Severe Weather History


October Severe Weather in the United States

35,109

Recorded events

2.7%

Share of the whole archive

346

Direct deaths

$13.8B

Property damage

October severe weather accounts for 35,109 recorded events — 2.7% of everything in the U.S. archive — spread across 2,957 counties, with 346 direct deaths since 1950.

Recorded severe weather events by month across the whole U.S. archive
Recorded severe weather events by month across the whole U.S. archive

By hazard type

What hits the U.S. in October

HazardEventsDeaths
Thunderstorm Wind12,84323
Hail8,7151
Flash Flood5,038124
Tornado3,157107
Flood2,36527
Heavy Rain1,8867
Lightning40316
Funnel Cloud3560
Wildfire13421
Debris Flow1001
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · every year since 1950 combined

By state

States with the most October severe weather

RankStateEvents
#1Texas5,764
#2Oklahoma2,395
#3Kansas1,771
#4Arkansas1,645
#5Missouri1,610
#6Florida1,095
#7Louisiana1,056
#8Illinois1,003
#9Mississippi986
#10Virginia985
#11Iowa937
#12North Carolina931
#13New York928
#14Nebraska891
#15Tennessee836
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · all years combined

Significant events

The deadliest October events on record

DateEventCountyDeaths
Oct 3, 1964Tornado F4Lafourche Parish, Louisiana22
Oct 26, 2003WildfireSan Diego County, California14
Oct 17, 1998Flash FloodBexar County, Texas11
Oct 4, 1998Flash FloodJackson County, Missouri9
Oct 17, 1998Flash FloodCaldwell County, Texas6
Oct 14, 1966Tornado F5Wright County, Iowa6
Oct 9, 2024Tornado EF3St. Lucie County, Florida6
Oct 5, 1970Tornado F4Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma4
Oct 17, 1998Flash FloodGuadalupe County, Texas4
Oct 9, 2016FloodJohnston County, North Carolina4
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · dates UTC

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