Union County, Tennessee
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 47173 · population 19,802 · 224 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 260 records for Union County, Tennessee from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 214 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (175 records). The most damaging was the February 28, 2011 flood ($2.0 million in 2025 dollars). 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
- 260on 214 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.5Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F1
- 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 Union County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 175 since 1985. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1985 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 | 175 | 141 | 1985-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 8 of 95 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 24 of 95 |
| Hail | 21 | 20 | 1985-2020 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 76 of 95 |
| Floods | 17 | 17 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 53 of 95 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 2 | 2003-2006 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 82 of 95 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2009-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 95 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1977-2009 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 90 of 95 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 67 of 95 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 7 of 95 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 1 | – | 57 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 Union County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Union County from 1977 to 2009, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Union County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Tennessee.
Every tornado record filed for Union County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-05-08 | Sharps Chapel, Union County | EF0 0.78 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1977-10-01 | Union County | F1 4.3 mi x 440 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 Union County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 28, 2011 flood ($2.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Flooding occurred across a large part of Union county with water covering several roads and producing damage to several county roads.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 285852)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter WeatherUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-19 | Winter WeatherUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-10 | Winter WeatherUnion County · forecast zone Union | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-02-28 | FloodAlder Spgs, Union County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2009-06-18 | LightningLuttrell, Union County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2009-05-08 | TornadoSharps Chapel, Union County | EF0 0.78 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2005-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMaynardville, Union County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2005-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindSharps Chapel, Union County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2005-04-22 | Thunderstorm WindSharps Chapel, Union County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2004-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindMaynardville, Union County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 1995-05-10 | HailMaynardville, Union County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-06-18 | LightningLuttrell, Union County The Knoxville News Sentinel newspaper reported a 14 year old girl was struck by lightning as she was entering her home in Luttrell as lightning struck the door she was entering. She treated and released at a hospital with minor burns on her hand and is expected to fully recover. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-02-28 | FloodAlder Spgs, Union County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2005-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindSharps Chapel, Union County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2009-05-08 | TornadoSharps Chapel, Union County | EF0 0.78 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
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: October 1, 1977 (tornado, Union 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 Union 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 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 82 | 41 | 25 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 12 | 8 | 9 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1985 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 19 · Mar 9 · Apr 25 · May 39 · Jun 45 · Jul 51 · Aug 18 · Sep 4 · Oct 4 · Nov 6 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Union County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Union County: 11 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (3).
| 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 |
| 2019-04-17 | DR-4427 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2011-03-31 | DR-1965 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3217 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-03-20 | DR-1456 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-08-15 | DR-1387 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-01-15 | DR-1260 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1998-04-20 | DR-1215 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes 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 |
| 1984-05-25 | DR-708 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Union County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 17 flood or flash flood records for Union County from 1998 to 2023, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Union County ranks 2358th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $203,000 on 10 claims filed in Union County; the most in one year was 2 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 2003: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 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 Union County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Union County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $43K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $419K | once in about 243 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $389K | 5.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $42K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $134K | 54 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $628K | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $435K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $26K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Union 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 Union CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Union County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis