash flooding occurred mainly in the southern and eastern parts of Jefferson County. Doppler radar estimated that four to seven inches of rain fell across the area with the majority falling during the late evening hours. The Birmingham International Airport recorded …
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Prolonged heavy rainfall over the Birmingham metro area led to numerous instances of flash flooding after 2 to 4 inches of rainfall accumulation over the span of 4-5 hours. Flooding was observed in numerous areas of Jefferson County, including Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, …
Flood Flood
Beaver Creek overflowed onto Sweeney Hollow Rd, impeding traffic.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Heavy rainfall, quickly amounting to 1-2 inches, led to flooding issues around the Birmingham metro area, including Birmingham, Fultondale, Tarrant, Homewood, and Bessemer. Slow drainage on I-65 at I-22 resulted in numerous stranded vehicles on the interstate, while a water rescu…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree fell on an occupied vehicle in Warrior.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees were downed in Trafford.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees were downed around Fultondale, with several blocked roadways, including KC Dement Ave, Stouts Rd, and 34th St N.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees down in Pinson, including on Pinson Valley Parkway.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 36 | 2 |
| 2025 | 74 | 2 |
| 2024 | 27 | 0 |
| 2023 | 26 | 2 |
| 2022 | 33 | 2 |
| 2021 | 36 | 5 |
| 2020 | 34 | 2 |
| 2019 | 19 | 0 |
| 2018 | 20 | 0 |
| 2017 | 54 | 1 |
| 2016 | 21 | 1 |
| 2015 | 35 | 1 |
| 2014 | 20 | 5 |
| 2013 | 26 | 0 |
| 2012 | 69 | 4 |
| 2011 | 104 | 7 |
| 2010 | 50 | 2 |
| 2009 | 53 | 1 |
| 2008 | 58 | 3 |
| 2007 | 46 | 2 |
| 2006 | 66 | 2 |
| 2005 | 40 | 2 |
| 2004 | 32 | 3 |
| 2003 | 61 | 0 |
| 2002 | 30 | 1 |
| 2001 | 33 | 1 |
| 2000 | 67 | 5 |
| 1999 | 29 | 0 |
| 1998 | 51 | 1 |
| 1997 | 29 | 0 |
| 1996 | 41 | 1 |
| 1995 | 24 | 0 |
| 1994 | 30 | 0 |
| 1993 | 4 | 0 |
| 1992 | 8 | 0 |
| 1991 | 10 | 1 |
| 1990 | 31 | 3 |
| 1989 | 25 | 1 |
| 1988 | 17 | 0 |
| 1987 | 8 | 0 |
| 1986 | 20 | 0 |
| 1985 | 16 | 4 |
| 1984 | 16 | 3 |
| 1983 | 22 | 0 |
| 1982 | 14 | 2 |
| 1981 | 6 | 0 |
| 1980 | 12 | 2 |
| 1979 | 15 | 3 |
| 1978 | 15 | 1 |
| 1977 | 26 | 2 |
| 1976 | 15 | 3 |
| 1975 | 8 | 2 |
| 1974 | 21 | 2 |
| 1973 | 19 | 3 |
| 1972 | 6 | 1 |
| 1971 | 15 | 2 |
| 1970 | 7 | 0 |
| 1969 | 7 | 1 |
| 1968 | 8 | 0 |
| 1967 | 9 | 2 |
| 1966 | 4 | 3 |
| 1965 | 5 | 0 |
| 1964 | 3 | 0 |
| 1963 | 6 | 2 |
| 1962 | 9 | 0 |
| 1961 | 7 | 0 |
| 1960 | 4 | 1 |
| 1959 | 5 | 1 |
| 1958 | 4 | 2 |
| 1957 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | 3 | 1 |
| 1955 | 5 | 0 |
| 1953 | 3 | 3 |
| 1952 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Jefferson County, measured to its path.
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