Overton County, Tennessee
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 47133 · population 22,498 · 433 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 498 records for Overton County, Tennessee from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 348 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (170 records). The deadliest single record is the April 3, 1974 tornado: 3 deaths and 120 injuries. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1969, 19 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 348 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 5139 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $61Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Overton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 170 since 1975. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1975 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 | 170 | 125 | 1975-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.4M | 63 of 95 |
| Winter storms | 130 | 98 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 5 | $6.7M | 12 of 95 |
| Hail | 59 | 41 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $226K | 69 of 95 |
| Drought | 51 | 35 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | $427K | 22 of 95 |
| Floods | 42 | 33 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $20M | 52 of 95 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 16 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $372K | 12 of 95 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 10 | 1956-2025 | 3 | 128 | $31M | 67 of 95 |
| Lightning | 9 | 8 | 1998-2019 | 2 | 3 | $1.1M | 16 of 95 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2009-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 95 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2022-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 95 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 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 Overton County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Overton County from 1956 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 3 deaths and 128 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Overton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 13 people, 3 of them in Overton County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 19:15, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F4 | 28.4 mi | 10 |
| 1974-04-03 22:30, as SPC files it | Livingston | F3 | 9.4 mi | 3 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Tennessee.
Every tornado record filed for Overton County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-06 | Hanging Limb, Overton County | EF1 5.34 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.0M |
| 2025-02-06 | Waterloo, Overton County | EF1 6.41 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $500K |
| 2021-12-06 | Rhyan Spgs, Overton County | EF0 1.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2021-12-06 | Unity, Overton County | EF0 2.64 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2021-05-28 | Okalona, Overton County | EF0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $11K |
| 2012-03-02 | Waterloo, Overton County | EF2 6.94 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 1997-03-28 | Livingston, Overton County | F2 5.9 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 2 | $460K |
| 1996-03-16 | Livingston, Overton County | F2 6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $10M |
| 1977-10-01 | Overton County | F0 7.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Overton County | F3 9.4 mi x 400 yd | 3 | 120 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-04-03 | Overton County | F4 8.7 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-04-03 | Overton County | F1 4.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-11-26 | Overton County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-03-07 | Overton County | F2 4.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Overton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 15, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindRickman, Overton County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindAllons, Overton County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindOakley, Overton County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-01-27 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-05 | Thunderstorm WindOakley, Overton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-09-02 | DroughtOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-16 | HailLivingston, Overton County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-02 | HailOakley, Overton County | 0.88 in hail | 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 | TornadoOverton County | F3 9.4 mi x 400 yd | 3 | 120 | $2.5M step |
| 1998-08-11 | LightningNortheast Portion, Overton County Lightning struck a man while working in his tobacco field in the Wirmingham community. A bolt of lightning struck him in the back of his head. The lightning bolt also knocked down 2 others nearby. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2007-06-23 | LightningWaterloo, Overton County A man was struck by lightning while attending an outdoor festival on June 23, 2007. The 47-year-old Indiana man was among a crowd watching a stage show. A bolt of lightning struck the man, knocking him unconscious. No one else was injured. He was leaning against a motorcycle when the bolt hit his right shoulder and ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-12-23 | Winter StormOverton County · forecast zone Overton Major tractor trailer pileup on I-40 eastbound at Mt. Eagle Mountain. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2021-05-28 | TornadoOkalona, Overton County A brief EF-0 tornado touched down south of Livingston to the west of Bilbrey Road. Security camera video from Clydesdale Farms on Dale Gunnels Lane showed the tornado heavily damaging a barn and blowing down numerous trees. 2 people in the barn suffered minor injuries. Further to the east, more trees were blown down ... | EF0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $11K |
| 1998-12-24 | Winter StormOverton County · forecast zone Overton Car accident with 2 injuries near Alpine. 1/2 inch of ice at 1200 PM at Alpine and 1 inch at Livingston. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1997-03-28 | TornadoLivingston, Overton County A trailer was overturned and destroyed. 3 people were trapped inside and 2 of them sustained minor injuries. Several homes were damaged in the Goose Creek area near Alpine. A few barns were damaged near Livingston and another barn was damaged near Alpine. Many trees and power lines were down. Path length and width are ... | F2 5.9 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 2 | $460K |
| 2025-02-06 | TornadoWaterloo, Overton County This is a continuation of the tornado that began in Putnam County. This EF-1 tornado then uprooted and snapped trees along Duncans Chapel Road as well as caused minor roof damage and downed trees on Ben Mason Road. Further east along Tommy Dodson Highway, several trees were uprooted and two barns had roof damage, and ... | EF1 6.41 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $500K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-08-18 | FloodTimothy, Overton County | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 1996-03-16 | TornadoLivingston, Overton County | F2 6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $10M |
| 2009-07-15 | Flash FloodBonsack, Overton County | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | |
| 2021-02-14 | Winter StormOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2015-02-20 | Winter StormOverton County · forecast zone Overton | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoWaterloo, Overton County | EF2 6.94 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2009-07-15 | LightningLivingston, Overton County | 0 | 0 | $688K | |
| 1997-03-28 | TornadoLivingston, Overton County | F2 5.9 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 2 | $460K |
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 3, 1974 (tornado, Overton County, 3 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 Overton 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 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 41 | 65 | 43 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 29 | 71 | 17 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 8 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 32 | 4 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 13 | 14 | 8 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1975 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 72 · Feb 67 · Mar 45 · Apr 34 · May 45 · Jun 60 · Jul 51 · Aug 23 · Sep 17 · Oct 14 · Nov 28 · Dec 42 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Overton County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Overton County: 16 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) 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 |
| 2025-04-02 | EM-3625 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2021-05-08 | DR-4601 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2021-04-21 | DR-4594 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 |
| 2012-03-16 | DR-4060 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and |
| 2010-09-15 | DR-1937 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-08-21 | DR-1856 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3217 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-04-05 | DR-1408 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-01-13 | DR-1197 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1994-02-28 | DR-1010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm,Flash Flooding |
| 1993-03-14 | EM-3095 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm |
| 1975-03-22 | DR-459 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-424 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1973-06-28 | DR-395 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-07-11 | DR-263 | 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 Overton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 42 flood or flash flood records for Overton County from 1996 to 2025, on 33 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Overton County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $159,000 on 11 claims filed in Overton County; the most in one year was 3 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 3 · 2012: 1 · 2021: 3; 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 Overton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Overton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.2M | 57 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $76K | 9.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $971K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $994K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $427K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $78K | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $169K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $50K | 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 Overton 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 Overton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Overton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis