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Nashville, TN Tornado History — 145 Tornadoes Since 1950

Tennessee · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Nashville, TN had?

Nashville has had 145 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 8 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Nashville?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Nashville was an EF1 on April 3, 2025.

When is tornado season in Nashville?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Nashville, with 40 on record. April through June account for 70 of the 145 tornadoes on record near Nashville.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
145
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
8
5.5% of total
Peak Month
May
40 on record
Per Year Avg
1.9
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Nashville

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 64 total, averaging 3.2 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 0
2023 4
2022 0
2021 15
2020 1
2019 3
2018 0
2017 6
2016 0
2015 5
2014 0
2013 11
2012 3
2011 4
2010 3
2009 3
2008 5
2007 0

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Nashville 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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° April 28, 2026
5 SW Ridgetop, Davidson County, TN
NWS Nashville storm survey confirmed a brief EF1 tornado touched down near Ridgewood Rd near the Davidson/Robertson County line and impacted residents along Browns Lake (OHX)

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

What storm spotters reported near Nashville

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Nashville and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 3, 2025 and the most recent on April 3, 2025. It is already counted in the Nashville totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

EF1° April 3, 2025
5 SE Gladeville, Wilson County, TN
NWS Nashville confirmed an EF1 tornado across portions of southern and central Wilson County. The tornado had a path length of 11.6 miles and had estimated peak winds o (OHX)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 6
1960s 6
1970s 13
1980s 10
1990s 21
2000s 33
2010s 35
2020s 21

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 53
EF1 59
EF2 25
EF3 6
EF4 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 16
Feb 16
Mar 10
Apr 24
May 40
Jun 6
Jul 6
Aug 7
Sep 0
Oct 4
Nov 6
Dec 10

Casualties on Record Near Nashville

21 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Nashville since 1950, across 7 events. 651 injuries have been reported across all events. 2006 was the deadliest year on record near Nashville.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on April 7, 2006, which caused 7 fatalities along a 22.7-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Nashville

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on April 7, 2006 — 7 fatalities, 22.7 mi path, 880 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF3 on March 3, 2020 — $1.5B in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
EF3 on March 3, 2020 — 1,600 yards wide.
Longest Path
EF3 on March 3, 2020 — 60.1 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on April 3, 2025.

What the record shows near Nashville

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Nashville, with 35 of the 145 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 21 so far. The Nashville record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Nashville, 112 reached EF0 or EF1 and 33 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Nashville is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Nashville has averaged 3.2 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 64 in total. 2021 was the busiest of them with 15, and 7 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Nashville, TN had?
Since 1950, 145 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Nashville. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Nashville?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Nashville was an F3 on April 7, 2006, which caused 7 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Nashville?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Nashville, with 40 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.
Has Nashville been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Nashville, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Nashville?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Nashville was an EF1 on April 3, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Nashville?
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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