Dale County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Dale County: 4.
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.

Every storm within 100 miles

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.

Smoke overhead

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.

Claims by ZIP code

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

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.

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Mar 8, 1998Flood, Dale$125 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   An intense Gulf storm deposited up to 14 inches of rain across southeast Alabama on March 6-8. Houston, Dale, and Geneva counties were declared federal disaster areas. In Geneva County, runoff from torrential rains in Coffee and Dale counties pushed the Chotawhatchee River out of its banks. Resultant flooding the week of March 8 damaged 85 homes, washed out many of the county roads and closed State Highway 27 south from Geneva. An estimated 300 residents were without water. Communities suffering the worst damage were Malvern, Slocomb, Geneva, and Samson. The Choctawhatchee River at Geneva crested near 39.3 feet on March 9. In Houston County, 60 roads were closed. At Cottonwood,…

2. Nov 25, 2001Tornado$3.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A strong F1 tornado touched down just southwest of Daleville, near the northwest corner of Cairns Army Airfield at Fort Rucker. Several maintenance buildings sustained minor roof damage. One aircraft suffered minor damage from flying sheet metal. The tornado tracked northeast into Daleville and damaged 25 businesses along Highway 85, including a church, gas station, two supermarkets, a bank and several homes. It destroyed a restaurant and two industrial park buildings. The tornado lifted the roof off of the Daleville Inn and Landing Zone Lounge, causing its walls to collapse. Of the 125 patrons inside, 23 suffered minor injuries and two serious injuries. One restaurant was…

3. Mar 1, 2007Tornado$2.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado touched down southwest of the community of Echo and traveled northeast along State Road 27 before it crossed into western Henry County. The damage assessment indicated that the EF-1 tornado damaged 24 mobile homes and destroyed five others. Four residents of a mobile home were injured when the tornado damaged their mobile home. The tornado also demolished 18 chicken houses, which killed 140,000 chickens. The tornado's path missed the Ft Rucker, Alabama WSR-88D RDA site by less than a quarter mile. Numerous trees and utility poles were snapped. Dale County was declared a federal disaster area.

4. Dec 16, 2000Tornado$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The F0 tornado moved northeast from extreme western Houston County into southeast Dale County. It rapidly intensified to an F2 tornado as it continued its intermittent track into the eastern portion of the county. A Midland City church annex lost parts of its roof and walls. Several homes in the Doe Run Subdivision south of Pinckard were destroyed and numerous others were damaged. In Pinckard, numerous trees and power lines were down. Many homes and businesses were damaged, some seriously. The tornado tracked northeast into western Henry County. Reported by the Dale County EMA.

5. Sep 15, 2004Tropical Storm, Dale$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Ivan weakened to a tropical storm as it moved north into southwest Alabama on September 16. The maximum sustained and peak wind gust recorded was 44 and 54 knots, respectively, at Dothan, AL. The lowest sea-level pressure was 1000 mb at Dothan. Rainfall amounts were quite heavy, ranging from five to eight inches. Minor flooding was reported in Coffee, Geneva, and Houston counties. Schools and many businesses were closed on September 16 and 17. An estimated 50,000 customers were without power, including 20 percent of Dothan. There were numerous reports of roads closed by fallen trees and power lines. In Coffee County, many county roads were closed and several trees fell…

6. Oct 24, 1997Tornado$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   F1 tornado struck a chicken farm at Alabama Highway 27 and Dale County Road 67. Six of eight chicken houses were destroyed. Approximately 25,000 chickens were killed.

7. Aug 8, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous trees and power lines down throughout the county. Several homes were damaged by fallen trees. Midland City was hardest hit, with several buildings damaged along 4th Street. Two homes and a gazebo in front of the town hall were damaged. There were extensive power outages throughout the city, which lasted up to nine hours. Three miles east of Midland City, the Napier Field Police reported many trees and power lines down. A tree fell onto a roof of a home off State Highway 134 and the skirt of a single-wide trailer was blown off. In Pinckard, Alabama Power reported three major high voltage power lines down.

8. Jan 13, 2006Tornado$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A severe thunderstorm spawned a weak tornado which heavily damaged four chicken houses. It also damaged a rental house on the northeast side of Dale County 1. Debris was strewn across a field east of Dale County 1. Power lines were down across U.S. Highway 84. Residents along Joe Bruer Road, northeast of the chicken houses, reported broken limbs. Reported by the Dale County EMA.

9. Apr 25, 2015Thunderstorm Wind$348,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. The preliminary damage estimate is $347,500.

10. Jul 9, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Dale$300,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Dennis came ashore along the Alabama-Florida Panhandle coastline Sunday afternoon. Rainfall amounts ranged from two to four inches across extreme southeast Alabama. Most of the damage was a result of strong winds associated with Dennis' passing rain bands. A peak wind gust to 51 mph and lowest sea-level pressure of 999.2 mb were recorded at Dothan, AL. The Coffee County EMA reported trees down on eight county roads, several downed trees on power lines causing scattered power outages, and debris on roads. Wind gusts blew a carport into a wall of a house on County Road 656. About 1,000 customers were without power. In Dale County, the EMA reported James Street in Ozark…

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.

All-time high

105°F4 times, most recently Jul 2, 2009

All-time low

4°FJan 21, 1985

Warmest night

82°F6 times, most recently Jun 18, 2009

Coldest day

23°F2 times, most recently Jan 21, 1985

Wettest day

9.59 inNov 8, 1989

Snowiest day

5.5 inJan 21, 2025

Hottest year

1990mean 70.9°F

Coldest year

1976mean 64.9°F

Wettest year

199078.13 in

Driest year

201137.08 in

Snowiest season

5.5 in2024-25

Station Dothan Regional Airport (USW00013839), 368 ft elevation, 12.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1970 to October 26, 2026; 99.2% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USW00013839.
• 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.