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North Bethesda, MD Tornado History — 124 Tornadoes Since 1950

Maryland · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has North Bethesda, MD had?

North Bethesda has had 124 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near North Bethesda?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of North Bethesda was an EF0 on June 18, 2025.

When is tornado season in North Bethesda?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near North Bethesda, with 25 on record. April through June account for 53 of the 124 tornadoes on record near North Bethesda.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
124
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
3
2.4% of total
Peak Month
June
25 on record
Per Year Avg
1.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near North Bethesda

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 60 total, averaging 3.0 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 4
2023 1
2022 4
2021 3
2020 4
2019 4
2018 2
2017 4
2016 1
2015 2
2014 2
2013 3
2012 9
2011 9
2010 0
2009 3
2008 4
2007 0

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

Preliminary tornado reports near North Bethesda 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary EF1° March 11, 2026
2 S Gaither, Howard County, MD
National Weather Service Storm Survey confirms a brief EF-1 tornado occurred in Cooksville... MD from approximately 7:06PM to 7:07PM. Maximum wind is estimated at 90 mp (LWX)

Within 25 miles of North Bethesda. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near North Bethesda

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of North Bethesda and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on June 18, 2025 and the most recent on June 19, 2025. They are already counted in the North Bethesda totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.

EF0° June 19, 2025
Odenton, Anne Arundel County, MD
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)
EF0° June 18, 2025
Odenton, Anne Arundel County, MD
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)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 3
1970s 8
1980s 4
1990s 31
2000s 21
2010s 36
2020s 17

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 64
EF1 46
EF2 11
EF3 3

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 5
Mar 3
Apr 15
May 13
Jun 25
Jul 23
Aug 12
Sep 13
Oct 9
Nov 6
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near North Bethesda

3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of North Bethesda since 1950, across 2 events. 123 injuries have been reported across all events. 2001 was the deadliest year on record near North Bethesda.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on September 24, 2001, which caused 2 fatalities along a 17.5-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near North Bethesda

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on September 24, 2001 — 2 fatalities, 17.5 mi path, 200 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on April 1, 1973 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF0 on June 21, 2016 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
EF0 on June 13, 2013 — 20.1 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on June 18, 2025.

What the record shows near North Bethesda

The 2010s were the busiest decade near North Bethesda, with 36 of the 124 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 17 so far. The North Bethesda record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near North Bethesda, 110 reached EF0 or EF1 and 14 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near North Bethesda is rated EF3, of which 3 are logged.

Across the last 20 years North Bethesda has averaged 3.0 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 60 in total. 2011 was the busiest of them with 9, and 3 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has North Bethesda, MD had?
Since 1950, 124 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of North Bethesda. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near North Bethesda?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of North Bethesda was an F3 on September 24, 2001, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in North Bethesda?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near North Bethesda, with 25 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 North Bethesda?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of North Bethesda was an EF0 on June 18, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for North Bethesda?
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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