Bartlett

Population 56,416 (2025)

110 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Bartlett since 1950, 11 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on March 31, 2023.

Hazard fingerprint for Bartlett Tornado: 86th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 90th percentile. Hail & wind: 89th percentile. Heat: 99th percentile. Cold: 66th percentile. Winter: 45th 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 1950110
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger10
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19841
  • Major flood years since 1978, Shelby County6

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 Shelby 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 Shelby County.

Flood insurance claims

1,019

Shelby County

$25.1 million paid since 1978

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

110

11 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

3

None at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

1

Largest: Wapanocca Lake, 2005

Details

Strongest tornado

F4

March 21, 1952, 29.6 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

TS

Tropical storm (unnamed), 1888, 12.0 miles away

Largest earthquake within 50 mi

4.8magnitude

September 16, 1938, 27.4 miles away

Details

Federal disaster declarations

28

Most recent: Severe Winter Storm, 2026

Details

Tornadoes

About one tornado a year since 1950, 11 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

March 21, 1952

F4, 29.6 mile path

427 yards wide; 16 killed along the whole path.

Most recent

Friday, March 31, 2023

EF3, 39.2 mile path

3 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 4 4 1960s: 20 20 1970s: 23 23 1980s: 14 14 1990s: 17 17 2000s: 17 17 2010s: 8 8 2020s: 7 7 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 8 F: 9 M: 11 A: 22 22 M: 19 J: 15 J: 5 A: 1 S: 1 O: 4 N: 11 D: 4 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Mar 31, 2023EF339.22,000281
Mar 31, 2023EF372.51,600264
Jan 3, 2023EF01.410000
Dec 11, 2021EF00.55000
May 9, 2021EF14.830000
Jan 25, 2021EF01.35000
Jan 11, 2020EF28.230000
Oct 21, 2019EF17.425000
Oct 21, 2019EF07.620000
Apr 30, 2017EF02.110000
Apr 28, 2014EF01.57500
Jun 5, 2013EF00.42500
Apr 27, 2013EF11.125010
May 25, 2011EF12.510000
May 1, 2010EF10.610000
Jul 30, 2009EF25.844000
Jul 30, 2009EF12.025000
Jun 12, 2009EF10.13000
Jun 12, 2009EF22.97510
Feb 5, 2008EF04.95000
Feb 5, 2008EF210.2440133
Feb 5, 2008EF10.75000
Feb 5, 2008EF00.25000
Feb 5, 2008EF28.115010
Jun 17, 2006F10.35000
Apr 2, 2006F10.53020
Mar 22, 2005F10.15010
Mar 22, 2005F01.07500
Apr 22, 2004F00.110000
Nov 9, 2002F250.644010
Nov 24, 2001F26.030090
Feb 18, 2000F01.02000
Jan 22, 1999F02.0000
Jan 22, 1999F13.510000
Apr 8, 1998F00.53000
Oct 27, 1995F08.05000
May 18, 1995F01.01000
May 15, 1995F00.52300
Nov 27, 1994F316.0200253
Nov 27, 1994F15.05020
Nov 27, 1994F10.52000
Jun 9, 1994F00.51000
Jun 9, 1994F15.010000
Jun 9, 1994F00.51000
Apr 26, 1994F03.05000
Mar 18, 1992F01.55000
Nov 19, 1991F110.05000
Mar 27, 1991F10.55000
Jun 2, 1990F00.12000
Nov 7, 1989F00.51700
Jun 4, 1989F00.91700
Jun 4, 1989F00.91700
Jun 4, 1989F12.55000
Jun 4, 1989F27.010000
May 22, 1988F03.05000
Jan 19, 1988F322.0200243
Jan 19, 1988F29.57010
Dec 14, 1987F325.02001216
May 1, 1985F10.93000
Apr 21, 1984F33.02030
Nov 23, 1983F12.08000
Dec 25, 1982F22.07700
Jun 6, 1981F10.815000
Mar 22, 1979F21.05030
Dec 7, 1978F00.11000
Aug 29, 1978F22.0100260
May 1, 1978F00.15020
Jan 7, 1978F13.010000
Apr 11, 1976F03.320000
Mar 29, 1976F10.220000
Apr 25, 1975F17.444011
Nov 27, 1973F215.444010
Nov 27, 1973F24.110501
Nov 27, 1973F18.410150
May 27, 1973F22.010000
May 22, 1973F10.310000
May 11, 1973F10.510000
Apr 19, 1973F11.010000
Apr 21, 1972F10.32000
May 24, 1971F210.9100220
Jun 19, 1970F10.11010
Apr 24, 1970F310.45030
Apr 24, 1970F312.350180
Apr 24, 1970F317.05050
Apr 19, 1970F20.35000
Apr 1, 1970F10.11000
Jun 24, 1969F10.51000
Sep 17, 1968F20.31000
May 25, 1968F10.11000
May 16, 1968F10.11000
May 16, 1968F10.11000
May 15, 1968F10.11000
Apr 3, 1968F328.81,760324
Apr 3, 1968F214.9100150
Apr 3, 1968F215.21040
Jul 5, 1967F10.11000
May 31, 1967F10.11011
May 14, 1967F10.11000
Apr 23, 1967F10.11000
Apr 23, 1967F10.11020
May 16, 1966F10.11000
Feb 11, 1965F219.625040
Feb 11, 1965F20.11000
Jul 11, 1964F10.31300
Mar 4, 1964F26.820030
Mar 4, 1964F27.620030
Jul 21, 1956F10.21000
Oct 28, 1955F20.210000
Mar 21, 1952F429.64277416
Feb 13, 1950F10.21080
  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

August 21, 1888

Unnamed storm, Tropical storm

12.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 62 mph.

Most recent

October 26, 2019

Olga, Post-tropical

27.2 miles at closest approach.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Olga201927.2Post-tropical47Tropical storm
Katrina200590.0Tropical storm40Category 5
Audrey195758.9Tropical storm41Category 3
Unnamed194189.3Tropical storm40Category 3
Unnamed193470.1Tropical storm40Category 2
Unnamed192337.8Tropical storm41Tropical storm
Unnamed192386.6Tropical storm52Category 1
Unnamed190981.7Tropical storm44Category 3
Unnamed190614.2Tropical storm44Category 3
Unnamed188812.0Tropical storm62Category 3
Unnamed186055.0Tropical storm46Category 2
  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

1 large fire burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

October 24, 2005

Wapanocca Lake Fire, 728 acres

23.6 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

October 24, 2005

Wapanocca Lake Fire

728 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 2005: 728 728 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Wapanocca Lake200523.6728
  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: 67 days

Heavy smoke on 6 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

16.6 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

10 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 36 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 8 2012: 8 2013: 4 2014: 3 2015: 6 2016: 0 2017: 2 2018: 5 2019: 4 2020: 8 2021: 31 2022: 24 2023: 67 67 2024: 15 2025: 10 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

1,019 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $25.1 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Shelby County, the county that contains Bartlett.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 18 1979: 101 1980: 35 1981: 7 1982: 27 1983: 20 1984: 14 1985: 6 1987: 52 1988: 18 1989: 5 1990: 7 1991: 5 1996: 36 1997: 11 1999: 5 2001: 50 2002: 16 2003: 10 2004: 14 2005: 8 2008: 9 2009: 36 2010: 121 121 2011: 74 2012: 9 2013: 22 2014: 119 2015: 10 2016: 20 2017: 6 2018: 12 2019: 38 2020: 6 2021: 9 2023: 13 2025: 22 2026: 5 19781983198919992005201220172023
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2010: 121 claims

$7.2 million paid.

2nd most

2014: 119 claims

$3.8 million paid.

3rd most

1979: 101 claims

$475,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
38053151$6.5 million
3813490$1.9 million
3812762$1.4 million
3812860$724,000
3813853$2.0 million
3811945$1.6 million
3812045$921,000
3810443$666,000
3800240$1.4 million
3813336$462,000
3811135$243,000
3801734$932,000
3813531$815,000
3811628$293,000
3811826$116,000
3811725$353,000
3810323$195,000
3813922$953,000
3812517$510,000
3801817$1.2 million
3811415$178,000
3810915$169,000
3811514$95,000
3810713$31,000
3812212$35,000
3810611$103,000
3811210$140,000
380167$65,000
381417$11,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood206
  • Flood21
  • Heavy Rain2

6 deaths recorded in flood events since 1996.

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 Shelby County, the county that contains Bartlett.

Most severe crest

January 20, 1935

Wolf River at Raleigh, 23.72 ft

16.72 feet above the 7.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

April 6, 2025

Wolf River at Germantown, 25.29 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Jan 20, 1935Wolf River at Raleigh23.72+16.72Major
Feb 10, 1937Mississippi River at Memphis48.70+14.70Major
May 10, 2011Mississippi River at Memphis48.03+14.03Major
Jan 9, 1946Wolf River at Raleigh20.40+13.40Major
May 5, 2010Big Creek at Millington46.23+12.23Major
May 10, 2011Loosahatchie River near Frayser39.25+11.25Major
Feb 9, 1937Wolf River at Raleigh18.20+11.20Major
Feb 15, 1948Wolf River at Raleigh18.00+11.00Major
Apr 11, 1942Wolf River at Raleigh17.80+10.80Major
May 10, 2011Wolf River at Raleigh16.79+9.79Major
Feb 2, 1950Wolf River at Raleigh16.54+9.54Major
Jan 15, 1951Wolf River at Raleigh16.50+9.50Major
Mar 23, 1955Wolf River at Raleigh16.30+9.30Major
May 18, 1953Wolf River at Raleigh16.30+9.30Major
May 17, 2003Big Creek at Millington43.25+9.25Major
Jan 2, 1945Wolf River at Raleigh16.20+9.20Major
Mar 13, 2016Wolf River at Raleigh16.09+9.09Major
Jun 17, 1949Wolf River at Raleigh16.00+9.00Major
Feb 4, 1939Wolf River at Raleigh15.90+8.90Major
Nov 19, 1957Wolf River at Raleigh15.80+8.80Major
Feb 5, 1956Wolf River at Raleigh15.75+8.75Major
Mar 15, 1943Wolf River at Raleigh15.65+8.65Major
Mar 31, 1944Wolf River at Raleigh15.60+8.60Major
Feb 19, 1954Wolf River at Raleigh15.15+8.15Major
May 11, 1958Wolf River at Raleigh15.15+8.15Major

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Big Creek at Millington34.046.23 ftMay 5, 20102
Big Creek near Rosemark31.025.24 ftDec 23, 20170
Loosahatchie River at Arlington20.025.44 ftMay 2, 20103
Loosahatchie River at Brunswick23.028.67 ftMay 2, 20102
Loosahatchie River near Frayser28.039.25 ftMay 10, 20111
Mississippi River at Memphis34.048.70 ftFeb 10, 19372
Nonconnah Creek at Farrisview Boulevard31.034.37 ftJun 29, 20140
Nonconnah Creek at Winchester Rd23.027.96 ftJun 7, 20190
Wolf River at Collierville13.016.73 ftMar 11, 20160
Wolf River at Germantown20.527.98 ftMar 14, 19750
Wolf River at Raleigh7.023.72 ftJan 20, 193521
  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 75 of 1,581 months since 1895 (5%); the longest spell lasted 11 months.

The drought index is for Shelby County, the county that contains Bartlett.

75

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

15

Months in extreme drought

5%

Share of all months, severe or worse

23

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

June 1925

−4.53, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

11 months

April 2007 to February 2008.

Latest month

September 2026

−1.50, mild drought

Last severe month: August 2012.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 4 1897: 3 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 1 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 2 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 6 1926: 1 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 5 1931: 8 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 1 1935: 0 1936: 4 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 9 9 1942: 3 1943: 2 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 1 1953: 0 1954: 6 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: 3 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 1 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 9 2008: 2 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 3 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 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

9 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.8 in 1938.

32

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

9

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

September 16, 1938

Magnitude 4.8

2 km E of Gilmore, Arkansas; 27.4 miles away, 0.6 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

August 1, 2025

Magnitude 3.1

3 km SW of Blytheville, Arkansas; 47.0 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 1 1974: 2 1975: 0 1976: 3 3 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 2 1980: 0 1981: 2 1982: 1 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 1 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 1 1989: 0 1990: 1 1991: 1 1992: 0 1993: 2 1994: 1 1995: 0 1996: 1 1997: 1 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 1 2004: 0 2005: 2 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 1 2013: 2 2014: 0 2015: 2 2016: 0 2017: 1 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 1 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 1 2024: 0 2025: 1 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
May 1, 20054.245.46.25 km SSE of Manila, Arkansas
Feb 10, 20054.143.69.63 km NNW of Etowah, Arkansas
Apr 29, 20034.049.414.71 km N of Blytheville, Arkansas
Mar 24, 19764.245.39.37 km SSE of Trumann, Arkansas
Mar 24, 19764.644.59.38 km NW of Marked Tree, Arkansas
Nov 16, 19704.043.68.74 km N of Burdette, Arkansas
Jan 28, 19564.036.19.911 km E of Luxora, Arkansas
Sep 16, 19384.827.40.62 km E of Gilmore, Arkansas
Oct 28, 19234.837.5—3 km WNW of Tyronza, Arkansas
  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.

Severe weather and other events

1,479 events in the National Weather Service record for Shelby County, 1,185 of them since 1996.

176

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

7

Hail, 2 inches or larger

377

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

62

Winter weather events since 1996

146

Heat events since 1996

16

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

April 11, 1987

3.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

July 22, 2003

109 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning27215Jun 30, 2025

Costliest events since 1996

  1. May 1, 2011Flood$2.0 billion
    National Weather Service narrative

    The Mississippi River rose to near record levels in Memphis during the beginning to middle part of May. Portions of Beale Street, Riverside Drive, Tom Lee Park and the Pyramid parking lot were flooded. Portions of Mud Island flooded as well including the Mud Island Ampitheater. The flooding wiped out nearly half mile section of the eastern bank of Presidents Island. As a result, the port at McKellar Lake was closed. Several businesses on Presidents Island sustained damage. Backwater from the Mississippi River caused the Wolf River to rise above flood stage. Numerous homes along the Wolf River in North Memphis and Raleigh were flooded as a result. Two mobile home parks in…

  2. Feb 5, 2008Tornado$100 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado continued northeast from DeSoto County, Mississippi. After the tornado crossed into Tennessee, several warehouses sustained damage. The DSC warehouse near Clarke Road was struck causing EF-2 damage. Three people were killed inside the warehouse. Hardy Bottling Company sustained substantial damage as well. Tractor-trailers were tossed about in the area. Windows were shattered in the Willow Lake Business Park and utility poles and trees were snapped in the area. A utility substation sustained severe damage along Clarke Road causing major power outages in the area. The tornado then continued northeast and struck homes along Maple Tree Drive and Pinbranch Court. Five homes…

  3. Jun 29, 2014Flash Flood$50.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Very heavy rain fell across the southern half of Shelby County. Rainfall amounts of 5 to 9 inches were reported causing widespread flash flooding. Dozens of streets were flooded across Southern Shelby County and many vehicles were trapped in water. Several people had to be rescued. Several homes and businesses were also flooded. The hardest hit area was along Nonconnah Creek where many homes and businesses from Lamar Avenue downstream to Interstate 55 experienced some degree of flooding. About 100 mobile homes were flooded in a mobile home park west of Memphis International Airport. Nonconnah Creek had a record crest at the Winchester gage of 26.64 feet and at the Farriesview gage…

  4. May 1, 2010Flood$50.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Flash flooding transitioned into a flood event across Northern Shelby County as a result of up to 16 inches of rain. The Loosahatchie River rose rapidly spilling over its banks flooding numerous homes and businesses from Millington to Arlington. Many roads were underwater as well. The river crested at a record level in Arlington on May 2nd.

  5. Jul 22, 2003Thunderstorm Wind$40.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Shelby County was hit hard by a downburst wind event. Numerous trees, power lines and power poles were blown down. Some of the trees fell on houses producing some major damage. At least 20 buildings collapsed. Numerous homes and buildings were damaged and a few were destroyed. Among the damaged buildings was the Gibson Guitar Factory in downtown Memphis. One person was killed when a tree fell on his house crushing him. Over 300,000 homes in the county were without electricity. Most were without power for anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks. Several people will killed due to post storm related issues such as carbon monoxide poisoning from improperly using generators.

  6. May 1, 2010Flash Flood$28.9 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Very heavy rain produced devastating flash flooding across Northwestern Shelby County. Up to 16 inches of rain fell causing widespread flooding. Millington was the hardest hit area where a levee holding back water from Big Creek was topped. As many as 200-300 homes in base housing at the Naval Support Activity Base were flooded. Numerous people had to be rescued. Four to five feet of water covered the navy base. Some locations around Millington were covered by as much as 8 feet of water. All roads in Millington were closed. Power outages occurred due to the flood waters. Raleigh, Frayser and Bartlett also received widespread flooding where water was as deep as vehicles…

  7. May 27, 2017Thunderstorm Wind$9.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Trees and power-lines down countywide. Several of them on cars. Many buildings damaged by falling trees. Over 180,000 people without power.

  8. Apr 19, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$2.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Straight line winds created a swath of damage across Northern Shelby County. Damage in the Frayser and Raleigh areas consisted of broken shingles along with downed fences and trees. In the Millington area, a tree was knocked down destroying a couple of fences and power lines were knocked down across Cuba Millington Road. In the Bolton area, near the high school, roofs and buildings were damaged and many trees were knocked down. There was also minor fence damage southwest of Arlington. Across Shelby County there were 22 homes with minor damage, 13 homes with major damage and 5 homes were destroyed.

  9. Jun 25, 2023Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Powerful straight-line winds knocked down and split trees across Bartlett. Numerous trees were knocked down across the north Bartlett. Six utility poles were snapped along US Highway 64 between Kate Bond Road and North Germantown Parkway. Over 100,000 customers lost power, mainly across northern Shelby County.

  10. Jun 3, 2016Flash Flood$1.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Exit 25 ramp on Interstate 40 had 6 to 10 inches of water flowing across impeding traffic. Flooding of deep water also occurred on Hays Road in Arlington forcing a road closure and on Arlington Road at the Arlington Self Storage Business.||In addition, the Broadcast media also reported several residential roads across Arlington were flooded as well as Arlington Trace Subdivision, Airline Road, Douglas Road and Fire Station 71.

  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 Memphis International Airport, 15.5 miles from the city centre, with records from 1948.

All-time high
108°FJul 13, 1980
All-time low
−13°FDec 24, 1963
Warmest night
84°F4 times, most recently Aug 3, 2010
Coldest day
6°FJan 10, 1962
Wettest day
5.88 inNov 28, 2001
Snowiest day
14.3 inDec 22, 1963
Hottest year
2012mean 65.9°F
Coldest year
1958mean 59.8°F
Wettest year
195776.85 in
Driest year
200734.81 in
Snowiest season
23.8 in1967-68
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Memphis International Airport 32°F 51° 33° 4.3 Jan 55° 37° 4.8 Feb 65° 45° 5.9 Mar 73° 53° 5.9 Apr 82° 63° 5.4 May 89° 71° 3.8 Jun 92° 74° 4.8 Jul 92° 73° 3.3 Aug 87° 67° 3.2 Sep 75° 55° 4.0 Oct 63° 44° 4.4 Nov 54° 37° 5.4 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: 8 1977: 34 1978: 21 1979: 5 1980: 67 67 1981: 28 1982: 11 1983: 25 1984: 5 1985: 13 1986: 30 1987: 21 1988: 29 1989: 10 1990: 42 1991: 22 1992: 4 1993: 36 1994: 10 1995: 22 1996: 10 1997: 11 1998: 41 1999: 32 2000: 45 2001: 9 2002: 15 2003: 5 2004: 3 2005: 38 2006: 35 2007: 45 2008: 18 2009: 13 2010: 58 2011: 45 2012: 47 2013: 16 2014: 11 2015: 27 2016: 50 2017: 11 2018: 19 2019: 21 2020: 12 2021: 15 2022: 57 2023: 17 2024: 24 2025: 27 19761986199620062016
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 25.9.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 5.3 in 1977: 7.5 in 1978: 10.4 in 1979: 3.6 in 1980: 0.0 in 1981: 6.4 in 1982: 7.5 in 1983: 3.3 in 1984: 20.7 in 20.7 1985: 2.0 in 1986: 0.4 in 1987: 11.2 in 1988: 0.3 in 1989: 0.4 in 1990: 1.4 in 1991: 0.6 in 1992: 0.0 in 1993: 3.1 in 1994: 3.7 in 1995: 0.6 in 1996: 4.5 in 1997: 3.0 in 1998: 0.8 in 2007: 5.4 in 2008: 4.1 in 2009: 6.8 in 2010: 9.7 in 2011: 1.4 in 2012: 0.9 in 2013: 0.8 in 2014: 6.1 in 2015: 0.3 in 2016: 2.0 in 2017: 2.5 in 2018: 0.8 in 2019: 0.6 in 2020: 10.3 in 2021: 3.7 in 2022: 0.7 in 2023: 3.4 in 2024: 9.1 in 2025: 3.6 in 19761986199620142024
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

January 6

Earliest: November 2, 1951

Median last snow

February 9

Latest: March 30, 1987

6 of 70 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Memphis International Airport (USW00013893), 251 ft elevation, 15.5 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 27, 2026; 100.0% 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: Severe Winter Storm, February 6, 2026.

Declarations for Shelby County.

Federal disaster declarations
Feb 6, 2026Winter StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4898-TN
Jan 24, 2026Winter StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3635-TN
Jun 19, 2025Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4878-TN
Apr 2, 2025Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergencyEM-3625-TN
Sep 4, 2023Severe StormSevere Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-4735-TN
Aug 17, 2023Severe StormSevere Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-4729-TN
Mar 8, 2023Winter StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4691-TN
Mar 11, 2022Severe StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4645-TN
Apr 21, 2021Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormsMajor disasterDR-4594-TN
Apr 2, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4514-TN
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3473-TN
Jun 23, 2017Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4320-TN
Apr 11, 2014Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4171-TN
May 9, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1979-TN
May 9, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-1978-TN
May 4, 2011FloodFloodingEmergencyEM-3321-TN
May 1, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated FloodingMajor disasterDR-1974-TN
May 4, 2010Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1909-TN
Jul 13, 2009Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1851-TN
Feb 7, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1745-TN
Sep 5, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3217-TN
Jul 29, 2003Severe StormSevere Storms, High Winds, and Heavy RainMajor disasterDR-1482-TN
May 8, 2003Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1464-TN
Aug 15, 2001Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1387-TN
Apr 20, 1998Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1215-TN
Mar 7, 1997TornadoHeavy Rains, Tornadoes, Flooding, Hail, High WindsMajor disasterDR-1167-TN
Feb 28, 1994Severe StormSevere Winter Ice Storm,Flash FloodingMajor disasterDR-1010-TN
May 11, 1973FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-382-TN

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 USW00013893.
  • 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.
  • 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.