Bledsoe County, Tennessee
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 47007 · population 14,876 · 407 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 333 records for Bledsoe County, Tennessee from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 249 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (170 records). The deadliest single record is the April 27, 2011 tornado: 4 deaths, 10 injuries and $19.7 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1973, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on February 6, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 333on 249 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 410 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $41Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Bledsoe County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 170 since 1958. The rank column places the county among Tennessee's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 170 | 138 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 47 of 95 |
| Hail | 65 | 53 | 1984-2025 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 34 of 95 |
| Floods | 46 | 40 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 33 of 95 |
| Winter storms | 39 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 76 of 95 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1955-2011 | 4 | 10 | $24M | 74 of 95 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2006-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 95 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | $58K | 23 of 95 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Bledsoe County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Bledsoe County from 1955 to 2011, the strongest rated EF4, with 4 deaths and 10 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 8 tornadoes whose track touched Bledsoe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 19:06, as SPC files it | Dunlap | EF4 | 40.16 mi | 4 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Tennessee.
Every tornado record filed for Bledsoe County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | Pailo, Bledsoe County | EF1 1.5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $98K |
| 2011-04-27 | Hendon, Bledsoe County | EF4 16.3 mi x 880 yd | 4 | 10 | $20M |
| 2002-11-10 | Pikeville, Bledsoe County | F1 6.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $164K |
| 1994-05-14 | Sampson, Bledsoe County | F0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1983-08-22 | Bledsoe County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1983-06-04 | Bledsoe County | F1 4 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-05-28 | Bledsoe County | F0 1 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-04-24 | Bledsoe County | F1 5.7 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Bledsoe County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 23, 2019 flash flood ($981,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Multiple roads closed throughout the county. Evacuations in the northern part of the county. All told, there was about $850,000 in damages across Bledsoe County from this flooding event.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 810305)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherBledsoe County · forecast zone Bledsoe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindCooper Mill, Bledsoe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-30 | Winter WeatherBledsoe County · forecast zone Bledsoe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter WeatherBledsoe County · forecast zone Bledsoe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindHickory Grove, Bledsoe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-08 | HailCooper Mill, Bledsoe County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-08 | HailPikeville, Bledsoe County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-08 | HailPikeville, Bledsoe County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-10 | HailLees Station, Bledsoe County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-10 | HailLees Station, Bledsoe County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-10 | HailLees Station, Bledsoe County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-10 | HailOld Cumberland, Bledsoe County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoHendon, Bledsoe County New Harmony Tornado. A NWS storm survey reported a tornado path in Sequatchie county and continued its track northeast into and across southeastern Bledsoe County. It had a path length of 16.3 miles in Bledsoe county and a 1/2 mile path width. The 190 mph wind destroyed several homes up on Waldens Ridge, with ... | EF4 16.3 mi x 880 yd | 4 | 10 | $20M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoHendon, Bledsoe County | EF4 16.3 mi x 880 yd | 4 | 10 | $20M |
| 2002-03-17 | FloodBledsoe County · forecast zone Bledsoe | 0 | 0 | $8.2M | |
| 2019-02-23 | Flash FloodPikeville, Bledsoe County | 0 | 0 | $981K | |
| 2002-11-10 | TornadoPikeville, Bledsoe County | F1 6.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $164K |
| 2005-08-15 | Thunderstorm WindBrayton, Bledsoe County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2006-05-20 | HailPailo, Bledsoe County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 1994-05-14 | TornadoSampson, Bledsoe County | F0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2005-04-22 | Thunderstorm WindPikeville, Bledsoe County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 24, 1955 (tornado, Bledsoe County); June 4, 1983 (tornado, Bledsoe County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Bledsoe County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 68 | 49 | 28 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 29 | 8 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 15 | 20 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 14 | 8 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Bledsoe County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 25 · Mar 31 · Apr 57 · May 45 · Jun 44 · Jul 45 · Aug 24 · Sep 9 · Oct 5 · Nov 10 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bledsoe County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Bledsoe County: 18 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (12) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-06 | DR-4898 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3635 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-04-02 | EM-3625 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2023-09-27 | DR-4742 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornado |
| 2023-05-17 | DR-4712 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornado |
| 2020-04-02 | DR-4514 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3473 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-04-17 | DR-4427 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2016-11-11 | FM-5160 | Fire | Smith Mountain Fire Complex |
| 2015-04-02 | DR-4211 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2014-08-13 | DR-4189 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-05-01 | DR-1974 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3217 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-05-08 | DR-1464 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2003-03-20 | DR-1456 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2002-11-13 | DR-1441 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornados |
| 2002-04-05 | DR-1408 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-11-03 | FM-2387 | Fire | Tn - Chattanooga Fire Complex - 11/03/01 |
| 1999-01-15 | DR-1260 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1998-01-13 | DR-1197 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-02-28 | DR-1010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash Flooding |
| 1993-03-14 | EM-3095 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1991-01-04 | DR-889 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-06-28 | DR-395 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-03-21 | DR-366 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Bledsoe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bledsoe County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.0 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $7K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $335K | once in about 270 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $148K | 28 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $360K | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $117K | 61 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $31K | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Bledsoe County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in TennesseeEvery Tennessee tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in TennesseeThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Tennessee recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Bledsoe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bledsoe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis