NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Counce, TN
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
11 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Counce, Tennessee since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Olga in 2019. Since 1950, 78 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 16 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 11
- Tornadoes
- 78
- EF3 or stronger
- 16
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
38 deaths in all
What the records show for Counce
None of the 11 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Counce; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, a tropical storm with 60 mph winds when its centre passed 57 miles away. The record near Counce begins with an unnamed storm in 1860; the most recent system was Olga in 2019, a tropical storm 68 miles away. The 1910s and the 1950s were the busiest decades, with 2 systems each. Of the 11 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Counce has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 97% of the 339 Tennessee cities on this site. The strongest of the 78 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F5 on April 16, 1998; its path came within 19 miles, and it killed 3 people. The deadliest, an EF3 on March 31, 2023, killed 9 people. Of the 78, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 38 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 16. The most recent tornado was on May 20, 2025. Of the 339 Tennessee cities, 54% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Counce. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 27 times since 1984, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 339 Tennessee cities, 90% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Counce.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Counce
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | OlgaOct 26 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2005 | KatrinaAug 30 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 13 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 28 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1950 | BakerAug 31 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1934 | Unnamed 1934 stormJun 17 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 18 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 19 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormSep 30 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormOct 3 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Counce: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Counce
By decade
- 2020s12(2 EF3+)
- 2010s14(2 EF3+)
- 2000s12(1 EF3+)
- 1990s8(3 EF3+)
- 1980s7(1 EF3+)
- 1970s9(3 EF3+)
- 1960s5(2 EF3+)
- 1950s11(2 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 1998 | F5 | 19 mi | 69.4 mi | 3 / 36 |
| Dec 23, 2015 | EF4 | 18 mi | 75.09 mi | 9 / 36 |
| Apr 19, 1970 | F4 | in town | 47.6 mi | 4 / 78 |
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF4 | 16 mi | 16.17 mi | 3 / 5 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF3 | 17 mi | 86.01 mi | 9 / 23 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF3 | 17 mi | 29.15 mi | 5 / 14 |
| Mar 22, 1991 | F3 | 15 mi | 22 mi | 4 / 45 |
| Dec 23, 2015 | EF3 | 19 mi | 48.38 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F3 | 20 mi | 38 mi | 0 / 22 |
| Nov 4, 1988 | F3 | 11 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 1976 | F3 | 5 mi | 10.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 1971 | F3 | 13 mi | 9.8 mi | 0 / 5 |
The strongest 12 of 78, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Counce
The Storm Prediction Center has 27 hail reports within 10 miles of Counce since 1984, made on 20 separate days. Of these, 20 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on April 3, 2025, the most recent report. March has the most reports, 9.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Counce
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Savannah 6 SW, TN, 8 miles north of Counce at 420 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 70°F; January is the coolest, at 51°F and 30°F. May is the wettest at 6.2 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.9 inches; the year adds up to 59.2 inches over 82 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 44% of the year's precipitation (25.8 of 59.2 inches); the other six months are wetter. October has brought the most of the 11 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (4); a normal October there has highs of 76°F and 3.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 66 days a year, almost all from May to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 71 nights a year. That 59.2 inches is more than at 98 of the 122 Tennessee stations used on this site (80%). Burnsville, MS, 15 miles south, has its own station (Iuka, MS): 62.3 inches a year, 3.1 more than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 30 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Feb | 56 | 33 | 5.4 | 8 |
| Mar | 65 | 40 | 5.6 | 8 |
| Apr | 74 | 49 | 5.7 | 8 |
| May | 81 | 59 | 6.2 | 8 |
| Jun | 88 | 67 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Aug | 91 | 69 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Sep | 86 | 61 | 4.3 | 5 |
| Oct | 76 | 49 | 3.9 | 5 |
| Nov | 64 | 40 | 4.2 | 6 |
| Dec | 54 | 34 | 5.6 | 8 |
| Year | 73 | 50 | 59.2 | 82 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Savannah 6 SW, TN (420 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Counce
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 49 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Counce: 43 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 1 flood and 1 lightning strike. They killed 3 people and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $2.9 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on April 3, 1998.
September 4, 2011: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Counce — 1 killed, $20,000 damage.
NWS: “P. Coleman State Park by driving his vehicle through a flooded low water crossing.”
July 4, 2018: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Counce — 1 killed, $20,000 damage.
NWS: “Tree fell on car initially injuring a woman who later passed away at the hospital.”
March 31, 2015: flash flood 10 miles from the centre of Counce — 1 killed.
NWS: “A local Lauderdale county man drowned after he was stuck in his truck while attempting to cross high waters along Panther Creek near County Road 105 in Waterloo, Alabama.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in Counce's ZIP code 38326 have filed 23 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1983, and were paid $542,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The year with the most claims was 2019, with 10. 13% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 155 Tennessee cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 56 have fewer than Counce.
Hardin County, which includes Counce, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1973, 24 of them major disasters (by incident: 16 severe storms, 4 floods, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tornadoes). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on February 6, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Hardin County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for strong wind; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $19.6 million a year, the 36th highest of 95 Tennessee counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $5.0 million (26%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Counce
- Michie, TN9 mi
- Savannah, TN11 mi
- Burnsville, MS15 mi
- Glen, MS15 mi
- Adamsville, TN15 mi
- Corinth, MS16 mi
- Ramer, TN19 mi
- Iuka, MS19 mi
- Selmer, TN20 mi
- Rienzi, MS25 mi
- Cherokee, AL26 mi
- Bethel Springs, TN26 mi
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