PlainHazard

Alabama high wind and dust storms

Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 62 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 727 high wind and dust records in Alabama from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 26 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the March 3, 2023 strong wind: 5 deaths and 2 injuries across 5 records. Alabama ranks 42nd of 52 states and territories by count and 45th of 51 per square mile.

High wind and dust storms in Alabama, 1996 to 2026

Wind records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $1 million
  • $1 million or more
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
7271996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
26average
Deaths
1938 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$152Mas filed
Busiest year
200981 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are high wind and dust records common in Alabama?

Alabama averages about 26 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 42nd of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2009 (81). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Alabama records 144 high wind and dust records since 1996, 45th of 51 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. Rhode Island 7061
  2. 2. New Jersey 4882
  3. 3. Massachusetts 4776
  4. 4. Delaware 3705
  5. 5. Maryland 1330
  6. 6. Connecticut 1301
  7. 7. Vermont 1178
  8. 8. Hawaii 1067
  9. 9. New York 1028
  10. 10. Wyoming 900
  11. 45. Alabama 144

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in Alabama have the most high wind and dust records?

Per square mile, Colbert County leads Alabama: 51 days with a high wind record since 1996, 86.0 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Colbert County has the most wind records (53 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

  1. Colbert County 86.0 (53)
  2. Lauderdale County 61.4 (44)
  3. Madison County 49.9 (41)
  4. Morgan County 46.6 (27)
  5. Marshall County 44.2 (29)
  6. DeKalb County 37.3 (29)
  7. Etowah County 31.8 (17)
  8. Blount County 27.9 (18)
  9. Lawrence County 27.5 (19)
  10. Jefferson County 25.2 (35)
  11. Limestone County 24.8 (14)
  12. Winston County 24.5 (15)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the windy season in Alabama?

Alabama's high wind and dust records by month. The busiest month is September (144 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 85 · Feb 66 · Mar 85 · Apr 135 · May 23 · Jun 29 · Jul 6 · Aug 5 · Sep 144 · Oct 25 · Nov 47 · Dec 77 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest high wind and dust records in Alabama?

Alabama: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2023-03-03 Strong WindMadison County · forecast zone Madison One storm episode: 5 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. A prolonged damaging gradient wind event combined with an intense squall line during the daylight hours of the 3rd to produce widespread wind damage and impacts to the region. Numerous power outages resulted from power poles being snapped and power lines being brought down. All told, thousands were without power in ... 48 kt wind 5 2 –
2020-11-30 Strong WindMarshall County · forecast zone Marshall A tree fell onto a vehicle travelling on Swearengin Road. The vehicle crashed, with two adult occupants killed and one juvenile injured. 30 kt wind 2 1 –
1998-05-01 High WindMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery Two construction workers were killed when strong wind from a passing thunderstorm moved overhead, causing a concrete wall that was under construction, to fall on top of them. They were working in a trench when the wall fell. 2 0 $54K
2022-03-30 Strong WindMadison County · forecast zone Madison One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A powerful low pressure system moved northeast from the central Plains into the Great Lakes, bringing a strong cold front through the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys. Very windy conditions developed during the morning and extended into the early evening hours of the 30th, producing sustained speeds of 25-35 mph and ... 46 kt wind 1 3 $48K
2024-01-09 Strong WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. A line of thunderstorms moved across Central Alabama early on January 9, bringing heavy rainfall across much of the area. Rainfall totals were highest along the Interstate 65 corridor from Birmingham to Montgomery, with up to 5 inches of rain resulting in flooding in parts of Autauga and Elmore counties. Aside from ... 35 kt wind 1 2 $941
2008-05-11 Strong WindColbert County · forecast zone Colbert Strong gradient winds caused a large tree limb to fall 70 feet onto a truck carrying two people (including the driver) and traveling along 6th Street in Tuscumbia on May 11th at 10 am. Tragically, Daryl Sizemore was killed and his brother were injured when this occured. 35 kt wind 1 1 $34K
2001-03-12 High WindTuscaloosa County · forecast zone Tuscaloosa Saturated ground conditions and winds of 25 to 40 miles an hour caused a large pine tree to fall down. The tree subsequently fell onto an automobile traveling on SR 216 near Brookwood crushing the car and killing a female passenger. The driver, a man, was seriously injured. 40 kt wind 1 1 $23K
2025-04-06 Strong WindHale County · forecast zone Hale A motorist drove into a downed tree along County Road 42 approximately one mile northeast of Akron around 10 PM CDT, resulting in a fatality. The Tuscaloosa ASOS several miles to the north gusted to 20-30 mph around and just before this time. A combination of non-thunderstorm wind gusts and saturated ground likely led ... 26 kt wind 1 0 –
2024-03-25 Strong WindBibb County · forecast zone Bibb Along Montgomery Highway at 3rd Ave S in Centreville, a tree limb fell due to strong gradient winds, striking a man in the head and resulting in a fatality. 30 kt wind 1 0 –
2023-03-03 High WindTalladega County · forecast zone Talladega A large tree fell on a vehicle in the city of Talladega resulting in a single fatality. Numerous trees uprooted and power lined downed across the city of Talladega and throughout northern Talladega County. 50 kt wind 1 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest high wind and dust records in Alabama

Alabama: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2004-09-16 High WindMarengo County · forecast zone Marengo 80 kt wind 0 0 $16M
2004-09-16 High WindDallas County · forecast zone Dallas 80 kt wind 0 0 $16M
2004-09-16 Hurricane Ivan · High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson 60 kt wind 0 0 $16M
2004-09-16 High WindMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery 65 kt wind 0 0 $14M
2004-09-16 High WindGreene County · forecast zone Greene 77 kt wind 0 0 $7.9M
2022-02-17 Strong WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson One storm episode: 5 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. 30 kt wind 0 0 $6.1M
2004-09-16 High WindPerry County · forecast zone Perry 78 kt wind 0 0 $5.8M
2004-09-16 High WindLowndes County · forecast zone Lowndes 77 kt wind 0 0 $5.8M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are high wind and dust records becoming more frequent in Alabama?

Alabama's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

High wind and dust storms: Alabama and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeAlabamaUnited StatesAlabama's share
1996-996314,0260.45%
2000s31937,2540.86%
2010s14941,7480.36%
2020-2619636,3000.54%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent high wind and dust records in Alabama

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-04-19 Strong WindMarshall County · forecast zone Marshall 39 kt wind 0 0 $20K
2025-12-29 Strong WindLauderdale County · forecast zone Lauderdale 35 kt wind 0 0 $4K
2025-10-19 Strong WindMarshall County · forecast zone Marshall 39 kt wind 0 0 $3K
2025-10-19 Strong WindMorgan County · forecast zone Morgan 39 kt wind 0 0 $3K
2025-10-19 Strong WindLauderdale County · forecast zone Lauderdale 35 kt wind 0 0 $1K
2025-05-07 Strong WindColbert County · forecast zone Colbert 48 kt wind 0 0 $2K
2025-05-07 Strong WindLamar County · forecast zone Lamar 35 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-07 Strong WindShelby County · forecast zone Shelby 43 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-07 Strong WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson 39 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-07 Strong WindBibb County · forecast zone Bibb 39 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-07 Strong WindTuscaloosa County · forecast zone Tuscaloosa 43 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-05-07 Strong WindPickens County · forecast zone Pickens 48 kt wind 0 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.

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