Tuscaloosa County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Tuscaloosa County: 59.
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.

Mapped landslides

Mapped by NASA (1).

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$1.5 billion
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado initially touched down in rural northern Greene County and moved northeast through southern Tuscaloosa and western Jefferson Counties, causing devastating damage consistent with a violent EF4 rating to portions of the city of Tuscaloosa and western suburbs of Birmingham, before it lifted northeast of downtown Birmingham. The tornado entered Tuscaloosa County just north of CR 60, west northwest of Ralph, and moved northeast causing tree damage and minor structural damage consistent with an EF2 rating and winds of 125 mph. The tornado strengthened as it crossed the Black Warrior River, north of Interstate 20 and approached Tuscaloosa. As the tornado approached…

2. Dec 16, 2000Tornado$12.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado began in southwestern Tuscaloosa County on the west side of the Black Warrior River. Traveling in a northeasterly direction the tornado moved from a rural, unpopulated area of the Black Warrior River into an area of homes south of Shelton State Community College. The tornado crossed SR 69 destroying a nearly complete shopping center which included a Winn Dixie store. East of SR 69 the tornado destroyed a number of houses and residential structures. As the tornado reached US 82 it destroyed a number of mobile homes where several deaths were reported. From US 82 the tornado continued northeasterly downing numerous trees and power lines and damaging residential…

3. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$9.2 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado developed along a Quasi-Linear Convective System in southeast Tuscaloosa County, near Coaling and moved northeastward for approximately 18 miles. It crossed into Jefferson County between Interstate 20 and Bucksville, then continued for nearly 2 miles into Jefferson County. The tornado touched down in the southwestern extent of Coaling, north of CR 14, along Staghorne Dr where it damaged many trees. The tornado quickly strengthened as it moved through Coaling to an EF3 rating with winds of 155 mph, remaining south of US Hwy 11. At least a dozen homes sustained damage. Several homes were completely destroyed. The tornado weakened as it moved east of Coaling and crossed…

4. Apr 15, 2011Tornado$7.1 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The second segment of this tornado crossed into Tuscaloosa County, approximately one half mile west of Lock 9 Road. The tornado touched down in Greene County, 3 miles southeast of Ralph. The tornado strengthened to an EF-3 rating, with maximum winds of 140 mph. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted and a power transmission tower was severely damaged. As the tornado moved northeast into Taylorville, several homes and businesses received structural damage. The tornado lifted near Mayfair Drive, south of Veterans Memorial Parkway. The damage path in Tuscaloosa County had a maximum width of 500 yards.

5. Aug 29, 2005Tropical Storm, Tuscaloosa$5.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Extensive and widespread tree and power line damage occurred across the county as Katrina affected the area. Numerous structures were damaged. A few fires were caused by downed power lines and trees. Many roadways were impassable due to fallen trees. Two men were injured when a tree fell in front of their vehicle and then slid under it.

6. Jan 24, 1997Tornado$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   At approximately 5:00 pm CST, a tornado began on the east side of the Warrior River, south of Interstate 59 and west of County Road 95. Besides trees, the initial damage was to shingles of an apartment complex in the Crabtree area.The tornado moved on a northeasterly track crossing U.S. 82 and Interstate 59. Two large businesses in a shopping center on the south side of I-59 sustained roof damage.The tornado became stronger after crossing I-59 with significantly greater damage from this point to the end of the path. Numerous trees were downed, some house roofs were damage, and several outbuildings were destroyed in the Woodland Hills residential area.Several buildings were damaged…

7. Jun 19, 2021Flash Flood$3.4 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Depression Claudette produced widespread flooding across Tuscaloosa County. Many homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Flooding destroyed 5 homes and severely damaged 38 in Northport and Tuscaloosa. One-hundred people were displaced when the Willowbrook Trailer Park in Northport was severely flooded. Residential and infrastructure damage between the two cities reached $3.35 million.

8. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$2.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The fourth segment of this long track tornado entered Tuscaloosa County for the second time at CR 12, south of New Lexington. This tornado began in Pickens County, 5 miles northeast of Pickensville, and tracked through Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Walker, Cullman (See Storm Data for Huntsville), and Blount Counties, before it dissipated in Marshall (See Storm Data for Huntsville) County. While the average path width of this tornado in this portion of Tuscaloosa County was around 0.5 mile (880 yds), the maximum path width was 0.75 mile (1320 yds). As the tornado crossed into Tuscaloosa County, minor tree damage of EF1 rating was noted. As the tornado crossed US Hwy 43, a mobile home was…

9. Apr 27, 2011Tornado$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The second segment of this long track tornado crossed into Tuscaloosa County south of Pleasant Ridge Church Rd. This tornado began in Pickens County, 5 miles northeast of Pickensville, and tracked northeastward into Tuscaloosa County. It continued through portions of Fayette, Walker, Cullman (See Storm Data for Huntsville), and Blount Counties, before it dissipated in Marshall (See Storm Data for Huntsville) County. While the average path width of this tornado in this portion of Tuscaloosa County was around 0.5 mile (880 yds), the maximum path width maximum was 0.8 mile (1408 yds), which occurred along AL Hwy 171. The tornado strengthened as it entered west Tuscaloosa County to an…

10. Sep 16, 2004High Wind, Tuscaloosa$1.7 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hundreds of trees and power lines were blown down countywide. At least 28,000 customers were without power at the height of the storm. Power was not fully restored for at least 4 days. Twenty to twenty five homes suffered varying degrees of wind damage. Thousands of homes sustained minor damage. Maximum wind gusts were estimated around 65 miles an hour.

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°F5 times, most recently Aug 10, 2007

All-time low

−1°F2 times, most recently Jan 21, 1985

Warmest night

81°FJul 10, 2000

Coldest day

18°F2 times, most recently Dec 22, 1989

Wettest day

8.16 inJun 19, 2021

Snowiest day

7.0 inFeb 13, 1960

Hottest year

2019mean 66.9°F

Coldest year

1976mean 61.0°F

Wettest year

198378.35 in

Driest year

200725.56 in

Snowiest season

7.0 in1959-60

Station Tuscaloosa Airport Asos (USW00093806), 148 ft elevation, 5.6 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 91.4% 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.

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 USW00093806.
• 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.