Scottsboro

Population 16,123 (2025)

133 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Scottsboro since 1950, 22 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 25, 2025.

Hazard fingerprint for Scottsboro Tornado: 74th percentile. Tropical: 42th percentile. Wildfire: 22th percentile. Flood: 54th percentile. Hail & wind: 79th percentile. Heat: 77th percentile. Cold: 96th percentile. Winter: 55th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 1950133
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger6
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19844

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Jackson County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Jackson County.

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

133

22 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Flood insurance claims

69

Jackson County

$664,000 paid since 1979

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

3

None at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

4

Largest: Stevenson, 2007

Details

Strongest tornado

EF5

April 27, 2011, 33.7 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

TS

Tropical storm Zeta, 2020, 50.0 miles away

Largest earthquake within 50 mi

4.6magnitude

April 29, 2003, 26.0 miles away

Details

Federal disaster declarations

28

Most recent: Hurricane Helene, 2024

Details

Tornadoes

About 2 tornados a year since 1950, 22 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

April 27, 2011

EF5, 33.7 mile path

1,320 yards wide; 25 killed along the whole path.

Most recent

Sunday, May 25, 2025

EF0, 8.1 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 4 4 1960s: 4 4 1970s: 13 13 1980s: 8 8 1990s: 18 18 2000s: 24 24 2010s: 38 38 2020s: 24 24 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 3 F: 5 M: 17 A: 40 40 M: 36 J: 1 J: 5 A: 2 S: 1 O: 5 N: 16 D: 2 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
May 25, 2025EF08.114000
May 20, 2025EF06.110500
May 20, 2025EF110.527500
May 20, 2025EF27.240000
May 20, 2025EF18.728000
May 3, 2025EF113.38000
Apr 6, 2025EF11.017500
May 9, 2024EF16.124100
May 9, 2024EF11.117000
May 9, 2024EF10.310800
May 8, 2024EF12.010000
May 8, 2024EF312.388070
May 8, 2024EF02.120000
May 8, 2024EF02.310600
May 8, 2024EF29.555000
Mar 15, 2024EF00.27700
Jul 21, 2023EF17.15000
Mar 25, 2023EF18.525000
Mar 3, 2023EF13.25000
Mar 3, 2023EF15.010500
Jan 12, 2023EF02.37000
May 25, 2022EF00.36500
Dec 29, 2021EF16.028500
Mar 31, 2021EF13.25000
May 9, 2019EF10.62500
May 9, 2019EF10.52500
Nov 6, 2018EF13.921500
Mar 19, 2018EF10.520000
Apr 22, 2017EF02.220000
Nov 30, 2016EF03.43000
Nov 30, 2016EF313.520694
Nov 29, 2016EF12.315000
Nov 29, 2016EF10.94000
Nov 29, 2016EF219.915000
Apr 3, 2015EF00.93000
Oct 3, 2014EF00.57500
Jun 10, 2014EF18.430000
Apr 29, 2014EF211.720000
Apr 28, 2014EF22.520000
Apr 28, 2014EF16.110000
Feb 21, 2014EF20.85010
Mar 18, 2013EF26.035000
Apr 27, 2011EF26.525000
Apr 27, 2011EF533.71,320025
Apr 27, 2011EF420.21,32001
Apr 27, 2011EF447.01,2605014
Apr 27, 2011EF446.9880486
Apr 27, 2011EF25.820000
Apr 27, 2011EF127.930001
Apr 27, 2011EF11.610000
Apr 27, 2011EF14.820000
Apr 27, 2011EF16.930000
Apr 27, 2011EF02.87500
Apr 27, 2011EF10.35000
Apr 27, 2011EF220.088000
Apr 27, 2011EF15.75000
Oct 26, 2010EF14.517500
Oct 25, 2010EF115.715000
Oct 25, 2010EF220.330000
Oct 25, 2010EF02.210000
Apr 24, 2010EF321.21,320100
Apr 24, 2010EF317.71,320350
May 3, 2009EF11.67500
Apr 19, 2009EF15.3150130
Apr 19, 2009EF01.15000
Apr 19, 2009EF13.06011
Apr 10, 2009EF332.544050
Apr 10, 2009EF02.020000
Mar 28, 2009EF12.55000
Mar 28, 2009EF01.64000
Dec 10, 2008EF24.530000
Apr 11, 2008EF02.110000
Feb 6, 2008EF410.9660121
Feb 6, 2008EF10.23500
Apr 3, 2007EF12.610000
Aug 20, 2004F01.03000
Jul 6, 2004F00.1200
May 6, 2003F12.75000
May 6, 2003F01.02000
May 6, 2003F03.02000
Mar 19, 2003F110.05030
Mar 19, 2003F11.04000
Mar 19, 2003F10.53000
Nov 24, 2001F27.110000
Nov 24, 2001F22.630000
May 24, 2001F10.58000
Apr 27, 1999F00.3000
Apr 27, 1999F00.5000
Apr 8, 1998F11.810000
May 3, 1997F01.55000
May 3, 1997F01.34000
Apr 22, 1997F25.0220100
Jan 5, 1997F02.75000
Sep 28, 1996F22.58000
Mar 16, 1996F12.08020
May 18, 1995F439.01,300551
Feb 16, 1995F212.070030
Mar 27, 1994F323.0700200
Mar 27, 1994F26.0400300
Nov 22, 1992F210.550040
Nov 22, 1992F03.02310
Nov 22, 1992F25.07360
Nov 22, 1992F16.05080
Nov 22, 1992F26.010050
Nov 15, 1989F11.02000
Nov 15, 1989F418.588046321
May 9, 1988F215.05000
Jul 28, 1986F04.015000
Aug 16, 1985F00.12000
May 19, 1983F31.247330
Jul 22, 1982F00.11700
May 18, 1981F10.11700
May 12, 1978F18.020000
Apr 4, 1977F26.910010
Mar 30, 1977F22.55010
Mar 30, 1977F39.25020
Jul 31, 1976F10.15000
May 6, 1976F12.01000
Apr 3, 1974F346.570072
May 27, 1973F24.350040
May 27, 1973F231.550030
May 19, 1973F45.4400190
May 19, 1973F223.590090
May 8, 1973F229.1900122
Jan 26, 1973F20.11000
Nov 24, 1967F26.68370
Apr 15, 1965F39.65020
Apr 7, 1964F23.31010
May 26, 1960F10.21000
Apr 6, 1958F325.710010
Apr 8, 1957F316.31000
Apr 8, 1957F338.8200902
Feb 29, 1952F33.3400120
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

3 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.

Strongest within 50 miles

October 29, 2020

Zeta, Tropical storm

50.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 60 mph.

Most recent

October 29, 2020

Zeta, Tropical storm

50.0 miles at closest approach.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Zeta202050.0Tropical storm60Category 3
Opal199510.4Tropical storm43Category 4
Frederic197966.2Tropical storm46Category 4
Eloise197565.2Tropical storm54Category 3
Unnamed193226.0Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed191697.4Tropical storm48Category 2
Unnamed191548.1Post-tropical40Category 4
Unnamed190791.8Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed190296.7Post-tropical40Category 2
Unnamed189226.0Tropical storm40Tropical storm
  1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Wildfire and smoke

4 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

March 24, 2007

Stevenson Fire, 954 acres

18.2 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

March 24, 2007

Stevenson Fire

954 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 2001: 6632004: 1,4252007: 954 3,042 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Stevenson200718.2954
Unnamed200424.2629
Jackson200423.1796
Unnamed200122.7663
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 48 days

Heavy smoke on 6 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

10.9 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

9 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 36 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 5 2012: 4 2013: 1 2014: 0 2015: 3 2016: 0 2017: 1 2018: 5 2019: 2 2020: 4 2021: 17 2022: 17 2023: 48 48 2024: 6 2025: 9 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

69 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $664,000 paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Jackson County, the county that contains Scottsboro.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1990: 5 2003: 14 14 2009: 5 2010: 9 2020: 6 1990
Claims per year since 1979. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2003: 14 claims

$182,000 paid.

2nd most

2010: 9 claims

$178,000 paid.

3rd most

2020: 6 claims

$98,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
3576835$329,000
3577212$169,000
3577610$73,000
357696$37,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood56
  • Flood30
  • Heavy Rain10

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Jackson County, the county that contains Scottsboro.

Most severe crest

March 16, 1973

Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville, 24.40 ft

9.40 feet above the 15.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

June 8, 2026

Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville, 19.89 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Mar 16, 1973Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville24.40+9.40Major
Dec 23, 1990Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville23.42+8.42Major
Mar 12, 1963Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville22.60+7.60Major
Dec 2, 1991Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville21.36+6.36Moderate
Feb 11, 1994Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville21.08+6.08Moderate
Dec 27, 1973Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville21.06+6.06Moderate
Mar 21, 1980Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville21.00+6.00Moderate
Jan 8, 1998Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.87+5.87Moderate
Jan 5, 1949Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.84+5.84Moderate
Mar 24, 1993Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.64+5.64Moderate
Dec 31, 1969Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.60+5.60Moderate
Dec 28, 1942Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.50+5.50Moderate
Dec 8, 2004Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.46+5.46Moderate
Mar 14, 1975Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.40+5.40Moderate
Mar 19, 2021Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.35+5.35Moderate
Feb 4, 1939Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.35+5.35Moderate
Mar 29, 1951Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.32+5.32Moderate
Dec 27, 2015Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.21+5.21Moderate
Feb 17, 2003Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.20+5.20Moderate
Feb 1, 1957Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.16+5.16Moderate
Dec 19, 1967Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.10+5.10Moderate
Feb 7, 2004Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.10+5.10Moderate
Feb 20, 1991Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.04+5.04Moderate
Dec 18, 1961Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville20.00+5.00Moderate
Sep 21, 2021Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville19.96+4.96Moderate

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Paint Rock River (AL) near Woodville15.024.40 ftMar 16, 19733
Tennessee River near Scottsboro28.022.91 ftFeb 24, 20190
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 116 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.

The drought index is for Jackson County, the county that contains Scottsboro.

116

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

32

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

51

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

September 1925

−5.34, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

17 months

March 2007 to July 2008.

Latest month

September 2026

+1.18, slightly wet

Last severe month: February 2017.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 2 1898: 7 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 4 1903: 1 1904: 4 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 1 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 10 1915: 4 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 1 1925: 8 1926: 3 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 5 1931: 11 11 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 9 1942: 7 1943: 1 1944: 2 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 1 1953: 0 1954: 3 1955: 1 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 4 1987: 0 1988: 4 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 10 2008: 7 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 4 2017: 2 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes and landslides

2 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.6 in 2003.

11

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

2

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

April 29, 2003

Magnitude 4.6

8 km S of Valley Head, Alabama; 26.0 miles away, 12.3 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

May 10, 2020

Magnitude 3.1

7 km SSE of Sewanee, Tennessee; 35.4 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 1 1983: 0 1984: 1 1985: 0 1986: 1 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 1 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 2 2002: 0 2003: 3 3 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 1 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 1 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Apr 29, 20034.626.012.38 km S of Valley Head, Alabama
Oct 9, 19844.049.49.311 km NE of Linwood, Georgia
  1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
  2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Landslides mapped in Jackson County.

3

Landslides mapped, probable or better

3

With a recorded date

1

Source inventory

Mapped by NASA (3).

  1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

1,211 events in the National Weather Service record for Jackson County, 1,141 of them since 1996.

76

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

8

Hail, 2 inches or larger

381

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

73

Winter weather events since 1996

26

Heat events since 1996

77

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

May 19, 1973

2.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

June 10, 2014

100 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning1016May 2, 2025
Debris flows100Nov 29, 2011

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Mar 25, 2023Tornado$5.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Aerial surveillance provided by Jackson County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), supplemented by a ground survey of National Weather Service personnel and DeKalb County EMA confirmed an EF-1 tornado near the Flat Rock area.||The tornado touched down southwest of CR 81, north of Flat Rock near Fabius Poultry. Multiple chicken houses sustained roof damage at this location. The tornado tracked east toward CR 81 where numerous softwood trees were uprooted. The final damage point was east of Highway 117 where a possible ground scar was noted. Damage was then reported along and between Highway 71 and CR 326 to the county line. Uprooted|trees and minor structure damage was observed in…

  2. Feb 17, 2022Strong Wind, Jackson$5.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Sustained gradient winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts around 35 mph occurred. These winds caused some power lines to be knocked down providing outages in the county.

  3. May 8, 2024Tornado$4.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado touched down on Highway 71 in Jackson County, snapping hard and softwood trees to begin its path. The tornado continued between County Roads 425 and 322, producing minor damage to the roof of a small farm building. The tornado then overturned a camper along County Road 422 requiring hospitalization including one experiencing blunt force trauma and another being a pregnant female. Five others with minor injuries were treated on the scene. Also at this location, a well-built home was partially destroyed. A mobile home was moved off its foundation here as well, with a third of the roof of a hay barn and a horse trailer destroyed. Projectiles were found in the field across…

  4. Jan 22, 2000Ice Storm, Jackson$2.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A light mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow started on the morning of the 22nd. Several bridges became ice covered and numerous trees received a glaze of ice. Several trees and tree limbs started breaking and falling on roads by 9:00 PM. Scattered power outages were also being reported by late evening. Very early on the 23rd, around 1:30 AM, temperatures cooled off to the point where significant icing began taking place. Numerous locations received icing up to at least one inch. Trees and power lines were downed throughout the area and many downed trees blocked roads. Numerous roads were closed, especially at higher elevations. The Alabama National Guard was activated…

  5. May 8, 2024Tornado$1.4 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado snapped tree branches on Old Larkinsville Road. Scattered tree damage was observed continuing generally southeast towards Alabama Highway 35. Limited infrastructure damage was found along Highway 35 including the peeling of metal roofing and siding. Between Highway 35 and Parks Avenue, several trees were found uprooted, snapped, and with loss of limbs.

  6. May 6, 2003Flash Flood$1.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    extensive flooding across county with over 200 homes and businesses receiving significant flood damage.

  7. Apr 13, 2009High Wind, Jackson$600,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    High winds between 45 and 55 mph with gusts around 65 mph downed numerous tree and powerlines. Significant damage to structures occurred from fallen trees. Particularly hard hit areas included: Scottsboro, Wannville, Stevenson, Jackson County Park. A concrete wall to a dugout at Bynum Park in Scottsboro was blown out completely by these intense winds. Several mobile homes at Jackson County Park were demolished by fallen trees.

  8. Aug 17, 2010Flash Flood$300,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Heavy rainfall of totaling between 3 and 8 inches fell from near Hytop to just west of Stevenson and southward into Scottsboro. The hardest hit areas were in Scottsboro and just to its north, where between 5 and 8 inches of rainfall fell. This caused numerous roads in Scottsboro to be closed or barricaded as early as 6 am CDT. The Scottsboro airport recorded 4.59 inches of rainfall through 7 am CDT. By 740 am CDT, three feet of water was reported covering the Hardee's parking lot on Broad Street in Scottsboro. Two cars drove into a flooded ditch at this location and a walkway over the ditch was washed away.||Heavy rainfall continued in these areas through 9 am, causing extensive…

  9. Jul 1, 2023Thunderstorm Wind$300,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A microburst with winds estimated to be up to 80 mph was reported on County Road 222 in the Skyline/Woodville area. Several homes experienced major damage in this location due to trees being knocked over.

  10. Dec 10, 2008Tornado$300,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado struck portions of central Jackson county around 1 AM CST Wednesday morning. This tornado initially snapped several cedar trees near county road 21, before toppling three TVA high voltage power line towers near Pikeville Alabama. It then rapidly proceeded northeast snapping trees, collapsing several barns, and ripping off roofs before lifting near the end of county road 34. According to Jackson County Emergency Management, the tornado and adjacent straight-line winds were to blame for up to twenty homes being damaged. Three mobile homes were destroyed and seven more were damaged. Nine barns were destroyed and three were damaged. The maximum wind speed with this tornado…

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Scottsboro, 2 miles from the city centre, with records from 1891.

All-time high
109°FJul 13, 1930
All-time low
−13°FFeb 12, 1899
Warmest night
80°FJul 22, 1918
Coldest day
11°FFeb 13, 1899
Wettest day
6.80 inDec 23, 1990
Snowiest day
12.0 inMar 13, 1993
Hottest year
1933mean 63.3°F
Coldest year
1901mean 56.9°F
Wettest year
202084.31 in
Driest year
200734.41 in
Snowiest season
14.7 in1939-40
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Scottsboro 32°F 52° 29° 5.8 Jan 56° 33° 5.5 Feb 65° 40° 5.8 Mar 73° 47° 5.0 Apr 81° 56° 5.1 May 88° 65° 4.5 Jun 90° 69° 4.8 Jul 90° 67° 4.2 Aug 86° 61° 4.1 Sep 76° 48° 3.1 Oct 64° 38° 4.5 Nov 55° 33° 5.7 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 2 1977: 22 1980: 58 58 1981: 24 1990: 22 1991: 12 1992: 1 1993: 31 1994: 0 1995: 20 1996: 6 1997: 5 1998: 20 1999: 18 2000: 17 2001: 0 2002: 16 2003: 1 2004: 3 2005: 19 2006: 35 2007: 35 2008: 15 2009: 8 2010: 33 2011: 25 2012: 14 2013: 0 2014: 1 2015: 19 2016: 42 2017: 2 2018: 5 2019: 27 2020: 1 2021: 2 2022: 14 2023: 21 2024: 28 2025: 9 1976199620062016
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 14.7.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 0.0 in 1979: 0.0 in 1980: 0.0 in 1986: 0.0 in 1987: 9.0 in 1989: 0.0 in 1990: 0.0 in 1991: 0.0 in 1992: 12.0 in 12.0 1993: 0.0 in 1994: 2.0 in 1995: 3.4 in 1996: 2.0 in 1997: 2.0 in 1998: 0.0 in 1999: 0.0 in 2000: 0.0 in 2001: 0.0 in 2002: 0.0 in 2003: 0.0 in 2004: 0.0 in 2005: 0.0 in 2006: 0.0 in 2007: 0.0 in 2008: 0.0 in 2009: 0.5 in 2013: 4.1 in 2024: 3.3 in 2025: 0.2 in 197619942004
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

January 17

Earliest: November 24, 1938

Median last snow

February 10

Latest: March 21, 1996

36 of 71 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Scottsboro (USC00017304), 615 ft elevation, 2.0 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1891 to October 27, 2026; 98.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

28 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Helene, September 26, 2024.

Declarations for Jackson County.

Federal disaster declarations
Sep 26, 2024HurricaneHurricane HeleneEmergencyEM-3618-AL
Sep 14, 2020HurricaneHurricane SallyEmergencyEM-3545-AL
Jul 10, 2020Severe StormSevere ThunderstormsMajor disasterDR-4555-AL
Mar 29, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4503-AL
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3472-AL
Apr 17, 2019Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4426-AL
Sep 11, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaEmergencyEM-3389-AL
Jan 21, 2016Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4251-AL
Apr 28, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1971-AL
Apr 27, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsEmergencyEM-3319-AL
May 8, 2009Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-1836-AL
Aug 30, 2008HurricaneHurricane GustavEmergencyEM-3292-AL
Mar 3, 2007Severe StormSevere Storms and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1687-AL
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3237-AL
Sep 15, 2004HurricaneHurricane IvanMajor disasterDR-1549-AL
May 12, 2003Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1466-AL
Nov 20, 2001FireAl - North East Alabama Fire Complex - 11/20/2001Fire managementFM-2395-AL
Feb 18, 2000Severe StormSevere Winter StormsMajor disasterDR-1317-AL
Sep 18, 1999FireAl - Jackson Farms Fire - 09/18/99Fire managementFM-2276-AL
Feb 23, 1996Severe StormSevere Winter Storms, Ice and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1104-AL
Mar 15, 1993SnowstormSevere Snowfall, Winter StormEmergencyEM-3096-AL
Jan 4, 1991FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-890-AL
Feb 17, 1990Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-856-AL
Nov 17, 1989TornadoSevere Storms & TornadoesMajor disasterDR-848-AL
Jul 20, 1977DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3045-AL
Apr 4, 1974TornadoTornadoesMajor disasterDR-422-AL
May 29, 1973FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-388-AL
Mar 27, 1973TornadoTornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-369-AL

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00017304.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.