42
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
35
Direct injuries
$7.4M
Property damage
Tornado in Calloway County, Kentucky: 42 recorded events between 1963 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #567 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Calloway County, Kentucky: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Calloway County is the 2000s, when 14 of the county's 42 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Calloway County archive, tornado makes up 9.1% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #567 for this hazard and #2 within Kentucky, putting it in the 80.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Calloway County with 12 recorded events, while Sep is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-03-04 | EF4 | 18.5 mi | 250 yd | Touched down here |
| 1968-04-03 | EF4 | 50.6 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2021-12-10 | EF3 | 122.6 mi | 2,000 yd | Crossed in |
| 2003-05-04 | EF2 | 1.8 mi | 60 yd | Touched down here |
| 2001-11-24 | EF2 | 11.5 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 2000-05-26 | EF2 | 1.5 mi | 300 yd | Touched down here |
| 2025-04-02 | EF1 | 17.1 mi | 200 yd | Crossed in |
| 2024-05-26 | EF1 | 4.0 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-05-26 | EF1 | 22.0 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2021-12-06 | EF1 | 9.6 mi | 500 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 1968 | F4 | 1 | 15 | $2.5M | |
| Mar 4, 1964 | F4 | 0 | 8 | $250K | |
| Nov 24, 2001 | HAZEL | F2 | 0 | 4 | $750K |
| May 26, 2000 | MIDWAY | F2 | 0 | 4 | $250K |
| Mar 23, 1979 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $250K | |
| Nov 26, 1973 | F1 | 0 | 2 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2024 | FAXON | EF1 | $20K |
| May 26, 2024 | LYNN GROVE | EF1 | $80K |
| Apr 5, 2023 | STELLA | EF0 | $100K |
| Dec 11, 2021 | NEW CONCORD | EF1 | $20K |
| Dec 6, 2021 | LYNN GROVE | EF1 | $225K |
| Feb 25, 2018 | MURRAY | EF1 | $550K |
| Feb 25, 2018 | TAYLORS STORE | EF1 | $350K |
| Mar 10, 2017 | MURRAY | EF1 | $75K |
| Mar 1, 2017 | TAYLORS STORE | EF0 | $35K |
| Jul 3, 2016 | COLDWATER | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Calloway County
- Thunderstorm Wind 190
- Hail 105
- Flash Flood 60
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A total of 45 to 50 structures were damaged or destroyed. The tornado, which tore through rural farm country, first touched down about one quarter mile inside the Tennessee state line. It moved north-northeast, directly impacting the small community of Harris Grove. The damage path ended 2 miles east of Stella, just after the tornado crossed Kentucky Highway 121. Maximum winds in the tornado were estimated at 130 MPH. The breakdown of structural damage included: Two destroyed houses, two destroyed mobile homes, two destroyed car garages, ten destroyed barns, twelve damaged homes, seven damaged mobile homes, and fourteen damaged barns. A tobacco barn, still containing its crop, was blown onto Kentucky Highway 94 west of Murray. Two of the most seriously injured, who required hospitalization for cuts and bruises, were in mobile homes. The other two injured persons were treated and released. Four mobile home residents were trapped by fallen trees and were rescued by emergency personnel.
This EF-1 tornado crossed the southern part of the city of Murray, damaging about 40 homes. The tornado touched down several blocks west of Highway 641 and lifted on the east edge of the city at the Clarks River floodplain. Most of the damage consisted of roof damage, mainly shingle loss. Two homes were a total loss, with roof decking removed, windows blown out, and part of an exterior wall caved in due to projectile impacts. At least four businesses were damaged, with the majority of the roof removed from one. Dozens of trees were uprooted or broken. The mayor of Murray declared a state of emergency. Peak winds were estimated near 105 mph.
This EF-1 tornado moved from Graves County into Calloway County near State Route 97. The tornado tracked across mainly rural farm country before lifting a few miles southwest of Murray. Most of the path and associated damage was in Calloway County. More than a half dozen barns were damaged or destroyed. A newly built, well-constructed barn was completely destroyed, and debris was strewn hundreds of yards. Two empty grain bins were blown over. Several homes were damaged, mainly due to fallen trees and blowing debris. Two semi trailers were overturned. Two mobile homes were blown from their foundations. Many dozens of trees, some very large, were snapped or uprooted. At least one eyewitness observed the tornado. Peak winds were estimated near 100 mph.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Calloway County, Kentucky?
42 tornado events are recorded in Calloway County between 1963 and 2024, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Calloway County?
The strongest tornado on record in Calloway County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Calloway County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Tornado in Calloway County, Kentucky.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kentucky/calloway-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.