Storms of 1989
Every storm the National Weather Service filed in 1989, 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.
1989 on the map
The 600 most significant episodes of 1989, 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
- 10,407
- Deaths
- 79
- Injuries
- 1,675
- Damage
- $1.8 billion
- Episodes
- 1,598
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 | 5,709 | 5 | 73 | |
| Hail | 3,777 | 6 | 87 | |
| Tornado | 921 | 68 | 1,515 | $1.8 billion |
The deadliest
- Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, November 15, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in New York, November 16, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, May 5, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, April 4, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Florida, June 8, 1989
- Tornado and Hail in New York, October 14, 1989
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 17, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, June 8, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Carolina, May 5, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Georgia, October 1, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in New Jersey, November 16, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in New Jersey, March 18, 1989
- Damaging Winds in North Carolina, May 6, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Connecticut, July 10, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Georgia, March 5, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 17, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, June 16, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Carolina, June 16, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Wisconsin, May 24, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, June 6, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, February 21, 1989
- Tornado in Tennessee, May 22, 1989
- Tornado and Hail in Michigan, August 5, 1989
- Tornado in Georgia, November 8, 1989
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Virginia, November 16, 1989
The costliest
- Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, November 15, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Connecticut, July 10, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, May 24, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Carolina, May 5, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in New York, July 10, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in New York, November 16, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Illinois, January 7, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 16, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Georgia, March 5, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Florida, May 1, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Indiana, April 3, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, November 15, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, June 8, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, March 5, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 17, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, April 4, 1989
- Tornadoes in New Jersey, July 10, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 3, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Carolina, May 5, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, November 16, 1989
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, February 20, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, June 7, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, June 11, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, May 30, 1989
- Tornadoes and Hail in Ohio, November 15, 1989
By state
Events filed in each state in 1989.
- Alabama369
- Arizona26
- Arkansas435
- California13
- Colorado147
- Connecticut16
- Delaware15
- District of Columbia3
- Florida291
- Georgia492
- Hawaii1
- Idaho45
- Illinois163
- Indiana270
- Iowa340
- Kansas450
- Kentucky156
- Louisiana323
- Maine27
- Maryland70
- Massachusetts69
- Michigan147
- Minnesota174
- Mississippi361
- Missouri179
- Montana89
- Nebraska280
- Nevada12
- New Hampshire7
- New Jersey119
- New Mexico127
- New York296
- North Carolina430
- North Dakota144
- Ohio219
- Oklahoma998
- Oregon5
- Pennsylvania257
- Rhode Island2
- South Carolina298
- South Dakota113
- Tennessee134
- Texas1,626
- Utah20
- Vermont42
- Virginia218
- Washington8
- West Virginia80
- Wisconsin231
- Wyoming70
Coastal and lake waters
More from this year
Tornadoes in 1989The 1989 hurricane seasonEvery warning issued in 1989This 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.