Tornadoes · United States · Alabama

Tornadoes in Cullman County, Alabama

93 tornadoes have crossed Cullman County since 1950, 1 of them surveyed so far this year and still preliminary, 6th of the 67 counties in Alabama with a tornado on record, an average of 1.2 a year. They have killed 22 people and injured 346. 2 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

Now

Tornadoes
93
Deaths
22
Injuries
346
F4 and above
2
Worst on record
EF4, April 27, 2011

The deadliest in Cullman County

  1. F3, Fayette, Walker, Winston and Cullman counties, AlabamaNovember 10, 20027 killed, 53 injured
  2. F3, Marshall and Cullman counties, AlabamaFebruary 16, 19956 killed, 130 injured
  3. EF4 Cullman–Arab tornado, AlabamaApril 27, 20116 killed, 48 injured
  4. F4, Cullman County, AlabamaMarch 11, 19632 killed, 6 injured
  5. EF2, Cullman County, AlabamaApril 27, 20111 killed

The strongest

  1. EF4 Cullman–Arab tornado, AlabamaApril 27, 2011EF4, 46.9 mi (75 km)
  2. F4, Cullman County, AlabamaMarch 11, 1963F4, 28.0 mi (45 km)
  3. F3, Fayette, Walker, Winston and Cullman counties, AlabamaNovember 10, 2002F3, 72.6 mi (117 km)
  4. F3, Cullman and Morgan counties, AlabamaAugust 16, 1985F3, 32.0 mi (51 km)
  5. F3, Cullman, Morgan and Marshall counties, AlabamaMarch 7, 1961F3, 19.3 mi (31 km)
  6. F3, Cullman County, AlabamaNovember 15, 1983F3, 17.0 mi (27 km)
  7. F3, Marshall, Morgan and Cullman counties, AlabamaApril 8, 1957F3, 16.3 mi (26 km)
  8. F3, Marshall and Cullman counties, AlabamaFebruary 16, 1995F3, 14.0 mi (23 km)
  9. F3, Cullman County, AlabamaJanuary 19, 1988F3, 10.0 mi (16 km)
  10. F3, Cullman County, AlabamaMarch 20, 1976F3, 9.3 mi (15 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 45 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Cullman County. Each year links to every tornado in Alabama that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
20261EF1
20213EF1
20208EF2
20191EF1
201833EF2
20173EF2
20162EF2
20151EF1
20141EF3
20131EF1
20115748EF4
20101EF2
20087EF2
20071EF2
20065F1
20051F0
20031F0
20022753F3
20012F1
19984F1
19971F0
199526130F3
19931F1
1988135F3
198625F2
198576F3
1983619F3
19821F2
197713F2
1976117F3
197511F2
19731F2
19701F2
19691F1
196611F2
19651F1
19641F2
1963126F4
19621F1
196118F3
19591F2
19582F2
195723F3
195216F1
195112F2

Every tornado that crossed Cullman County

93 tornadoes, newest first. The 1 at the top is this year's, from the surveying office rather than SPC's published database, and its rating is marked as preliminary.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 22, 202612:57 PM CDTEF1Cullman8.7300
March 31, 20213:45 AM CDTEF1Winston1.2305
March 28, 20215:38 AM CDTEF1Cullman2.1100
March 17, 20219:31 PM CDTEF1Cullman8.5150
August 28, 20205:58 PM CDTEF0Morgan0.240
August 28, 20205:27 PM CDTEF1Cullman5.6115
April 12, 20209:12 PM CDTEF2Cullman2.5350
April 12, 20209:11 PM CDTEF1Cullman0.370
April 12, 20209:00 PM CDTEF1Cullman5.4300
April 12, 20208:51 PM CDTEF1Cullman3.0200
January 11, 20201:13 PM CSTEF1Marshall1.860
January 11, 20201:03 PM CSTEF0Cullman0.280
March 14, 20194:10 PM CDTEF1Cullman11.1112
June 22, 20186:46 PM CDTEF2Winston7.02603
March 19, 20186:29 PM CDTEF1Morgan14.0550
February 28, 20184:46 PM CSTEF0Cullman1.3100
August 31, 20178:58 PM CDTEF2Cullman13.6300
April 30, 20172:12 PM CDTEF0Cullman10.1215
April 22, 20175:40 PM CDTEF1Cullman4.4200
November 29, 201610:20 PM CSTEF1Winston3.1100
November 29, 20168:52 PM CSTEF2Winston9.51,000
July 14, 20156:59 PM CDTEF1Morgan4.9300
April 28, 20149:39 PM CDTEF3Cullman8.9350
January 30, 20136:01 AM CSTEF1Winston6.4300$50,000
April 27, 20117:09 PM CDTEF0Cullman1.2100
April 27, 20112:40 PM CDTEF4Cullman–Arab tornado46.9880648
April 27, 20116:20 AM CDTEF1Marshall11.075
April 27, 20115:48 AM CDTEF2Cullman30.38801
February 24, 201111:10 PM CSTEF0Cullman0.220
April 24, 20106:57 PM CDTEF2Cullman5.8300
May 10, 200812:37 AM CDTEF2Walker13.5330$155,000
May 8, 20082:40 PM CDTEF1Cullman6.6100$50,000
May 8, 20082:20 PM CDTEF1Cullman3.3100$20,000
May 8, 20082:00 PM CDTEF1Walker3.3600$120,000
April 11, 20083:05 PM CDTEF0Cullman0.140$5,000
April 11, 20081:46 PM CDTEF0Cullman0.210$2.0 million
February 6, 20084:00 AM CSTEF0Cullman0.320
March 1, 20073:45 PM CSTEF2Winston9.6100$50,000
April 7, 200611:50 PM CDTF1Cullman0.230$120,000
March 13, 20066:50 PM CSTF0Cullman0.120
March 13, 20066:47 PM CSTF0Cullman0.120
March 13, 20066:45 PM CSTF0Cullman0.150
March 13, 20065:56 PM CSTF0Cullman0.120
November 15, 20058:30 PM CSTF0Cullman0.325$40,000
May 6, 200311:16 AM CDTF0Cullman0.120
November 10, 20028:15 PM CSTF3Fayette72.61,175753$4.3 million
October 4, 200211:06 AM CDTF0Cullman1.0100$20,000
November 24, 20011:02 PM CSTF0Cullman0.250$1,000
November 24, 200112:59 PM CSTF1Cullman2.1200$70,000
April 16, 19989:15 PM CDTF1Cullman3.7100$70,000
April 16, 19989:04 PM CDTF1Cullman5.890$60,000
April 16, 19988:57 PM CDTF0Cullman4.080$30,000
April 16, 19988:46 PM CDTF1Walker5.5110$150,000
July 28, 19973:45 PM CDTF0Cullman1.030
March 7, 19954:45 PM CSTF0Cullman1.580$5,000 to $50,000
February 16, 19954:59 AM CSTF3Marshall14.07036130$500,000 to $5 million
May 3, 19937:30 PM CDTF1Cullman1.020
January 19, 19885:25 PM CSTF3Cullman10.044035$5 million to $50 million
May 24, 198610:25 PM CDTF1Winston10.030$50 to $500
March 12, 19868:20 PM CSTF2Marshall7.02005$500,000 to $5 million
August 16, 19853:20 PM CDTF2Cullman10.080$50,000 to $500,000
August 16, 19852:20 PM CDTF1Cullman5.550$500 to $5,000
August 16, 19852:15 PM CDTF3Cullman32.01006$500,000 to $5 million
August 16, 19851:55 PM CDTF0Cullman0.840$500 to $5,000
August 16, 19851:33 PM CDTF1Cullman0.630$5,000 to $50,000
August 1, 19855:19 PM CDTF0Cullman0.130under $50
April 5, 19854:34 PM CSTF3Cullman3.0100$50,000 to $500,000
November 15, 198312:12 AM CSTF3Cullman17.020019$500,000 to $5 million
May 19, 19833:30 AM CDTF2Cullman4.0150$5,000 to $50,000
May 15, 198310:19 AM CDTF1Cullman0.150$500 to $5,000
May 3, 19838:10 AM CDTF1Cullman0.150$5,000 to $50,000
February 22, 19832:15 PM CSTF1Cullman1.040$5,000 to $50,000
February 22, 19832:05 PM CSTF2Cullman1.560$50,000 to $500,000
January 3, 198210:40 PM CSTF2Cullman0.5100$50,000 to $500,000
April 4, 197711:12 AM CSTF2Cullman5.92003$5,000 to $50,000
March 20, 197610:45 PM CSTF3Cullman9.310017$500,000 to $5 million
February 23, 19752:20 PM CDTF2Cullman2.02001$50,000 to $500,000
November 27, 19736:30 PM CSTF2Cullman0.110$50,000 to $500,000
June 21, 19708:00 PM CDTF2Cullman3.810$50,000 to $500,000
May 18, 196911:00 AM GMT-5F1Cullman0.550$5,000 to $50,000
November 10, 19668:15 AM GMT-6F2Cullman7.6101$50,000 to $500,000
September 11, 19659:00 PM GMT-5F1Cullman4.310$5,000 to $50,000
April 7, 19648:30 AM GMT-6F2Cullman5.150$50,000 to $500,000
March 11, 19632:00 PM GMT-6F4Cullman28.088026$500,000 to $5 million
March 25, 19623:30 PM GMT-6F1Cullman3.810$5,000 to $50,000
March 7, 196111:40 PM GMT-6F3Cullman19.32008$50,000 to $500,000
January 21, 19595:45 AM GMT-6F2Cullman1.010$5,000 to $50,000
April 5, 195811:20 PM GMT-6F2Morgan6.610$5,000 to $50,000
April 5, 195811:00 PM GMT-6F1Cullman8.8200$50,000 to $500,000
November 17, 19574:10 PM GMT-6F1Cullman9.2103$50,000 to $500,000
April 8, 195710:30 AM GMT-6F3Marshall16.310$50,000 to $500,000
February 13, 19528:30 PM GMT-6F1Cullman6.04006$500,000 to $5 million
November 15, 19513:00 PM GMT-6F2Cullman0.11502$500 to $5,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in Cullman CountyThe forecast for Cullman CountyThe live radar over Cullman CountyEvery county in Alabama

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.