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Tennessee high wind and dust storms

Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 93 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,244 high wind and dust records in Tennessee from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 46 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the March 3, 2023 high wind: 3 deaths, 5 injuries and $63.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars across 31 records. Tennessee ranks 35th of 52 states and territories by count and 35th of 51 per square mile.

High wind and dust storms in Tennessee, 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
1,2441996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
46average
Deaths
1521 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$88Mas filed
Busiest year
200996 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 Tennessee?

Tennessee averages about 46 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 35th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2009 (96). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Tennessee records 302 high wind and dust records since 1996, 35th 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. 35. Tennessee 302

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 Tennessee have the most high wind and dust records?

Per square mile, Sevier County leads Tennessee: 113 days with a high wind record since 1996, 190.7 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Sevier County has the most wind records (158 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. Sevier County 190.7 (158)
  2. Greene County 133.4 (115)
  3. Unicoi County 96.7 (18)
  4. Blount County 82.3 (65)
  5. Davidson County 73.5 (53)
  6. Carter County 73.3 (33)
  7. Cocke County 71.1 (46)
  8. Washington County 52.1 (20)
  9. Monroe County 47.2 (42)
  10. Johnson County 46.9 (15)
  11. Hamblen County 43.4 (7)
  12. Overton County 36.9 (17)

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 Tennessee?

Tennessee's high wind and dust records by month. The busiest month is December (233 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 126 · Feb 227 · Mar 201 · Apr 112 · May 41 · Jun 18 · Jul 2 · Aug 51 · Sep 71 · Oct 72 · Nov 90 · Dec 233 (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 Tennessee?

Tennessee: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2023-03-03 High WindSumner County · forecast zone Sumner One storm episode: 31 records in 31 places; the totals are the episode's. A historic high wind event set up over all of Middle Tennessee on March 3, 2023. An incredibly strong surface low deepened to about 979mb over the Ohio River Valley. In fact, this system broke numerous all-time low pressure readings across the lower Ohio River Valley. At the official weather station at the Nashville ... 50 kt wind 3 5 $64M
2023-04-01 High WindRoane County · forecast zone Roane One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Numerous thunderstorms moved across East Tennessee during the early morning hours of April 1. Several storms produced damaging wind gusts, and one tornado was confirmed. High winds from the low pressure system were also recorded, with downed trees and structural damage reported in the afternoon hours. 52 kt wind 1 2 –
2024-09-27 Tropical Storm Helene · High WindKnox County · forecast zone Knox One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. Tropical Storm Helene caps off a several day heavy rainfall event in association with a stalled closed upper low that drew a stream of tropical moisture into the area on the 25th and 26th. The arrival of Helene on the 27th yielded catastrophic flash flooding and river flooding, as well as significant wind damage as ... 52 kt wind 1 1 $4.9M
2013-10-31 High WindDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across Davidson County, especially during the evening hours, with many blocked roads. The KBNA ASOS measured a peak wind gust of 52 mph around 830 PM CDT. One 9 year old boy was killed by electrocution around 930 PM CDT when he rode his bicycle over a live power line that ... 52 kt wind 1 0 $63K
2011-09-05 Strong WindHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton A woman was killed when a tree fell on a car the woman was trying to relocate in her driveway. Her house was in the East Brainerd area or about 6 miles ESE of downtown Chattanooga and about 2 miles south of the airport. The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee had moved northward from the Gulf of Mexico to southwest of ... 31 kt wind 1 0 $13K
2009-04-13 Strong WindMcMinn County · forecast zone McMinn Law enforcement officials reported a tree fell on a home in Etowah killing the teenager sleeping inside. 45 kt wind 1 0 $7K
1999-04-14 High WindCrockett County · forecast zone Crockett Several counties in West Tennessee were affected by high winds behind a line of thunderstorms. The winds were not associated with the thunderstorms. Numerous trees were knocked down across the area. One tree fell on a mobile home in Alamo in Crockett county killing one of the occupants. A marina on Kentucky Lake in ... 1 0 $18K
2024-11-25 Strong WindDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson Strong winds associated with a cold front downed a tree onto Briley Parkway near Currey Road in south Nashville. A woman, who was fleeing from authorities, drove around a police barricade and crashed into the fallen tree. The crash killed the driver. 39 kt wind 1 0 $5K
2024-02-27 Strong WindRobertson County · forecast zone Robertson Strong winds combined with saturated grounds from earlier rainfall led to a tree falling in the 3900 block of Kinneys Road just outside of Springfield. The tree fell right in front of a car driven by a 54-year-old woman who collided with the tree. Unfortunately, the collision killed the driver. 43 kt wind 1 0 –
2023-03-03 High WindCampbell County · forecast zone Campbell Over 75 trees were reported to have blown down around La Follette. One tree fell on a man riding a motorcycle. He died from his injuries. 52 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 Tennessee

Tennessee: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2023-03-03 High WindSumner County · forecast zone Sumner One storm episode: 31 records in 31 places; the totals are the episode's. 50 kt wind 3 5 $64M
2024-09-27 Tropical Storm Helene · High WindKnox County · forecast zone Knox One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. 52 kt wind 1 1 $4.9M
2004-09-16 High WindGiles County · forecast zone Giles 40 kt wind 0 0 $2.9M
2013-05-03 Strong WindDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson 40 kt wind 0 0 $1.3M
2025-03-04 High WindPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam One storm episode: 23 records in 22 places; the totals are the episode's. 57 kt wind 0 0 $1.2M
2006-10-17 High WindBlount County · forecast zone Blount/Smoky Mountains One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. 70 kt wind 0 2 $586K
2004-09-16 High WindLincoln County · forecast zone Lincoln 50 kt wind 0 0 $547K
2012-12-20 High WindGreene County · forecast zone Southeast Greene 70 kt wind 0 1 $96K

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 Tennessee?

Tennessee'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: Tennessee and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeTennesseeUnited StatesTennessee's share
1996-993114,0260.2%
2000s40837,2541.1%
2010s46141,7481.1%
2020-2634436,3000.9%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent high wind and dust records in Tennessee

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-04-16 Strong WindWeakley County · forecast zone Weakley 43 kt wind 0 0 $2K
2026-03-15 High WindSevier County · forecast zone Sevier/Smoky Mountains 67 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-03-15 Strong WindLawrence County · forecast zone Lawrence 39 kt wind 0 0 $1K
2026-03-15 Strong WindLawrence County · forecast zone Lawrence 39 kt wind 0 0 $1K
2026-03-15 Strong WindLawrence County · forecast zone Lawrence 39 kt wind 0 0 $1K
2026-03-15 Strong WindPerry County · forecast zone Perry 39 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-03-15 Strong WindRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford 39 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-01-25 High WindGreene County · forecast zone Northwest Greene 53 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-01-25 High WindSevier County · forecast zone Sevier/Smoky Mountains 81 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-01-09 High WindSevier County · forecast zone Sevier/Smoky Mountains 58 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-12-18 High WindSevier County · forecast zone Sevier/Smoky Mountains 68 kt wind 0 0 –
2025-12-02 High WindSevier County · forecast zone Sevier/Smoky Mountains 56 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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