VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Salisbury, MD Tornado History — 42 Tornadoes Since 1950

Maryland · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Salisbury, MD had?

Salisbury has had 42 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 strong to violent (EF3+) tornado.

When was the most recent tornado near Salisbury?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Salisbury was an EF0 on June 30, 2025.

When is tornado season in Salisbury?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Salisbury, with 11 on record. April through June account for 20 of the 42 tornadoes on record near Salisbury.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
42
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
1
2.4% of total
Peak Month
May
11 on record
Per Year Avg
0.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Salisbury

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 12 total, averaging 0.6 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Salisbury 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 EF0° July 18, 2026
2 NE Hurlock, Dorchester County, MD
An EF0 tornado with 80 to 85 mph wind removed part of the metal roof from the WIN Transport Facility. An adjacent building and tractor trailers were also damaged. (AKQ)

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

What storm spotters reported near Salisbury

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Salisbury and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 16, 2025 and the most recent on June 30, 2025. They are already counted in the Salisbury totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.

June 30, 2025
2 ENE Frankford, Sussex County, DE
Report of large tree branches down along Omar Road west of Pyle Center Road... including some down on power lines. Several videos via social media support that this dam (PHI)
May 16, 2025
2 SW Brookview, Dorchester County, MD
NWS Storm Survey confirms a tornado touched down south-southeast of Rhodesdale... along Rhodesdale-Vienna Road. Significant tree damage occurred to a line of trees to t (AKQ)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 3
1960s 3
1970s 2
1980s 4
1990s 10
2000s 9
2010s 3
2020s 8

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 20
EF1 18
EF2 3
EF3 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 1
Feb 0
Mar 0
Apr 6
May 11
Jun 3
Jul 7
Aug 11
Sep 1
Oct 1
Nov 1
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Salisbury

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Salisbury since 1950, across 1 event. 29 injuries have been reported across all events. 1984 was the deadliest year on record near Salisbury.

The deadliest single event was an F1 on May 8, 1984, which caused 1 fatality along a 18.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Salisbury

Deadliest Tornado
F1 on May 8, 1984 — 1 fatality, 18.0 mi path, 150 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F1 on May 8, 1984 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF1 on May 16, 2025 — 600 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on April 28, 2002 — 18.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on June 30, 2025.

What the record shows near Salisbury

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Salisbury, with 10 of the 42 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 8 so far. The Salisbury record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Salisbury, 38 reached EF0 or EF1 and 4 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Salisbury is rated EF3, of which 1 is logged.

Across the last 20 years Salisbury has averaged 0.6 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 12 in total. 2020 was the busiest of them with 5, and 14 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Salisbury, MD had?
Since 1950, 42 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Salisbury. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Salisbury?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Salisbury was an F1 on May 8, 1984, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Salisbury?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Salisbury, with 11 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 Salisbury?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Salisbury was an EF0 on June 30, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Salisbury?
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

More Cities in Maryland