Madison, AL Tornado History — 203 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Madison, AL had?
Madison has had 203 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 24 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Madison?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Madison was an EF0 on May 27, 2025.
When is tornado season in Madison?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Madison, with 56 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 Madison
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 115 total, averaging 5.8 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Madison since December 29, 2025
These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Madison. 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 Madison
201 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Madison since 1950, across 20 events. 1,831 injuries have been reported across all events. 2011 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was an EF5 on April 27, 2011, which caused 72 fatalities along a 132.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Madison
About Tornadoes in Madison
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.
Madison is set in the Tennessee Valley of northern Alabama, between Huntsville and the Tennessee state line, in gently rolling country framed by distant ridges. Like the rest of the valley, it falls within the southeastern belt of the United States where tornadoes are a recurring and serious threat during the severe-weather season.
The Deep South owes its tornado risk to the abundant, warm moisture that flows inland from the Gulf of Mexico. When that moisture meets the wind shear of a strong overhead jet stream, thunderstorms can organize and rotate. Unlike the central plains, the Southeast sees a two-part season — a spring peak and a second surge in late fall and winter — and its tornadoes are more apt to strike at night or to be hidden within fast squall lines, raising the risk to residents.
Tornado intensity is graded on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which runs from EF0 to EF5 according to the damage a tornado produces rather than a direct wind measurement. The great majority of events are weak, but the climate here is capable of producing rare, powerful tornadoes. The tornado history for the Madison area — counts, the decade and rating breakdowns, and the most significant events on record — comes from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center and appears in the figures elsewhere on this page.