Oxford, AL Tornado History — 83 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Oxford, AL had?
Oxford has had 83 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 13 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Oxford?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Oxford was an EF1 on May 20, 2025.
When is tornado season in Oxford?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Oxford, with 17 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 Oxford
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 21 total, averaging 1.1 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Oxford 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Oxford. 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 Oxford
76 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Oxford since 1950, across 11 events. 696 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 Oxford
About Tornadoes in Oxford
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.
Oxford lies in the foothills of northeastern Alabama, just south of Anniston, where wooded Appalachian ridges roll down toward the plain. It sits squarely in the Deep South, a part of the country where tornadoes are a genuine and recurring hazard, and where hilly, tree-covered terrain can keep a tornado out of sight until it is close at hand.
The region's severe weather is fed by warm, humid air drawn north from the Gulf of Mexico. Paired with the wind shear supplied by a strong jet stream, that moisture can spin up rotating thunderstorms. The Southeast's tornado season is notably two-sided: an active spring, and a second peak in the cool months of late fall and winter. Tornadoes here also form at night more often than on the plains and frequently travel inside fast-moving squall lines, which shortens the warning people receive.
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale rates tornadoes from EF0 to EF5 based on a survey of the damage rather than a measured wind speed. Most are weak, but the local climate can produce rare, violent, long-track tornadoes. For the Oxford area's specific record — total counts, the decade and rating breakdowns, and the deadliest, costliest, and most recent events — consult the figures drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center elsewhere on this page.