Anniston, AL Tornado History — 87 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Anniston, AL had?
Anniston has had 87 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 14 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Anniston?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Anniston was an EF1 on May 20, 2025.
When is tornado season in Anniston?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Anniston, with 20 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Anniston
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 23 total, averaging 1.1 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Anniston since December 29, 2025
These is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
Within 25 miles of Anniston. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Anniston
71 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Anniston since 1950, across 12 events. 702 injuries have been reported across all events. 2011 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was an EF4 on April 27, 2011, which caused 22 fatalities along a 97.3-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Anniston
About Tornadoes in Anniston
This overview was written July 24, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Anniston sits in the foothills of northeastern Alabama, where the southern end of the Appalachians gives way to the coastal plain. This is the Deep South, a region where tornadoes are a serious and recurring hazard, and the wooded, hilly terrain can make them harder to spot than on open ground — one reason severe weather here demands early, careful attention.
The Southeast's tornado climatology differs from the central plains in important ways. Near-constant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico can prime the atmosphere for severe storms not only in spring but again during a secondary cool-season peak in late fall and winter. Tornadoes here are also more likely to form at night and to be embedded in fast-moving squall lines, both of which raise the danger to people who may be asleep or slow to get a warning. A strong jet stream aloft supplies the wind shear that organizes these storms.
Tornado intensity is described on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which rates a tornado from EF0 to EF5 from the damage it leaves rather than a measured wind speed. Weaker tornadoes are the most common, but the region's climate is fully capable of producing violent, long-track events. The tornado history for the Anniston area — counts, decade and rating breakdowns, and the most notable events — is compiled from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center and shown in the figures elsewhere on this page.