Severe Weather History


December Severe Weather in the United States

20,040

Recorded events

1.5%

Share of the whole archive

429

Direct deaths

$3.1B

Property damage

December severe weather accounts for 20,040 recorded events — 1.5% of everything in the U.S. archive — spread across 2,451 counties, with 429 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 December

HazardEventsDeaths
Thunderstorm Wind7,55315
Flood3,45850
Flash Flood2,57549
Tornado2,448291
Hail2,2150
Heavy Rain1,3577
Funnel Cloud1200
Lightning1163
Debris Flow972
Waterspout180
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · every year since 1950 combined

By state

States with the most December severe weather

RankStateEvents
#1Texas1,708
#2Mississippi1,486
#3Alabama1,346
#4California1,332
#5Arkansas1,149
#6Louisiana1,120
#7Missouri1,118
#8Georgia987
#9Tennessee875
#10Kentucky825
#11Florida786
#12Oklahoma578
#13Illinois553
#14Iowa473
#15Virginia467
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · all years combined

Significant events

The deadliest December events on record

DateEventCountyDeaths
Dec 5, 1953Tornado F5Warren County, Mississippi38
Dec 11, 2021Tornado EF4Graves County, Kentucky24
Dec 11, 2021Tornado EF3Warren County, Kentucky16
Dec 11, 2021Tornado EF4Hopkins County, Kentucky15
Dec 11, 2021Tornado EF4Muhlenberg County, Kentucky11
Dec 16, 2000Tornado F4Tuscaloosa County, Alabama11
Dec 18, 1957Tornado F4Jackson County, Illinois11
Dec 27, 2015Tornado EF4Dallas County, Texas10
Dec 3, 1953Tornado F4Vernon Parish, Louisiana7
Dec 15, 1987Tornado F3Crittenden County, Arkansas6
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · dates UTC

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