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Obion County, Tennessee severe weather history spans 281 recorded events between 1954 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 53.4% of all recorded events. It ranks #1,889 nationally and #56 in Tennessee.
281
Recorded events
3
Direct deaths
5
Direct injuries
$22.2M
Property damage
The record
What the Obion County, Tennessee severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Obion County, Tennessee severe weather history averages 3.9 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 75 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 34 events fall before 1990 and 247 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Obion County, Tennessee record is thunderstorm wind, responsible for 1 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $7.3M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Obion County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 150 | 1 | $5.4M | 78 | 1957–2026 |
| Hail | 57 | 0 | $59K | 2.75 | 1959–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 33 | 1 | $7.1M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Tornado | 25 | 1 | $7.3M | F2 | 1954–2025 |
| Flood | 11 | 0 | $2.3M | 0 | 1998–2025 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $40K | 0 | 1996–2010 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2019–2019 |
Decade by decade
Obion County, Tennessee severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
25 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 19 touched down inside it and 6 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-10 | EF4 | 57 | 515 | 168.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2021-12-10 | EF4 | 8 | 14 | 81.2 mi | Crossed in |
| 2021-12-10 | EF3 | 0 | 38 | 122.6 mi | Crossed in |
| 2017-03-09 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 10.2 mi | Crossed in |
| 2014-04-28 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 12.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1995-05-18 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 24.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1982-04-02 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 11.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1973-05-23 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 9.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1967-12-11 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 10.3 mi | Touched down here |
| 1954-05-03 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 3.6 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Obion County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | SOUTH FULTON | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Dec 11, 2021 | Tornado | LASSITER CORNER | 1 | 0 | $2.5M |
| Apr 4, 2008 | Flash Flood | UNION CITY ARPT | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Feb 25, 2018 | Tornado | GIBBS | 0 | 3 | $2.0M |
| Apr 28, 2014 | Tornado | FREMONT | 0 | 1 | $250K |
| Dec 11, 1967 | Tornado | 0 | 1 | $250K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The tornado crossed from Lake County to Obion County. The tornado's width was shrinking as it approached Samburg, however, it was still strong enough to damage homes, businesses, and city buildings in Samburg. Many homes suffered partial roof loss, and several mobile homes were separated from their undercarriages. A recreational vehicle in a mobile home park along Lake Drive in Samburg was destroyed, resulting in one fatality. The tornado continued northeast from Samburg, damaging several homes along Old Samburg Road. The last observed damage was west of Treece Road. Peak winds in Obion County were estimated at 130 mph.
Significant flooding occurred in Rives, TN due to a levee overtopping. The entire town was flooded. All 105 homes suffered at least some damage with 60 homes suffering significant damage. Roads and culverts throughout town were damaged.
The tornado occurred just east of Union City, Tennessee. The tornado's damage pattern suggested a broad, occasionally disorganized circulation with several small swaths of more intense damage. A number of homes along the path had roof damage. Several mobile homes were destroyed. The most significant damage was noted on Orchard and Jenkins Roads and also along Knox Daniel Road. Peak winds were estimated at 105-110 mph.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk rating
30,453
Population (ACS)
$134K
Median home value
22
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM |
| Jun 19, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Apr 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | EM |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADO | DR |
| Jan 14, 2022 | Tornado | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Union City 108
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Obion County, Tennessee?
281 events are on record between 1954 and 2026, causing 3 direct deaths and $22.2M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Obion County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 150 recorded events — 53.4% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Obion County?
25 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 19 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Obion County?
22 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Obion County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Obion County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Obion County as relatively moderate risk, placing it in the 81 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Obion County, Tennessee severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Morgan County 324
- Overton County 290
- Moore County 289
- Perry County 222
- Montgomery County 534
- Pickett County 99
Cite this page
“Obion County, Tennessee.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/tennessee/obion-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.