205
Recorded events
13
Counties affected
105
Direct deaths
$544.5M
Property damage
Massachusetts tornado history: 205 recorded events across 13 counties between 1951 and 2025.
Decade by decade
Massachusetts tornado history by decade
The 1950s are the busiest decade on record with 41 reported tornado events across Massachusetts. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most tornado events in Massachusetts
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Worcester County | 52 | 92 | $264.3M | 1953–2025 |
| #2 | Franklin County | 25 | 0 | $1.1M | 1954–2017 |
| #3 | Middlesex County | 21 | 1 | $4.9M | 1955–2025 |
| #4 | Berkshire County | 19 | 7 | $28.5M | 1955–2020 |
| #5 | Hampden County | 19 | 3 | $228.3M | 1956–2020 |
| #6 | Norfolk County | 15 | 1 | $4.1M | 1953–2023 |
| #7 | Bristol County | 13 | 0 | $2.7M | 1953–2024 |
| #8 | Essex County | 12 | 0 | $563K | 1951–1991 |
| #9 | Plymouth County | 10 | 1 | $566K | 1958–2023 |
| #10 | Hampshire County | 9 | 0 | $558K | 1954–2017 |
| #11 | Barnstable County | 8 | 0 | $4.9M | 1968–2023 |
| #12 | Suffolk County | 1 | 0 | $4.0M | 2014–2014 |
| #13 | Dukes County | 1 | 0 | $0 | 1951–1951 |
Significant events
Deadliest tornado events in Massachusetts
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 1953 | Worcester County | F4 | 90 | 1,228 |
| Aug 28, 1973 | Berkshire County | F4 | 4 | 36 |
| May 29, 1995 | Berkshire County | F4 | 3 | 24 |
| Jun 1, 2011 | Hampden County | EF3 | 3 | 200 |
| Aug 10, 1979 | Worcester County | F2 | 2 | 2 |
| Oct 3, 1970 | Middlesex County | F3 | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 9, 1972 | Norfolk County | F1 | 1 | 6 |
| Sep 7, 1958 | Plymouth County | F0 | 1 | 1 |