McMinn County, Tennessee
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 47107 · population 53,193 · 430 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 539 records for McMinn County, Tennessee from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 375 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (310 records). The deadliest single record is the April 3, 1974 tornado: 1 death and 32 injuries. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1973, 14 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
- 539on 375 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2121 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $50Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 McMinn County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 310 since 1957. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. 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 | 310 | 240 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 4 | $4.3M | 15 of 95 |
| Hail | 99 | 72 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 14 of 95 |
| Floods | 44 | 40 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $28M | 36 of 95 |
| Winter storms | 39 | 34 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 83 of 95 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 16 | 1952-2018 | 1 | 117 | $17M | 39 of 95 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 9 | 1996-2012 | 1 | 0 | $164K | 42 of 95 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 7 | 2001-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 95 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2013-2017 | 0 | 0 | $633 | 27 of 95 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 79 of 95 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 24 of 95 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $15K | 73 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 McMinn County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in McMinn County from 1952 to 2018, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 117 injuries recorded in the county. That is 39th of 95 Tennessee counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 24 tornadoes whose track touched McMinn County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 33 people, 1 of them in McMinn County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 18:15, as SPC files it | ClevelandCrossed GA, TN | EF4 | 48 mi | 20 |
| 1953-05-02 03:00, as SPC files it | Decatur | F4 | 4.2 mi | 4 |
| 2011-04-27 16:28, as SPC files it | Cleveland | EF2 | 27.95 mi | 4 |
| 1974-04-03 16:15, as SPC files it | Cleveland | F3 | 21.2 mi | 3 |
| 1994-04-15 10:30, as SPC files it | Englewood | F3 | 15 mi | 1 |
| 1974-04-03 14:30, as SPC files it | Etowah | F1 | 3.6 mi | 1 |
| 2012-03-02 11:41, as SPC files it | Chattanooga | EF3 | 41 mi | 0 |
| 1993-02-21 16:45, as SPC files it | Englewood | F3 | 19 mi | 0 |
| 1986-02-06 15:18, as SPC files it | Cleveland | F3 | 10 mi | 0 |
| 1974-04-08 11:15, as SPC files it | Athens | F3 | 2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Tennessee.
Every tornado record filed for McMinn County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-17 | Athens Airport, McMinn County | EF0 0.38 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-11-30 | Poplar Hill, McMinn County | EF2 11.33 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 20 | – |
| 2012-03-02 | Coghill, McMinn County | EF2 7.2 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.6M |
| 2011-04-27 | Luskville, McMinn County | EF2 7.9 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 5 | $262K |
| 2011-04-27 | Etowah, McMinn County | EF0 2.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2011-04-27 | Dentville, McMinn County | EF1 5.7 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2011-04-27 | Mt Harmony, McMinn County | EF0 0.7 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2011-04-27 | Manila, McMinn County | EF1 0.75 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $262K |
| 2011-04-04 | Athens, McMinn County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2009-10-09 | Englewood, McMinn County | EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2009-10-09 | Niota, McMinn County | EF0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2009-05-08 | Williamsburg, McMinn County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-10 | Northern McMinn, McMinn County | F1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1994-04-27 | Athens, McMinn County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $995 |
| 1986-02-06 | McMinn County | F3 3 mi x 270 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1977-12-05 | McMinn County | F1 5.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-08 | McMinn County | F3 2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | McMinn County | F3 6.1 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 50 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | McMinn County | F1 3.6 mi x 27 yd | 1 | 32 | $3K step |
| 1963-03-19 | McMinn County | F2 3.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1953-05-02 | McMinn County | F4 1.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1952-02-29 | McMinn County | F2 15.3 mi x 587 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 McMinn County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 18, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-30 | Flash FloodLakeview, McMinn County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowMcMinn County · forecast zone McMinn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter WeatherMcMinn County · forecast zone McMinn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-18 | Thunderstorm WindNiota, McMinn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindUnion Mc Minn, McMinn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindAthens, McMinn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindMars Hill, McMinn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindRiceville, McMinn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-23 | Thunderstorm WindOld Englewood, McMinn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindUnion Mc Minn, McMinn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-15 | HailAthens Airport, McMinn County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-19 | Heavy SnowMcMinn County · forecast zone McMinn | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 | TornadoMcMinn County | F1 3.6 mi x 27 yd | 1 | 32 | $3K step |
| 2009-04-13 | Strong WindMcMinn County · forecast zone McMinn Law enforcement officials reported a tree fell on a home in Etowah killing the teenager sleeping inside. | 45 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $7K |
| 1974-04-03 | TornadoMcMinn County | F3 6.1 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 50 | $250K step |
| 2016-11-30 | TornadoPoplar Hill, McMinn County The tornado developed near the intersection of county road 700 and 705 where some minor tree damage was observed. The tornado maintained its intensity as it paralleled Cedar Springs Road and damaged a covered walkway just to the south of Athens along South Jackson Street. It continued to the northeast with the most ... | EF2 11.33 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 20 | – |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoCoghill, McMinn County Harrison Tornado - Segment #4. The Harrison Tornado continued to intensify again as it crossed from Polk into McMinn County. It was an EF1 at 100 MPH when it crossed the county line but quickly elevated to an EF2, and reached its maximum strength only about 1 1/2 miles inside McMinn County as an EF2 at 130 MPH where ... | EF2 7.2 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.6M |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoLuskville, McMinn County Ringgold-Apison Tornado. The tornado continued from Polk into McMinn County. The tornado re-intensified causing EF2 damage with 130 mph estimated max winds. Near the intersection of County Road 750 and County Road 966 two houses and a mobile home were destroyed and five people were injured. The tornado finally ... | EF2 7.9 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 5 | $262K |
| 2017-11-07 | Thunderstorm WindRiceville, McMinn County Several trees were reported down along county road 100. Additionally, a resident was injured when a single wide mobile home was blown off of its foundation on the county road 100. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2009-04-10 | Thunderstorm WindAthens, McMinn County An individual reported a tree fell on a home and vehicle from thunderstorm winds in Athens. One person in the home was hospitalized with a neck injury. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $34K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-05-06 | Flash FloodCountywide, McMinn County | 0 | 0 | $27M | |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoCoghill, McMinn County | EF2 7.2 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.6M |
| 2003-02-14 | FloodMcMinn County · forecast zone McMinn | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 1993-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindEtowah, McMinn County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2011-04-27 | TornadoDentville, McMinn County | EF1 5.7 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2008-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindSanford, McMinn County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2006-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, McMinn County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2009-04-10 | Thunderstorm WindAthens, McMinn County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $34K |
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: February 6, 1986 (tornado, McMinn 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 McMinn 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 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 51 | 112 | 81 | 40 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 27 | 31 | 21 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 16 | 15 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 9 | 13 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 36 · Mar 30 · Apr 71 · May 74 · Jun 104 · Jul 81 · Aug 35 · Sep 18 · Oct 16 · Nov 21 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for McMinn County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include McMinn County: 11 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and winter storm (2).
| 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 |
| 2020-04-02 | DR-4514 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3473 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-04-02 | DR-4211 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2012-03-16 | DR-4060 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and |
| 2011-05-01 | DR-1974 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Associated Flooding |
| 2009-05-15 | DR-1839 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3217 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-05-08 | DR-1464 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1994-04-14 | DR-1022 | Flood | Extensive Rainfall and Flash Flooding |
| 1994-02-28 | DR-1010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash Flooding |
| 1993-03-14 | EM-3095 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-424 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 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.
How many floods has McMinn County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 44 flood or flash flood records for McMinn County from 1997 to 2026, on 40 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), McMinn County ranks 1766th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $351,000 on 40 claims filed in McMinn County; the most in one year was 16 in 1994. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 2 · 1987: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1994: 16 · 1997: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 13 · 2009: 1 · 2018: 2; 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 McMinn County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates McMinn County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $18.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $395K | 59 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $3.8M | once in about 188 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $28K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.4M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $60K | 3.4 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 McMinn 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 McMinn CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download McMinn County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis