Butler County, Alabama
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 01013 · population 19,015 · 777 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 236 records for Butler County, Alabama from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 165 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (129 records). The deadliest single record is the April 18, 1969 tornado: 2 deaths and 11 injuries. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1977, 26 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Helene” on September 26, 2024.
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
- 236on 165 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 518 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $15Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 29strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 2024
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 Butler County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 129 since 1973. The rank column places the county among Alabama'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 | 129 | 97 | 1973-2024 | 1 | 1 | $2.0M | 55 of 67 |
| Hail | 41 | 31 | 1985-2024 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 63 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 29 | 24 | 1957-2024 | 2 | 14 | $8.7M | 57 of 67 |
| Floods | 16 | 14 | 1997-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 57 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 7 | 6 | 2000-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 60 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 5 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 44 of 67 |
| Lightning | 4 | 2 | 2011-2012 | 1 | 2 | $13K | 49 of 67 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 67 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2000-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 1 | $88K | 50 of 67 |
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 Butler County had?
NOAA records 29 tornadoes in Butler County from 1957 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 2 deaths and 14 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 32 tornadoes whose track touched Butler County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 29: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969-04-18 02:30, as SPC files it | Greenville | F4 | 52.4 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Alabama.
Every tornado record filed for Butler County (29)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-28 | Starling, Butler County | EF1 2.54 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-10 | Starling, Butler County | EF2 14.27 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-01-09 | Mc Kenzie, Butler County | EF0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-03-03 | Searcy, Butler County | EF1 0.27 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2017-10-07 | Searcy, Butler County | EF0 0.55 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2016-03-24 | Mc Kenzie, Butler County | EF0 0.38 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2014-11-17 | Georgiana, Butler County | EF1 5.89 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2011-04-15 | Greenville Municipal Airport, Butler County | EF2 3.32 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $197K |
| 2011-04-15 | Butler Spgs, Butler County | EF1 9.75 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 2007-10-23 | Georgiana, Butler County | EF0 0.1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2007-03-01 | Industry, Butler County | EF0 3.15 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2002-11-05 | Georgiana, Butler County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2001-11-24 | Garland, Butler County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2001-11-24 | Mc Kenzie, Butler County | F1 6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $167K |
| 2001-11-24 | Georgiana, Butler County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 1997-10-25 | Greenville, Butler County | F0 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1995-10-04 | Georgiana, Butler County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1995-07-17 | Foster Flats, Butler County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 1983-03-20 | Butler County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1979-11-25 | Butler County | F2 9.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-06-17 | Butler County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-04-18 | Butler County | F4 12.8 mi x 500 yd | 2 | 11 | $250K step |
| 1964-12-26 | Butler County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-12-24 | Butler County | F2 4.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-10-04 | Butler County | F1 3.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-07-04 | Butler County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-07-04 | Butler County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1957-06-28 | Butler County | F2 5.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-06-28 | Butler County | F2 12.3 mi x 133 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 Butler County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 21, 2025 heavy snow (1 death).
Approximately 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across the northern portion of Butler County. Areas in the southern half of the county observed 5 to 7 inches of snow. An indirect fatality occurred when a truck struck a stalled vehicle that was part of a previous multi-vehicle accident, ejecting the driver of the stalled car.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1275563)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-21 | Heavy SnowButler County · forecast zone Butler | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-12-28 | TornadoStarling, Butler County | EF1 2.54 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-10 | TornadoStarling, Butler County | EF2 14.27 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-01-09 | Thunderstorm WindMonterey, Butler County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-01-09 | TornadoMc Kenzie, Butler County | EF0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-09-15 | Tropical StormButler County · forecast zone Butler | 0 | 0 | $267K | |
| 2019-03-03 | TornadoSearcy, Butler County | EF1 0.27 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2017-10-07 | TornadoSearcy, Butler County | EF0 0.55 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2016-03-24 | Thunderstorm WindMc Kenzie, Butler County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2016-03-24 | TornadoMc Kenzie, Butler County | EF0 0.38 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2015-12-24 | FloodSearcy, Butler County | 0 | 0 | $747K | |
| 2014-11-17 | TornadoGeorgiana, Butler County | EF1 5.89 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969-04-18 | TornadoButler County | F4 12.8 mi x 500 yd | 2 | 11 | $250K step |
| 2025-01-21 | Heavy SnowButler County · forecast zone Butler Approximately 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across the northern portion of Butler County. Areas in the southern half of the county observed 5 to 7 inches of snow. An indirect fatality occurred when a truck struck a stalled vehicle that was part of a previous multi-vehicle accident, ejecting the driver of the stalled car. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-12-25 | Thunderstorm WindGeorgiana, Butler County Winds estimated at 70 mph blew a large pine tree into a house...seriously injured him. The man later died at the hospital the next day. | 61 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $45K |
| 2012-03-30 | LightningGreenville, Butler County A 12 year old boy was killed when the tree he was standing under was struck by lightning. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2001-11-24 | TornadoMc Kenzie, Butler County A tornado touched down in a wooded area just north of Odom Crossroads, which is to the west of McKenzie. The tornado then crossed County Road 29, where a mobile home was destroyed. Three occupants of the mobile home were injured. The tornado continued to move toward the northeast over mostly wooded areas, but crossed ... | F1 6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $167K |
| 2012-03-30 | LightningGeorgiana, Butler County Two people struck by lightning one of which was critical. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2012-01-23 | Thunderstorm WindGreenville, Butler County Winds estimated at 60 mph damaged a small building resulting in 1 minor injury. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $4K |
| 2006-10-17 | Heavy RainGreenville, Butler County Heavy rains caused a roof to collapse on a recently built building near Butler. The roof was not draining properly and the weight of the accumulated rainfall caused to roof to collapse. One person was injured when the roof collapsed. | 0 | 1 | $88K |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-03-08 | Flash FloodCountywide, Butler County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1998-09-25 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Butler County and Lowndes County · forecast zone Butler | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2005-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindChapman, Butler County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $756K |
| 2015-12-24 | FloodSearcy, Butler County | 0 | 0 | $747K | |
| 2001-08-06 | Tropical StormButler County and Lowndes County · forecast zone Butler | 0 | 0 | $333K | |
| 2020-09-15 | Tropical StormButler County · forecast zone Butler | 0 | 0 | $267K | |
| 2014-11-17 | TornadoGeorgiana, Butler County | EF1 5.89 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2011-04-15 | TornadoButler Spgs, Butler County | EF1 9.75 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
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 18, 1969 (tornado, Butler County, 2 killed); June 28, 1957 (tornado, Butler County); June 28, 1957 (tornado, Butler 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 Butler 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 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 26 | 28 | 31 | 28 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
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 Butler County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 21 · Feb 16 · Mar 32 · Apr 48 · May 22 · Jun 23 · Jul 10 · Aug 15 · Sep 10 · Oct 11 · Nov 12 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Butler County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Butler County: 16 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (14) and severe storm (10).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3618 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020-12-10 | DR-4573 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020-09-20 | DR-4563 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-09-14 | EM-3545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-05-21 | DR-4546 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4503 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3472 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-10-12 | EM-3407 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017-10-08 | EM-3394 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017-09-11 | EM-3389 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-01-21 | DR-4251 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-05-02 | DR-4176 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-28 | DR-1971 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-27 | EM-3319 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2009-12-31 | DR-1870 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-04-28 | DR-1835 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-Line |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3237 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1593 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1549 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2001-12-07 | DR-1399 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1998-09-30 | DR-1250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98 |
| 1998-09-28 | EM-3133 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges |
| 1998-03-09 | DR-1208 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-10-04 | DR-1070 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3096 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-03-21 | DR-861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3045 | Drought | Drought |
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.
How many floods has Butler County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 16 flood or flash flood records for Butler County from 1997 to 2022, on 14 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Butler County ranks 2685th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sally | 2020-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Georges | 1998-09-25 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $9,900 on 3 claims filed in Butler County; the most in one year was 2 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 2014: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Butler County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Butler County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $596K | 72 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.8M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $684K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $324K | 6.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $33K | 20 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $382K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $2.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Butler 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 AlabamaEvery Alabama tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in AlabamaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Alabama recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Butler CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Butler County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis