Obion County, Tennessee
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 47131 · population 30,777 · 545 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 498 records for Obion County, Tennessee from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 399 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (150 records). The deadliest single record is the January 26, 2009 ice storm, filed for the forecast zone Obion, which covers the county: 2 deaths and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1973, 20 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
- 498on 399 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 88 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $37Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Obion County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 150 since 1957. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in April and May. 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 | 150 | 118 | 1957-2026 | 1 | 0 | $6.7M | 84 of 95 |
| Heat | 102 | 100 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 95 |
| Winter storms | 63 | 63 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 3 | $66K | 54 of 95 |
| Hail | 57 | 49 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 0 | $91K | 74 of 95 |
| Floods | 46 | 40 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $17M | 56 of 95 |
| Drought | 27 | 27 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 95 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 16 | 1954-2025 | 1 | 5 | $13M | 53 of 95 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 2007-2026 | 2 | 0 | – | 12 of 95 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 9 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $157K | 55 of 95 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1996-2010 | 0 | 0 | $57K | 44 of 95 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2005-2008 | 0 | 0 | $221K | 10 of 95 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 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 Obion County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Obion County from 1954 to 2025, the strongest rated EF2, with 1 death and 5 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 26 tornadoes whose track touched Obion County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 65 people, 1 of them in Obion County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-10 20:54, as SPC files it | Mayfield to HartfordCrossed KY, TN | EF4 | 168.53 mi | 57 |
| 2021-12-10 19:07, as SPC files it | CaruthersvilleCrossed AR, MO, TN | EF4 | 81.17 mi | 8 |
| 2021-12-10 22:32, as SPC files it | Newbern to DresdenCrossed KY, TN | EF3 | 122.62 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Tennessee.
Every tornado record filed for Obion County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-02 | Mason Hall, Obion County | EF1 5.74 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| 2021-12-10 | Woodland Mills, Obion County | EF0 2.12 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2021-12-10 | Kenton, Obion County | EF2 2.02 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $272K |
| 2021-12-10 | Lassiter Corner, Obion County | EF2 5.24 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2021-12-10 | Protemus, Obion County | EF0 3.09 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2021-12-10 | Dixie, Obion County | EF0 0.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2021-12-10 | Spout Spgs, Obion County | EF1 0.68 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2021-05-04 | Wyly, Obion County | EF1 2.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $245K |
| 2020-01-11 | Ebenezer, Obion County | EF1 1.86 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2019-05-02 | Antioch, Obion County | EF0 0.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2019-05-02 | Cat Corner, Obion County | EF0 0.21 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2018-02-24 | Antioch, Obion County | EF0 5.59 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2018-02-24 | Gibbs, Obion County | EF1 3.18 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.4M |
| 2017-03-09 | Woodland Mills, Obion County | EF2 2.87 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $361K |
| 2014-06-07 | Walnut Log, Obion County | EF1 7.01 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $249K |
| 2014-04-28 | Fremont, Obion County | EF2 9.84 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $312K |
| 2013-10-05 | Sharps Ferry, Obion County | EF0 0.18 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-06-26 | Mason Hall, Obion County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1990-07-10 | Obion County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1982-04-02 | Obion County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-04-02 | Obion County | F2 6 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-23 | Obion County | F2 9.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-12-11 | Obion County | F2 10.3 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1967-12-11 | Obion County | F1 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-05-03 | Obion County | F2 3.6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Obion County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | HeatObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-29 | HeatObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Fulton, Obion County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-24 | DroughtObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindGibbs, Obion County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Cold/Wind ChillObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Cold/Wind ChillObion County · forecast zone Obion | 1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-26 | Ice StormObion County · forecast zone Obion One inch of ice fell across Obion County. Widespread power outages occurred. Roads were impassable. Three injuries occurred from auto accidents. | 2 | 3 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Cold/Wind ChillObion County · forecast zone Obion Minimum wind chill of -5F reported. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Cold/Wind ChillObion County · forecast zone Obion Minimum wind chill of -2F reported. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Fulton, Obion County A tree fell onto a moving vehicle on the roadway in South Fulton. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-10 | TornadoLassiter Corner, Obion County The tornado crossed from Lake County to Obion County. The tornado's width was shrinking as it approached Samburg, however, it was still strong enough to damage homes, businesses, and city buildings in Samburg. Many homes suffered partial roof loss, and several mobile homes were separated from their undercarriages. A ... | EF2 5.24 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2008-12-15 | Winter StormObion County · forecast zone Obion Freezing rain switched to sleet. Minor ice accumulations occurred while up to an inch of sleet accumulated on the ground across Obion County. One death occurred from a traffic accident which occurred on slick roads. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-04-03 | Flash FloodUnion City Airport, Obion County Heavy rain produced flash flooding on a few roadways near the Everett Stewart Airport. A 24 year old man drowned when he ran off of Martin Highway into a swollen creek. The vehicle completely submerged. | 1 | 0 | $14K | |
| 2018-02-24 | TornadoGibbs, Obion County The tornado occurred just east of Union City, Tennessee. The tornado's damage pattern suggested a broad, occasionally disorganized circulation with several small swaths of more intense damage. A number of homes along the path had roof damage. Several mobile homes were destroyed. The most significant damage was noted ... | EF1 3.18 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.4M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-03-01 | FloodObion County · forecast zone Obion | 0 | 0 | $7.4M | |
| 2025-02-16 | Flash FloodRives, Obion County | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | |
| 2021-05-04 | Thunderstorm WindUnion City, Obion County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2021-12-10 | TornadoLassiter Corner, Obion County | EF2 5.24 mi x 880 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2018-02-24 | TornadoGibbs, Obion County | EF1 3.18 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.4M |
| 2025-04-06 | FloodRives, Obion County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2023-08-04 | Flash FloodUnion City, Obion County | 0 | 0 | $969K | |
| 2010-05-02 | Flash FloodKenton, Obion County | 0 | 0 | $677K |
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: December 11, 1967 (tornado, Obion County); May 23, 1973 (tornado, Obion County); April 2, 1982 (tornado, Obion 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 Obion 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 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 40 | 33 | 35 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 30 | 71 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 16 | 30 | 15 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 24 | 11 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 18 | 13 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 16 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 46 · Mar 31 · Apr 60 · May 75 · Jun 60 · Jul 73 · Aug 45 · Sep 11 · Oct 12 · Nov 17 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Obion County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Obion County: 17 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) 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 |
| 2025-06-19 | DR-4878 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2025-04-02 | EM-3625 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2023-05-17 | DR-4712 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornado |
| 2022-01-14 | DR-4637 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2021-12-13 | EM-3576 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-07-09 | DR-4550 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2015-04-02 | DR-4211 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2011-05-09 | DR-1979 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-05-04 | DR-1909 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2009-02-17 | DR-1821 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3217 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-05-08 | DR-1464 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2000-06-12 | DR-1331 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1997-03-07 | DR-1167 | Tornado | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes, Flooding, Hail, High Winds |
| 1991-01-04 | DR-889 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1975-03-22 | DR-459 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-05-11 | DR-382 | 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 Obion County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 46 flood or flash flood records for Obion County from 1996 to 2025, on 40 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Obion County ranks 964th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.9 million on 191 claims filed in Obion County; the most in one year was 23 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 3 · 1979: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 23 · 1985: 8 · 1986: 7 · 1988: 1 · 1990: 4 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1996: 6 · 1997: 22 · 1998: 7 · 2001: 8 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 12 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 8 · 2013: 3 · 2015: 8 · 2016: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2021: 2 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 23 · 2026: 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 Obion County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Obion County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $34.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $912K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $20M | once in about 63 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.9M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $790K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $146K | 7.5 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $884K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $422K | 58 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 Obion 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 Obion CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Obion County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis