Monroe County, Alabama
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 01099 · population 19,743 · 1,026 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 322 records for Monroe County, Alabama from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 217 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (150 records). The deadliest single record is the August 7, 2007 lightning: 1 death. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1975, 24 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
- 322on 217 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 143 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $29Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Monroe County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 150 since 1969. 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 | 150 | 115 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 1 | $3.2M | 60 of 67 |
| Hail | 82 | 57 | 1968-2025 | 0 | 0 | $272K | 58 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 24 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 42 | $23M | 66 of 67 |
| Floods | 27 | 22 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $562K | 51 of 67 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 9 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 9 | 9 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $362K | 26 of 67 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1997-2012 | 1 | 0 | $895K | 44 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 2 | 2007-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 67 |
| Heat | 3 | 3 | 2000-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 67 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $14K | 62 of 67 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 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 Monroe County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Monroe County from 1956 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 42 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 27 tornadoes whose track touched Monroe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-04-23 11:40, as SPC files it | Monroeville | F4 | 25.4 mi | 0 |
| 1978-04-18 17:00, as SPC files it | Monroeville | F3 | 10.5 mi | 0 |
| 1971-12-20 03:30, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Alabama.
Every tornado record filed for Monroe County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-28 | Burnt Corn, Monroe County | EF1 0.24 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-12-28 | Burnt Corn, Monroe County | EF1 0.35 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-10 | Midway, Monroe County | EF2 0.56 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-05 | Turnbull, Monroe County | EF1 1.52 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-01-03 | Turnbull, Monroe County | EF0 0.11 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2011-04-15 | Turnbull, Monroe County | EF2 3.23 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $525K |
| 2011-04-15 | Tunnell Spgs, Monroe County | EF2 0.86 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $262K |
| 2011-04-15 | Turnbull, Monroe County | EF2 12.52 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 2011-04-15 | Beatrice, Monroe County | EF1 0.76 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-14 | Vredenburgh, Monroe County | EF1 1.06 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2006-02-02 | Tunnell Spgs, Monroe County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2005-09-26 | Monroe Co Airport, Monroe County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $302K |
| 2005-09-25 | Excel, Monroe County | F0 2.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $121K |
| 2002-12-24 | Perdue Hill, Monroe County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2002-12-19 | Monroeville, Monroe County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 1996-03-18 | Claiborne, Monroe County | F2 11 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $282K |
| 1996-02-19 | Monroeville, Monroe County | F0 13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 1991-03-29 | Monroe County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-01-03 | Monroe County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-04-18 | Monroe County | F3 10.5 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 30 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-07-20 | Monroe County | F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1973-05-08 | Monroe County | F1 | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1971-12-20 | Monroe County | F3 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1971-04-23 | Monroe County | F4 25.4 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-12-02 | Monroe County | F2 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-03-29 | Monroe County | F2 5.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-06-28 | Monroe County | F2 12.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1956-12-23 | Monroe County | F2 73.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Monroe County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 22, 2017 thunderstorm wind ($54,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A roof was blown off of a trailer and a house. 2 barns and a shed were destroyed. Numerous trees were blown down.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 676210)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindExcel, Monroe County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-01 | HailPeterman, Monroe County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-01 | HailMonroeville, Monroe County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-04 | Thunderstorm WindTinela, Monroe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindMonroeville, Monroe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-21 | Heavy SnowMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-12-28 | TornadoBurnt Corn, Monroe County | EF1 0.24 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-12-28 | TornadoBurnt Corn, Monroe County | EF1 0.35 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-10 | TornadoMidway, Monroe County | EF2 0.56 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-10 | Thunderstorm WindVredenburgh, Monroe County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-17 | HailUriah, Monroe County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-05 | TornadoTurnbull, Monroe County | EF1 1.52 mi x 75 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-07 | LightningFranklin, Monroe County A male was struck and killed by lightning while working on a logging crew. The sixty-one year old was part of a crew who were working in the forest when the bolt hit. Emergency personnel were unable to revive him. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1978-04-18 | TornadoMonroe County | F3 10.5 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 30 | $2.5M step |
| 1996-03-18 | TornadoClaiborne, Monroe County THE SAME STORM SYSTEM THAT DROPPED A COUPLE OF TORNADOES IN CLARKE COUNTY MOVED INTO MONROE COUNTY AND DROPPED A TORNADO FOUR MILES EAST OF CLAIBORNE LAKE, JUST WEST OF COUNTY ROAD 17. THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST AND MOVED THROUGH FRANKLIN ALONG STATE HWY 41. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED BACK INTO THE CLOUD JUST WEST OF ... | F2 11 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $282K |
| 1957-06-28 | TornadoMonroe County | F2 12.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-08 | TornadoMonroe County | F1 | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 2012-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindMonroeville, Monroe County Winds estimated at 60 mph downed a tree on a house and caused one injury. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $13K |
| 1971-12-20 | TornadoMonroe County | F3 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindMonroeville, Monroe County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2007-04-14 | TornadoVredenburgh, Monroe County | EF1 1.06 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2001-03-12 | LightningBeatrice, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $833K | |
| 2011-04-15 | TornadoTurnbull, Monroe County | EF2 3.23 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $525K |
| 2011-04-15 | TornadoTurnbull, Monroe County | EF2 12.52 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 1998-09-25 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Monroe County · forecast zone Monroe | 0 | 0 | $362K | |
| 2015-12-24 | FloodDeer, Monroe County | 0 | 0 | $342K | |
| 2005-09-26 | TornadoMonroe Co Airport, Monroe County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $302K |
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: April 18, 1978 (tornado, Monroe 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 Monroe 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 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 34 | 37 | 32 | 26 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 23 | 23 | 8 | 16 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 6 | 8 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 6 | 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 Monroe County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 32 · Feb 30 · Mar 27 · Apr 70 · May 40 · Jun 33 · Jul 24 · Aug 19 · Sep 6 · Oct 8 · Nov 9 · Dec 24 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Monroe County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Monroe County: 14 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (15) and severe storm (5).
| 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 |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4503 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3472 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 |
| 2012-09-21 | DR-4082 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaac |
| 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 |
| 2005-08-29 | DR-1605 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2005-07-10 | DR-1593 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1549 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2003-05-12 | DR-1466 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1998-09-30 | DR-1250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98 |
| 1998-09-28 | EM-3133 | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges |
| 1993-03-15 | EM-3096 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1990-03-21 | DR-861 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-09-13 | DR-598 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frederic |
| 1978-04-24 | EM-3064 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1977-07-20 | EM-3045 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-04-23 | DR-464 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Monroe County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 27 flood or flash flood records for Monroe County from 1996 to 2023, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Monroe County ranks 2020th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Georges | 1998-09-25 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $111,000 on 24 claims filed in Monroe County; the most in one year was 9 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 4 · 1980: 3 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1990: 9 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2016: 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 Monroe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Monroe County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $3.6M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $524K | 77 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $203K | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $369K | 7.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.5M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $465K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $209K | 2 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 Monroe 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 Monroe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Monroe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis