Owensboro, KY Tornado History — 96 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Owensboro, KY had?
Owensboro has had 96 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 6 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Owensboro?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Owensboro was an EF0 on June 7, 2025.
When is tornado season in Owensboro?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Owensboro, with 19 on record. April through June account for 52 of the 96 tornadoes on record near Owensboro.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Owensboro
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 50 total, averaging 2.5 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Owensboro since December 29, 2025
These are 6 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
NWS storm survey team determined an EF0 tornado with 85 mph winds impacted portions of Hancock County on June 22... 2026. The tornado was 3.5 miles in length and was on (LMK)
Tornado reported near the Chandler airport. (PAH)
Tornado reported with trees down between Grandview and Lewisport. (PAH)
Brief touchdown reported in Dayville. (PAH)
A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down north of Hartford during the early morning hours on April 28th. The maximum estimated wind (LMK)
An NWS damage survey team found an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 95 mph occurred near Livermore in McLean County... KY... just after midnight on Tuesday... April 28. (PAH)
Within 25 miles of Owensboro. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near Owensboro
4 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Owensboro and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 2, 2025 and the most recent on June 7, 2025. They are already counted in the Owensboro totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
Corrects previous tornado report for touch down location and time. A tornado was in field making brief contact with the ground over a estimated 0.59 mile path northwest (PAH)
Corrects previous tornado report from 3 S Owensboro for later time for touchdown. Brief weak tornado touched down... shared via video. (PAH)
Delayed Report. An EF-2 tornado began in the Pack Church community southwest of Calhoun. Moving northeast... the tornado was identified by trained weather spotters as i (PAH)
EF-1... 93mph The tornado began east of State Route 61 just north of W. North St. on the northwest side of Boonville where the tornado caused some slight roof damage an (PAH)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
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 Owensboro
26 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Owensboro since 1950, across 3 events. 290 injuries have been reported across all events. 2005 was the deadliest year on record near Owensboro.
The deadliest single event was an F3 on November 6, 2005, which caused 24 fatalities along a 41.3-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Owensboro
What the record shows near Owensboro
The 2010s were the busiest decade near Owensboro, with 24 of the 96 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 17 so far. The Owensboro record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Owensboro, 70 reached EF0 or EF1 and 26 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Owensboro is rated EF3, of which 6 are logged.
Across the last 20 years Owensboro has averaged 2.5 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 50 in total. 2024 was the busiest of them with 8, and 4 of those years passed with none at all.