Paris
Population 10,468 (2025)
96 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Paris since 1950, 10 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on April 5, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195096
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger2
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 Henry 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 Henry County.
Strongest tornado
F4
May 7, 1971, 50.9 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1888, 8.7 miles away
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 10 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 7, 1971
F4, 50.9 mile path
100 yards wide; 3 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
April 2, 2006
6 killed, F3
44 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Saturday, April 5, 2025
EF1, 2.6 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 5, 2025 | EF1 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 2025 | EF0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 2025 | EF0 | 8.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF1 | 17.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF2 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2024 | EF1 | 22.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 9, 2023 | EF1 | 24.9 | 3 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 2023 | EF0 | 5.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF0 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2022 | EF1 | 9.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF3 | 122.6 | 38 | 0 |
| Dec 6, 2021 | EF1 | 9.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2021 | EF0 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2021 | EF1 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 2021 | EF1 | 6.7 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 2, 2020 | EF2 | 18.7 | 2 | 1 |
| Mar 2, 2020 | EF2 | 14.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24, 2018 | EF1 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24, 2018 | EF1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24, 2018 | EF1 | 8.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24, 2018 | EF0 | 7.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24, 2018 | EF0 | 5.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 9, 2017 | EF1 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 28, 2017 | EF0 | 8.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 2016 | EF1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 2016 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 29, 2013 | EF0 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 22, 2012 | EF1 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2011 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 2011 | EF1 | 15.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 2010 | EF0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2009 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 2008 | EF1 | 3.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF2 | 6.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF1 | 5.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 18, 2007 | EF1 | 7.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2006 | F0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F3 | 31.0 | 44 | 6 |
| Nov 15, 2005 | F2 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 2005 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 2005 | F2 | 20.0 | 13 | 0 |
| Oct 18, 2004 | F1 | 8.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 18, 2004 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 22, 2003 | F0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 2003 | F1 | 22.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 2003 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2003 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2003 | F1 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2003 | F2 | 17.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 2002 | F0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 26, 2001 | F3 | 5.0 | 12 | 2 |
| Nov 24, 2001 | F2 | 11.5 | 4 | 0 |
| May 27, 2000 | F3 | 17.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 2000 | F1 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2000 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2000 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2000 | F2 | 1.5 | 4 | 0 |
| May 26, 2000 | F1 | 5.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2000 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2000 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 1, 1999 | F1 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 22, 1999 | F3 | 15.0 | 5 | 1 |
| Jun 14, 1998 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1, 1997 | F2 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 27, 1994 | F3 | 6.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 22, 1991 | F2 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 19, 1988 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1986 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 1, 1984 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1984 | F3 | 6.0 | 36 | 0 |
| May 7, 1984 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 23, 1979 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 4, 1977 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 26, 1973 | F1 | 0.6 | 2 | 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 15, 1971 | F2 | 14.7 | 8 | 0 |
| May 7, 1971 | F1 | 24.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1971 | F4 | 50.9 | 137 | 3 |
| Apr 27, 1971 | F1 | 21.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Feb 19, 1971 | F0 | 15.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 19, 1970 | F1 | 14.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 23, 1969 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1968 | F4 | 50.6 | 30 | 2 |
| May 1, 1967 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 13, 1963 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 15, 1953 | F1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 21, 1952 | F3 | 5.1 | 19 | 0 |
| Feb 13, 1952 | F2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- 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
1 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
August 21, 1888
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
8.7 miles at closest approach, winds near 59 mph.
Most recent
October 26, 2019
Olga, Post-tropical
55.6 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
- 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
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 59 days
Heavy smoke on 6 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
14.8 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
11 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 36 so far in 2026.
- 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
40 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $319,000 paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Henry County, the county that contains Paris.
Most claims in one year
2026: 10 claims
$187,000 paid.
2nd most
1998: 6 claims
$19,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 38242 | 37 | $306,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood32
- Flood6
- Heavy Rain1
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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 73 of 1,581 months since 1895 (5%); the longest spell lasted 15 months.
The drought index is for Henry County, the county that contains Paris.
73
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
13
Months in extreme drought
5%
Share of all months, severe or worse
33
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 1936
−4.87, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
15 months
August 1930 to October 1931.
Latest month
September 2026
−1.43, mild drought
Last severe month: May 2026.
- 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
7 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1915; none reached magnitude 4.
1
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
October 26, 1915
Magnitude 3.4
Near Mayfield, Kentucky; 32.5 miles away.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
November 6, 1994
Magnitude 3.1
11 km WSW of Trenton, Tennessee; 48.2 miles away.
- 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.
- 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
562 events in the National Weather Service record for Henry County, 521 of them since 1996.
52
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
2
Hail, 2 inches or larger
123
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
63
Winter weather events since 1996
92
Heat events since 1996
13
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 5, 2003
2.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
November 6, 2005
127 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 11 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Nov 15, 2005Tornado$6.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado touched down southwest of Paris and moved northeast skirting by the northern edge of Paris. Thirty homes were destroyed and several manufacturing plants were demolished. Over 100 homes were damaged.
- Dec 10, 2021Tornado$4.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado crossed from Weakley County into Henry County. The tornado damaged or destroyed several homes near Cottage Grove. The tornado continued northeast toward Buchanan mostly uprooting and snapping trees. A few homes and mobile homes were damaged near Buchanan. As the tornado approached Kentucky Lake several mobile homes were significantly damaged. The tornado then crossed into Calloway County, Kentucky. Peak winds in Henry County were estimated at 150 mph.
- May 4, 2003Tornado$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado touched down southwest of Paris and moved northeast through the south side of the city. Five homes were destroyed and over 150 other homes were damaged. Three commercial building were destroyed and nineteen others including a school were damaged.
- Apr 25, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
Straight line winds produced widespread damage in Henry County. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down all across the county including in the city of Paris. Power poles were knocked down as well. Two mobile homes were damaged from fallen trees in Henry. One injury occurred as a result. Several homes sustained minor damage also from fallen trees.
- Nov 26, 2001Tornado$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado touched downed southeast of Paris and moved northeast. Ten homes and buildings were completely destroyed and 46 others were damaged. Two persons were killed when their mobile home was destroyed by the tornado. Numerous trees were knocked down.
- May 25, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$973,000
National Weather Service narrative
Straight line winds caused damage to many houses and knocked down many trees and power lines in the Paris area. Some of the trees fell on homes causing additional damage. One home was destroyed and 34 homes suffered minor to major damage. One mobile had minor damage.
- Mar 1, 1997Flood, Henry$900,000
National Weather Service narrative
Excessive rainfall during the first few days of March along with rivers that were already high caused prolonged flooding along the Mississippi and Tennessee rivers as well as their tributaries. Along the Mississippi, the river reached levels that had not been seen since 1937. Numerous roads were closed for days. In several counties people had to be evacuated from homes including 400 persons in the town of Rives in Obion county. In Madison county, two persons were killed when their car was swept off a flooded road. One person was killed in Shelby county when his car went over a flooded bridge. One man was also killed in Obion county when he fell out of a boat helping people out of…
- Oct 18, 2004Tornado$800,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado touched down in the western part of Henry county and moved east. An outdoor sports facility and two mobile homes were destroyed. The Henry County Courthouse was damaged when a 350 foot tall tree fell on it. Nearly ninety homes and one factory were damaged. Many trees were knocked down with some of the trees falling on some homes. Two persons were injured when a tree fell on their pickup truck as they were driving.
- Apr 19, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$685,000
National Weather Service narrative
Straight line winds caused considerable damage across Henry County. Forty to fifty homes received minor to moderate damage while several barns and outbuildings were destroyed. One mobile home on Jones Bend Road was destroyed when a large tree fell across one of the bedrooms. Many trees and power lines were also knocked down.
- Apr 28, 2021Tornado$600,000
National Weather Service narrative
The first damage from the tornado was observed just west of Shady Grove Road, where large tree branches were broken. As the tornado crossed Buchanan Road, several homes suffered roof damage and a large storage shed was destroyed. The tornado uprooted trees and snapped tree trunks in this area. Further east, along Scarborough Lane, the tornado uprooted trees and removed the metal roof from an event venue. The tornado damaged several mobile homes just west of Log Cabin Road. Two of the mobile homes were rolled on their sides. The injury was reported in one of these mobile homes. The tornado crossed U.S. Highway 79 and appeared to reach maximum intensity in the area of Sulphur Wells…
- 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 Murray, 22.1 miles from the city centre, with records from 1926.
- All-time high
- 110°F2 times, most recently Jul 28, 1952
- All-time low
- −20°FJan 18, 1930
- Warmest night
- 82°F2 times, most recently Jun 17, 2022
- Coldest day
- 6°F2 times, most recently Dec 24, 2022
- Wettest day
- 6.81 inMar 1, 1997
- Snowiest day
- 10.6 inMar 22, 1968
- Hottest year
- 2012mean 61.8°F
- Coldest year
- 1968mean 56.0°F
- Wettest year
- 199072.39 in
- Driest year
- 194130.04 in
- Snowiest season
- 43.3 in1977-78
Median first snow
January 4
Earliest: October 30, 1993
Median last snow
February 18
Latest: April 13, 2004
5 of 70 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Murray (USC00155694), 492 ft elevation, 22.1 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1926 to October 28, 2026; 98.4% 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
21 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, February 6, 2026.
Declarations for Henry County.
| Feb 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898-TN |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635-TN |
| Jun 19, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4878-TN |
| Apr 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625-TN |
| Sep 4, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4735-TN |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712-TN |
| Jan 14, 2022 | Tornado | DR-4637-TN |
| Jul 9, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4550-TN |
| Apr 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514-TN |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3473-TN |
| Aug 13, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4189-TN |
| May 9, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1979-TN |
| May 1, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1974-TN |
| May 4, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1909-TN |
| Feb 17, 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1821-TN |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3217-TN |
| May 8, 2003 | Severe Storm | DR-1464-TN |
| Jun 12, 2000 | Severe Storm | DR-1331-TN |
| Mar 7, 1997 | Tornado | DR-1167-TN |
| Feb 28, 1994 | Severe Storm | DR-1010-TN |
| Mar 22, 1975 | Flood | DR-459-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 USC00155694.
- 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.