Storms of 1971
Every storm the National Weather Service filed in 1971, month by month, kind by kind and state by state. Before 1996 the record holds tornadoes, hail and thunderstorm wind only, without narratives; floods, heat, winter storms and the other kinds begin in 1996.
1971 on the map
The 600 most significant episodes of 1971, colored by kind of event.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The year
- Events
- 3,471
- Deaths
- 159
- Injuries
- 2,723
- Damage
- $202 million
- Episodes
- 1,157
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
By month
By kind of event
Deaths, injuries and damage are counted under the kind that heads each episode.
| Kind of event | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1,544 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hail | 964 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tornado | 963 | 159 | 2,723 | $202 million |
The deadliest
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, February 21, 1971
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, February 21, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 27, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, February 4, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Tennessee, May 7, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, February 26, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, February 22, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, May 5, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Missouri, December 14, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Louisiana, March 10, 1971
- Tornado and Hail in Illinois, April 27, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, April 23, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 18, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Indiana, May 6, 1971
- Tornado and Hail in Iowa, June 24, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, January 15, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Missouri, December 15, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Alabama, February 4, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, March 12, 1971
- Tornado in Mississippi, May 9, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 23, 1971
The costliest
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, February 21, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, May 5, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Texas, December 14, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, July 12, 1971
- Tornadoes in Texas, October 17, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Missouri, December 14, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 27, 1971
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, February 21, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Louisiana, March 10, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 28, 1971
- Tornadoes in Louisiana, September 16, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Florida, February 7, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Tennessee, May 7, 1971
- Tornadoes in Hawaii, January 28, 1971
- Tornadoes in Colorado, October 17, 1971
- Tornadoes in Tennessee, February 21, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Ohio, February 22, 1971
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, April 29, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Ohio, June 2, 1971
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, February 22, 1971
- Tornado and Hail in Louisiana, February 12, 1971
- Tornado and Hail in Illinois, April 27, 1971
- Tornado and Hail in Kentucky, May 24, 1971
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Indiana, May 24, 1971
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Arizona, August 30, 1971
By state
Events filed in each state in 1971.
- Alabama135
- Arizona25
- Arkansas84
- California3
- Colorado63
- Connecticut11
- Delaware9
- Florida151
- Georgia150
- Hawaii5
- Idaho6
- Illinois85
- Indiana89
- Iowa177
- Kansas236
- Kentucky96
- Louisiana64
- Maine20
- Maryland32
- Massachusetts22
- Michigan69
- Minnesota101
- Mississippi128
- Missouri182
- Montana33
- Nebraska141
- Nevada2
- New Hampshire11
- New Jersey5
- New Mexico36
- New York36
- North Carolina44
- North Dakota51
- Ohio81
- Oklahoma189
- Oregon5
- Pennsylvania42
- Rhode Island2
- South Carolina48
- South Dakota93
- Tennessee68
- Texas483
- Utah6
- Vermont5
- Virginia21
- Washington5
- West Virginia6
- Wisconsin100
- Wyoming15
Coastal and lake waters
More from this year
Tornadoes in 1971The 1971 hurricane seasonThis day in weather history
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.