Meridian, MS Tornado History — 159 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Meridian, MS had?
Meridian has had 159 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 14 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Meridian?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Meridian was an EF1 on May 26, 2025.
When is tornado season in Meridian?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Meridian, with 33 on record. April through June account for 48 of the 159 tornadoes on record near Meridian.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Meridian
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 78 total, averaging 3.9 per year over this window.
What storm spotters reported near Meridian
3 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Meridian and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 5, 2025 and the most recent on May 26, 2025. They are already counted in the Meridian totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
Trees and lines down... damage path noted from NE parts of Meridian to Marion to near Dalewood Shore Lake. (JAN)
This short lived EF-2 tornado began just south of Center Grove road where it did minor tree damage... mostly large broken branches and uprooted softwood trees. It quick (JAN)
Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 3 SE Whynot for tornado. Trees were snapped on Shannon Road. (JAN)
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 Meridian
24 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Meridian since 1950, across 7 events. 328 injuries have been reported across all events. 2020 was the deadliest year on record near Meridian.
The deadliest single event was an EF4 on April 12, 2020, which caused 7 fatalities along a 67.4-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Meridian
What the record shows near Meridian
The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near Meridian, with 40 of the 159 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The Meridian record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Meridian, 110 reached EF0 or EF1 and 48 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Meridian is rated EF4, of which 5 are logged. A further 1 near Meridian is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Meridian has averaged 3.9 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 78 in total. 2022 was the busiest of them with 13, and 1 of those years passed with none at all.