St. Clair County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within St. Clair County: 39.
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.

Every large fire

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

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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

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 county boundary (or inside the county).
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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$200 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado initially touched down in eastern Jefferson County, north northeast of Trussville and moved northeast through portions of St. Clair, Calhoun, Etowah and Cherokee Counties. The tornado then moved into Georgia, across Polk, Floyd and Bartow (See Storm Data Peachtree City) Counties. The tornado crossed into St. Clair County near Argo where it caused mostly tree damage consistent with an EF1 rating as it tracked north of Margaret. The tornado began to strengthen as it neared US Hwy 411 where it caused minor roof damage to one home. The tornado crossed US Hwy 411 north of Odenville, taking a turn to the northeast, and then moved parallel to Shoal Creek. The tornado…

2. Apr 8, 1998Tornado$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado began 2.3 miles north-northeast of Moody and just west of US 411. The tornado crossed US 411 where a large church and associated buildings, some recently constructed were destroyed. The tornado traveled on an east-northeast track moving through relatively rural areas. It affected a portion of CR 174 and then crossed US 231 just south of Wattsville. The tornado damaged a number of buildings in the Coal City area including a mobile home where two people were killed and three children were injured. The tornado ended in an open area just east of Coal City. Emergency Management for St. Clair County reported that 26 homes were destroyed, 30 homes suffered major damage, and…

3. May 7, 2003Flash Flood$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous roads were flooded and temporarily closed due to high water. Especially hard hit was the city of Pell City where City Hall was flooded and power was out for over 24 hours. Several mobile homes and homes were destroyed by the flooding. Numerous swift water rescues were performed in the Cook Springs and Prescott areas. Several stores were flooded in Moody along Moody Parkway. Many municipal buildings in Moody were also flooded. Several businesses were flooded in Springville and Odenville. Several cattle were killed by a lightning strike during the storms. Also, at least 7000 customers were without power for several hours as the storms repeatedly moved through the area.

4. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$865,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System. It touched down in central St Clair County, near Odenville. The tornado touched down in a field southwest of the intersection of AL Hwy 174 and Blair Farms Rd. As it moved northeast, it quickly strengthened to an EF2 rating with winds of 120 mph and caused significant damage to two multi-story brick homes, along AL Hwy 174. One house lost a large portion of its roof deck material. The well built detached garage of the other house was shifted off its foundation, with the intact roof landing and squashing the remaining structure. The tornado continued northeast and tracked parallel to US Hwy 411, before it lifted near the…

5. Feb 26, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Wind gusts estimated up to 105 mph blew down and snapped numerous trees and power lines across the southern portion of Saint Clair County, from Camp Winnataska eastward to the county line near Pell City. Five homes sustained roof and structural damage from downed trees in Margaret, 2 homes were damaged in Chula Vista, and at least a dozen homes were damaged in the Hunting Ridge area of Pell City. Fifty to 100 trees were blown down or snapped off near the Wolf Creek Fire Department.

6. Nov 24, 2001Tornado$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado rated an F2 began weakly on the west-southwest side of Pell City just behind the school at 3:10 pm. The tornado traveled on an east-northeast path downing a communication tower at the EMA/911 office and doing minor roof damage. The storm then crossed over downtown Pell City where a number of buildings sustained light to moderate roof damage along with awnings damaged and some windows broken. The tornado crossed US 231 and became very weak, possibly lifting for a little more than a mile, before slamming into a number of buildings in an industrial park. Some of the greatest destruction was done here. The tornado crossed Interstate 20 and ended after damaging a couple of…

7. Nov 24, 2004Flash Flood$400,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Several roads were reported covered with water and were temporarily impassable. Several area streams and creeks rose above bankfull. Doppler radar estimated widespread rain amounts of 4 to 5 inches with a few spots approaching 12 inches. A potential dam break situation developed in the afternoon. The dam eventually failed near the Friendship Community resulting in significant damage. Runoff from these storms lasted for several hours after the heaviest rains ended. A 73 year old man died when his car was swept away in the high water near Pinedale Road.

8. Nov 24, 2001Tornado$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado began weakly on the east side of the Cahaba River in Trussville and damaged a dugout and fencing at the Trussville Sports Complex. The tornado downed trees as it moved northeastward crossing Deerfoot Parkway near the intersection of Interstate 59 in Trussville at 1:31 pm. The tornado followed along Interstate 59 for a short distance downing trees and causing damage to houses especially on the east side of the Interstate. The tornado crossed into St. Clair County at Argo at approximately 1:36 pm. The tornado continued on a northeast track moving primarily through rural settings with property damage along the way including a number of houses and mobile homes. The tornado…

9. Feb 26, 2008Tornado$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Within a broad swath of wind damage, a tornado path was also found in Saint Clair County. The tornado touched down near Easonville Road, about a mile west of US-231. The tornado then traveled east, crossing US-231, before lifting at AL-34 near the Cropwell Community. In the Hunting Ridge subdivision, a dozen homes sustained roof or structural damage, five outbuildings sustained structural damage, and several power lines were downed. On Holiday Estates Drive, six homes sustained roof or structural damage, and additional power lines were downed. At the Pell City sports complex, several signs, fences, and dugouts were damaged. Across this entire path several hundred trees were…

10. Feb 27, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$240,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Significant straight line wind damage occurred in NE St. Clair County. The damage length was 3 miles and the average damage width was 1/4 mile. The damage paralleled CR 24 starting near Lickskillet Road and ended in the Lakeview Canyon Road area. The Oldham Chapel Church fellowship hall was destroyed. One house had its roof blown off and an adjacent garage was pushed off its foundation. Several mobile homes were damaged and one was destroyed. Hundreds of trees were either uprooted or snapped off and power lines were blown down.

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

107°FJul 29, 1930

All-time low

−6°FJan 21, 1985

Warmest night

81°F4 times, most recently Jul 8, 2016

Coldest day

13°FDec 12, 1962

Wettest day

9.75 inSep 16, 2004

Snowiest day

10.3 inMar 13, 1993

Hottest year

2016mean 66.3°F

Coldest year

1976mean 60.3°F

Wettest year

196176.48 in

Driest year

200728.86 in

Snowiest season

13.0 in1992-93

Station Birmingham Airport (USW00013876), 616 ft elevation, 22.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1930 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% 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.

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 USW00013876.
• 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.