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Silver Spring, MD Tornado History — 121 Tornadoes Since 1950

Maryland · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Silver Spring, MD had?

Silver Spring has had 121 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Silver Spring?

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

When is tornado season in Silver Spring?

July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Silver Spring, with 23 on record. April through June account for 53 of the 121 tornadoes on record near Silver Spring.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
121
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
3
2.5% of total
Peak Month
July
23 on record
Per Year Avg
1.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Silver Spring

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 53 total, averaging 2.6 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 4
2023 1
2022 5
2021 3
2020 2
2019 3
2018 1
2017 4
2016 1
2015 1
2014 2
2013 3
2012 7
2011 9
2010 1
2009 1
2008 4
2007 0

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Silver Spring 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Silver Spring. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Silver Spring

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Silver Spring 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 Silver Spring 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 5
1970s 10
1980s 4
1990s 32
2000s 18
2010s 32
2020s 16

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 61
EF1 47
EF2 9
EF3 3
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 1
Mar 3
Apr 16
May 15
Jun 22
Jul 23
Aug 14
Sep 12
Oct 10
Nov 4
Dec 1

Casualties on Record Near Silver Spring

3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Silver Spring since 1950, across 2 events. 122 injuries have been reported across all events. 2001 was the deadliest year on record near Silver Spring.

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

Notable Tornadoes Near Silver Spring

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 Silver Spring

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Silver Spring, with 32 of the 121 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 16 so far. The Silver Spring record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Silver Spring, 108 reached EF0 or EF1 and 12 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Silver Spring is rated EF3, of which 3 are logged. A further 1 near Silver Spring is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Silver Spring has averaged 2.6 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 53 in total. 2011 was the busiest of them with 9, and 2 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Silver Spring, MD had?
Since 1950, 121 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Silver Spring. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Silver Spring?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Silver Spring was an F3 on September 24, 2001, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Silver Spring?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Silver Spring, with 23 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 Silver Spring?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Silver Spring was an EF0 on June 18, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Silver Spring?
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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