Storms of 1986
Every storm the National Weather Service filed in 1986, 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.
1986 on the map
The 600 most significant episodes of 1986, 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
- 8,725
- Deaths
- 51
- Injuries
- 915
- Damage
- $1.0 billion
- Episodes
- 1,530
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 | 4,365 | 12 | 71 | |
| Hail | 3,511 | 10 | 167 | |
| Tornado | 849 | 29 | 677 | $1.0 billion |
The deadliest
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 17, 1986
- Damaging Winds in Alabama, August 16, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Ohio, March 10, 1986
- Tornado and Hail in North Carolina, July 2, 1986
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Idaho, April 22, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, February 5, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, March 12, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in New York, June 16, 1986
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, September 24, 1986
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 12, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, May 15, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Indiana, March 10, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 19, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, March 10, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, April 26, 1986
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in New York, August 15, 1986
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 10, 1986
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, May 14, 1986
- Damaging Winds in Arkansas, May 17, 1986
- Damaging Wind in Arkansas, May 18, 1986
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, June 1, 1986
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, June 27, 1986
- Damaging Winds in Missouri, July 10, 1986
- Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, July 18, 1986
- Damaging Winds in South Carolina, July 21, 1986
The costliest
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, July 28, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, May 15, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, July 28, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Indiana, March 10, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, February 5, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 19, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Oklahoma, May 8, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, March 10, 1986
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Georgia, March 19, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Ohio, March 10, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, March 12, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, March 12, 1986
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Illinois, September 29, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Tennessee, February 6, 1986
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, November 25, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, April 12, 1986
- Tornadoes in Georgia, February 10, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, September 28, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Dakota, April 26, 1986
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Iowa, June 29, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, August 6, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, April 26, 1986
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Michigan, April 28, 1986
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 14, 1986
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Colorado, June 8, 1986
By state
Events filed in each state in 1986.
- Alabama266
- Arizona61
- Arkansas281
- California23
- Colorado127
- Connecticut2
- Delaware3
- District of Columbia1
- Florida186
- Georgia232
- Hawaii2
- Idaho25
- Illinois211
- Indiana274
- Iowa358
- Kansas664
- Kentucky164
- Louisiana139
- Maine64
- Maryland28
- Massachusetts18
- Michigan168
- Minnesota203
- Mississippi193
- Missouri204
- Montana27
- Nebraska409
- Nevada9
- New Hampshire52
- New Jersey13
- New Mexico22
- New York240
- North Carolina392
- North Dakota180
- Ohio303
- Oklahoma1,055
- Oregon1
- Pennsylvania228
- Rhode Island4
- South Carolina121
- South Dakota238
- Tennessee93
- Texas1,018
- Utah29
- Vermont51
- Virginia62
- Washington3
- West Virginia44
- Wisconsin145
- Wyoming89
Coastal and lake waters
More from this year
Tornadoes in 1986The 1986 hurricane seasonEvery warning issued in 1986This 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.