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Mobile, AL Tornado History — 168 Tornadoes Since 1950

Alabama · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Mobile, AL had?

Mobile has had 168 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Mobile?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Mobile was an EF0 on May 29, 2025.

When is tornado season in Mobile?

October is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Mobile, with 23 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

Tornadoes Since 1950
168
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
3
1.8% of total
Peak Month
October
23 on record
Per Year Avg
2.2
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Mobile

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 62 total, averaging 3.1 per year over this window.

2026 0+7 prelim
2025 1
2024 13
2023 4
2022 19
2021 2
2020 7
2019 5
2018 0
2017 1
2016 0
2015 0
2014 0
2013 1
2012 3
2011 4
2010 1
2009 0
2008 0
2007 1

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Mobile since December 29, 2025

These are 7 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary June 19, 2026
2 N Carpenter, Baldwin County, AL
Preliminary June 19, 2026
2 NNW Spanish Fort, Baldwin County, AL
Preliminary EF1° June 18, 2026
2 ESE Magnolia Grove Go, Mobile County, AL
Preliminary EF0° May 7, 2026
2 NW Bellefontaine, Mobile County, AL
Preliminary EF0° March 12, 2026
Irvington, Mobile County, AL
Preliminary EF0° March 12, 2026
2 SSE Turnerville, Mobile County, AL
Preliminary EF0° March 12, 2026
4 WNW Georgetown, Mobile County, AL

Within 25 miles of Mobile. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 6
1960s 12
1970s 28
1980s 22
1990s 15
2000s 24
2010s 15
2020s 46

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.

EF0 76
EF1 68
EF2 21
EF3 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 10
Feb 8
Mar 22
Apr 19
May 14
Jun 15
Jul 13
Aug 6
Sep 11
Oct 23
Nov 15
Dec 12

Casualties on Record Near Mobile

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Mobile since 1950, across 1 event. 133 injuries have been reported across all events. 1996 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F1 on January 26, 1996, which caused 1 fatality along a 2.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Mobile

Deadliest Tornado
F1 on January 26, 1996 — 1 fatality, 2.0 mi path, 500 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F2 on February 10, 1981 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F1 on January 26, 1996 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on November 3, 1968 — 70.4 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on May 29, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Mobile

This overview was written July 28, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

Mobile sits at the head of Mobile Bay in Mobile County, close enough to the Gulf that tornadoes arrive in the cool months as readily as in spring. On April 18, 1950, an F3 tracked 14 miles through the area and injured 15 people, and on November 3, 1968, an F3 carved a 70.4-mile path roughly 400 yards wide, injuring 18 and causing $275,000 in property damage.

Winter has been repeatedly unkind here. An F2 struck on Christmas Day, December 25, 1964, injuring 3; an EF2 arrived on the same calendar date, December 25, 2012, running 5.15 miles and doing $1,350,000 in property damage. An F1 on January 26, 1996, killed one person along a 2-mile track, an F2 on February 10, 1981, injured 62 and caused $2,750,000 in property damage, and an EF2 on January 12, 2023, stayed on the ground for 11.65 miles.

Spring brings outbreaks of its own: an EF2 on March 9, 2011, injured 4 people, and another EF2 touched down the same day, while March 31, 2022, produced a string of brief EF0 and EF1 touchdowns across the area. Autumn carries risk as well — an F3 struck on November 22, 1997, and tornadoes returned on October 29 and 30, 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Mobile, AL had?
Since 1950, 168 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Mobile. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Mobile?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Mobile was a F1 on January 26, 1996, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Mobile?
October is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Mobile, with 23 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Mobile?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Mobile was an EF0 on May 29, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Mobile?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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