Calhoun County, Alabama
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 01015 · population 116,250 · 606 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 594 records for Calhoun County, Alabama from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 391 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (246 records). The deadliest day on its record was April 27, 2011: tornado records filed for Calhoun County that day count 9 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1977, 21 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
- 594on 391 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 25169 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $194Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 32strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Calhoun County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 246 since 1961. 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 | 246 | 175 | 1961-2026 | 6 | 15 | $2.6M | 22 of 67 |
| Hail | 154 | 87 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | $843K | 15 of 67 |
| Drought | 47 | 47 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 67 |
| Floods | 35 | 32 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 1 | $1.4M | 20 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 32 | 28 | 1954-2025 | 19 | 133 | $185M | 38 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 21 | 21 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $116K | 19 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 13 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $697K | 15 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 14 of 67 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 16 | – | 15 of 67 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 1996-2007 | 0 | 4 | $1.0M | 24 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 2005-2020 | 0 | 0 | $94K | 13 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 1999-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 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 Calhoun County had?
NOAA records 32 tornadoes in Calhoun County from 1954 to 2025, the strongest rated EF4, with 19 deaths and 133 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 Calhoun County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 32, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 54 people, 19 of them in Calhoun County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 17:28, as SPC files it | Trussville to SouthsideCrossed AL, GA | EF4 | 97.33 mi | 22 |
| 1994-03-27 10:55, as SPC files it | Ragland to Piedmont | F4 | 50 mi | 22 |
| 2021-03-25 13:31, as SPC files it | Piedmont | EF3 | 38.17 mi | 6 |
| 1983-12-03 18:37, as SPC files it | Oxford to Anniston | F3 | 4 mi | 2 |
| 2004-11-24 06:59, as SPC files it | Lincoln to Anniston | F2 | 15.2 mi | 1 |
| 2000-04-02 23:34, as SPC files it | Piedmont | F2 | 1.9 mi | 1 |
| 2018-03-19 19:23, as SPC files it | JacksonvilleCrossed AL, GA | EF3 | 35.22 mi | 0 |
| 1961-12-11 18:05, as SPC files it | Jacksonville | F3 | 3.3 mi | 0 |
| 1954-12-05 13:30, as SPC files it | Ohatchee to Piedmont | F3 | 24.7 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Alabama.
Every tornado record filed for Calhoun County (32)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-20 | Saks, Calhoun County | EF1 3.52 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-11-30 | Boiling Spgs, Calhoun County | EF0 0.79 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-03-25 | Boiling Spgs, Calhoun County | EF3 32.45 mi x 1,700 yd | 6 | 10 | – |
| 2019-03-14 | Grayton, Calhoun County | EF0 1.18 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-03-19 | Reads Mill, Calhoun County | EF3 20.92 mi x 1,900 yd | 0 | 4 | – |
| 2018-03-19 | Reads Mill, Calhoun County | EF1 1.01 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-03-19 | Weaver, Calhoun County | EF0 0.82 mi x 138 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-27 | Maxwellborn, Calhoun County | EF1 1.7 mi x 1,400 yd | 1 | 1 | $5.2M |
| 2011-04-27 | Middleton, Calhoun County | EF4 17.62 mi x 1,760 yd | 8 | 25 | $160M |
| 2008-08-25 | Choccolocco, Calhoun County | EF1 1.1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $206K |
| 2008-08-25 | Old Davisville, Calhoun County | EF1 0.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-04-04 | Ft Mc Clellan, Calhoun County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-08 | Ohatchee, Calhoun County | F1 0.8 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2005-08-29 | Piedmont, Calhoun County | F1 1.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $174K |
| 2004-11-24 | Bynum, Calhoun County | F2 10.7 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 0 | $133K |
| 2003-03-06 | White Plains, Calhoun County | F1 3.1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 3 | $321K |
| 2001-11-24 | Alexandria, Calhoun County | F1 7.7 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 5 | $417K |
| 2000-12-16 | Bynum, Calhoun County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-04-02 | Piedmont, Calhoun County | F2 1.7 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 6 | $514K |
| 1998-04-18 | Oxford, Calhoun County | F1 4.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $172K |
| 1985-04-05 | Calhoun County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-12-03 | Calhoun County | F3 4 mi x 150 yd | 2 | 51 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-03-15 | Calhoun County | F1 8 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-29 | Calhoun County | F2 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-02-23 | Calhoun County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1974-04-03 | Calhoun County | F1 1 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1969-12-30 | Calhoun County | F2 8.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-11-22 | Calhoun County | F2 3.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1967-03-06 | Calhoun County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-28 | Calhoun County | F2 4.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-12-11 | Calhoun County | F3 3.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1954-12-05 | Calhoun County | F3 24.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 26 | $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 Calhoun County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindJacksonville, Calhoun County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindDe Armanville, Calhoun County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindWeaver, Calhoun County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindDuke, Calhoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtCalhoun County · forecast zone Calhoun | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtCalhoun County · forecast zone Calhoun | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindMiddleton, Calhoun County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-09 | Thunderstorm WindMahlep, Calhoun County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-25 | Thunderstorm WindWeaver, Calhoun County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-25 | Thunderstorm WindGrayton, Calhoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-03 | FloodPleasant Ridge, Calhoun County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-02 | Flash FloodBigo, Calhoun County | 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 | TornadoMiddleton, Calhoun County 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, before it moved into Georgia, across Polk, Floyd and Bartow (See Storm Data Peachtree City) Counties. The tornado crossed Neely Henry ... | EF4 17.62 mi x 1,760 yd | 8 | 25 | $160M |
| 2021-03-25 | TornadoBoiling Spgs, Calhoun County National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Calhoun County and determined that it was consistent with an EF3 tornado, with maximum winds near 140 mph. The tornado first touched down on Boiling Springs Road snapping and uprooting trees just north of Mitchellville Road. The tornado widened as it traveled ... | EF3 32.45 mi x 1,700 yd | 6 | 10 | – |
| 1986-08-16 | Thunderstorm WindCalhoun County | 3 | 1 | – | |
| 1986-08-16 | Thunderstorm WindCalhoun County | 3 | 1 | – | |
| 1983-12-03 | TornadoCalhoun County | F3 4 mi x 150 yd | 2 | 51 | $2.5M step |
| 2000-04-02 | TornadoPiedmont, Calhoun County The tornado began at 12:34 am just south of Vigo at the end of Helen Drive. Vigo is located east of Piedmont, AL. The tornado traveled on a northeast track crossing Bethel Church Road and continuing along Vigo Road (County Road 70). The tornado straddled the road moving up a hill and crossing a few hundred feet into ... | F2 1.7 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 6 | $514K |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoMaxwellborn, Calhoun County 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 moved into ... | EF1 1.7 mi x 1,400 yd | 1 | 1 | $5.2M |
| 2004-11-24 | TornadoBynum, Calhoun County The tornado touched down in the vicinity of the Talladega Superspeedway. Two concession stands within the infield area of the race track had their roofs blown off. The Bush Garage area received building damage and the garage doors were bowed out. Debris was scattered between the garage area and Victory Lane. One ... | F2 10.7 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 0 | $133K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoMiddleton, Calhoun County | EF4 17.62 mi x 1,760 yd | 8 | 25 | $160M |
| 2003-05-07 | Flash FloodCountywide, Calhoun County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2007-07-01 | LightningSaks, Calhoun County | 0 | 0 | $712K | |
| 2000-04-02 | TornadoPiedmont, Calhoun County | F2 1.7 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 6 | $514K |
| 2008-02-26 | Thunderstorm WindAnniston Calhou, Calhoun County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 2003-03-06 | TornadoWhite Plains, Calhoun County | F1 3.1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 3 | $321K |
| 2009-01-06 | Thunderstorm WindAnniston Calhou, Calhoun County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $220K |
| 2008-08-25 | TornadoChoccolocco, Calhoun County | EF1 1.1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $206K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: December 3, 1983 (tornado, Calhoun County, 2 killed).
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 Calhoun 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 | 2 | 13 | 27 | 32 | 55 | 71 | 46 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 23 | 54 | 54 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 20 | 20 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 12 | 12 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 4 | 11 | 1 |
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 Calhoun County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 38 · Mar 78 · Apr 104 · May 86 · Jun 71 · Jul 58 · Aug 56 · Sep 13 · Oct 10 · Nov 25 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Calhoun County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Calhoun County: 14 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and hurricane (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3618 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021-04-26 | DR-4596 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-12-10 | DR-4573 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020-09-14 | EM-3545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4503 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3472 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-04-26 | DR-4362 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2017-09-11 | EM-3389 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 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 |
| 2008-08-30 | EM-3292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3237 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1549 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2003-05-12 | DR-1466 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-11-14 | DR-1442 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2001-12-07 | DR-1399 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1995-10-04 | DR-1070 | Hurricane | Hurricane Opal |
| 1994-03-30 | DR-1019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornado, and Flooding |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3096 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-03-21 | DR-861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1990-02-17 | DR-856 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1983-12-13 | DR-695 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 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 Calhoun County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 35 flood or flash flood records for Calhoun County from 1998 to 2025, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Calhoun County ranks 1172nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $706,000 on 129 claims filed in Calhoun County; the most in one year was 16 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 16 · 1980: 2 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 11 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 3 · 1993: 3 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 12 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 4 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2003: 14 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 6 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 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 Calhoun County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Calhoun County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $53.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | $19M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.1M | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $27M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $528K | 64 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $23K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.0M | once in about 377 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $340K | once in about 353 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Calhoun 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 Calhoun CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Calhoun County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis