Severe Weather History


1986 Severe Weather Season in the United States

8,725

Recorded events

2,155

Counties affected

51

Direct deaths

$1.0B

Property damage

The 1986 severe weather season produced 8,725 recorded events across 2,155 U.S. counties, with 51 direct deaths. It ranks #37 among all years in the archive by event count.

Through the year

1986 severe weather by month

1986 recorded severe weather events by month
1986 recorded severe weather events by month

By hazard type

What hit the U.S. in 1986

HazardEventsDeathsDamage
Thunderstorm Wind4,36536$0
Hail3,5110$0
Tornado84915$1.0B
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · county-tagged records

Deadliest days

The deadliest events of 1986

DateEventCountyDeathsInjuries
May 17, 1986Thunderstorm WindPolk County, Texas50
Jul 3, 1986Tornado F2Onslow County, North Carolina310
Aug 16, 1986Thunderstorm WindCalhoun County, Alabama31
Aug 16, 1986Thunderstorm WindCalhoun County, Alabama31
May 17, 1986Thunderstorm WindPolk County, Texas30
Apr 23, 1986Thunderstorm WindFremont County, Idaho30
Sep 25, 1986Thunderstorm WindBrown County, South Dakota25
Mar 12, 1986Tornado F3Pickens County, Alabama20
Feb 5, 1986Tornado F3Harris County, Texas20
Apr 12, 1986Thunderstorm WindRusk County, Texas10
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · dates UTC

Violent tornadoes

EF4 and EF5 tornadoes of 1986

DateScaleTouchdown countyDeathsPath
1986-03-12EF4Lauderdale County, Mississippi023.0 mi
1986-07-28EF4Dixon County, Nebraska052.5 mi
1986-09-28EF4Polk County, Iowa020.0 mi
Source: NOAA SPC SVRGIS mapped tornado tracks

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