Bowie, MD Tornado History — 107 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Bowie, MD had?
Bowie has had 107 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Bowie?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bowie was an EF0 on July 31, 2025.
When is tornado season in Bowie?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bowie, with 22 on record. April through June account for 51 of the 107 tornadoes on record near Bowie.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Bowie
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 51 total, averaging 2.5 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Bowie since December 29, 2025
This 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
A second tornado touched down along Lake Drive in the Arnold/Cape Saint Claire area for about a minute. Significant convergent tree damage was noted... along with the g (LWX)
Within 25 miles of Bowie. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near Bowie
3 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Bowie and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 16, 2025 and the most recent on June 19, 2025. They are already counted in the Bowie totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
NWS Storm Survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado briefly touched down in Odenton... MD at approximately 440 pm... with peak winds estimated at 80mph. Path length was 0.1 mile (LWX)
Corrected for time/date. NWS Storm Survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado briefly touched down in Odenton... MD at approximately 215 pm... with peak winds estimated at 80mph. (LWX)
NWS storm survey can confirm a tornado touched down around Federal Hill in Baltimore City and tracked east before lifting in Dundalk. The tornado was given a preliminar (LWX)
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 Bowie
5 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Bowie since 1950, across 3 events. 119 injuries have been reported across all events. 2018 was the deadliest year on record near Bowie.
The deadliest single event was an F3 on September 24, 2001, which caused 2 fatalities along a 17.5-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Bowie
What the record shows near Bowie
The 1990s were the busiest decade near Bowie, with 28 of the 107 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 17 so far. The Bowie record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Bowie, 96 reached EF0 or EF1 and 10 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Bowie is rated EF3, of which 4 are logged. A further 1 near Bowie is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Bowie has averaged 2.5 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 51 in total. 2008 was the busiest of them with 6, and 4 of those years passed with none at all.