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Natural Disasters in Tennessee: History & Risk Data

42,230 recorded disaster events across 605 ZIP codes.

State Statistics

42,230
Total Events
$43.2B
Total Damage
5,886
Total Deaths
605
ZIP Codes

Event Timeline

07351470220529391942: 13 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage19421944: 5 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1950: 11 events, 36 deaths, $0.1M damage1951: 4 events, 0 deaths, $0.0M damage1952: 132 events, 365 deaths, $59.8M damage1953: 69 events, 20 deaths, $3.8M damage1954: 15 events, 0 deaths, $1.3M damage1955: 88 events, 0 deaths, $6.0M damage19551956: 68 events, 15 deaths, $13.1M damage1957: 101 events, 0 deaths, $32.4M damage1958: 38 events, 0 deaths, $1.1M damage1959: 92 events, 0 deaths, $3.0M damage1960: 29 events, 0 deaths, $0.2M damage1961: 66 events, 0 deaths, $1.7M damage1962: 52 events, 0 deaths, $0.8M damage19621963: 107 events, 25 deaths, $18.1M damage1964: 89 events, 0 deaths, $41.6M damage1965: 82 events, 1 deaths, $33.4M damage1966: 90 events, 0 deaths, $1.0M damage1967: 150 events, 8 deaths, $28.1M damage1968: 146 events, 20 deaths, $26.1M damage1969: 72 events, 0 deaths, $1.1M damage19691970: 188 events, 21 deaths, $121.6M damage1971: 187 events, 18 deaths, $45.2M damage1972: 95 events, 0 deaths, $6.7M damage1973: 216 events, 4 deaths, $7.8M damage1974: 356 events, 230 deaths, $157.0M damage1975: 85 events, 9 deaths, $11.2M damage1976: 140 events, 0 deaths, $20.2M damage19761977: 139 events, 0 deaths, $12.2M damage1978: 101 events, 0 deaths, $28.6M damage1979: 44 events, 8 deaths, $1.6M damage1980: 125 events, 0 deaths, $7.9M damage1981: 59 events, 0 deaths, $0.4M damage1982: 155 events, 0 deaths, $17.8M damage1983: 79 events, 0 deaths, $4.3M damage19831984: 363 events, 8 deaths, $43.2M damage1985: 304 events, 0 deaths, $2.5M damage1986: 126 events, 0 deaths, $51.5M damage1987: 133 events, 6 deaths, $47.5M damage1988: 194 events, 23 deaths, $189.0M damage1989: 84 events, 5 deaths, $5.8M damage1990: 176 events, 0 deaths, $7.2M damage19901991: 124 events, 20 deaths, $277.2M damage1992: 86 events, 2 deaths, $0.1M damage1993: 46 events, 0 deaths, $37.1M damage1994: 79 events, 49 deaths, $720.8M damage1995: 99 events, 9 deaths, $47.6M damage1996: 483 events, 14 deaths, $44.9M damage1997: 867 events, 55 deaths, $977.0M damage19971998: 1521 events, 72 deaths, $1087.0M damage1999: 665 events, 44 deaths, $477.2M damage2000: 706 events, 34 deaths, $26.4M damage2001: 466 events, 20 deaths, $51.2M damage2002: 677 events, 63 deaths, $94.4M damage2003: 1601 events, 95 deaths, $1209.0M damage2004: 1081 events, 20 deaths, $30.6M damage20042005: 999 events, 8 deaths, $65.0M damage2006: 1957 events, 200 deaths, $675.8M damage2007: 438 events, 443 deaths, $19.1M damage2008: 930 events, 192 deaths, $1434.0M damage2009: 1601 events, 319 deaths, $786.7M damage2010: 2154 events, 986 deaths, $13560.3M damage2011: 2939 events, 407 deaths, $2631.8M damage20112012: 2482 events, 218 deaths, $857.7M damage2013: 1367 events, 26 deaths, $543.6M damage2014: 827 events, 46 deaths, $217.9M damage2015: 1143 events, 246 deaths, $312.3M damage2016: 1015 events, 163 deaths, $95.5M damage2017: 1406 events, 0 deaths, $205.7M damage2018: 902 events, 85 deaths, $100.4M damage20182019: 778 events, 72 deaths, $706.0M damage2020: 747 events, 198 deaths, $10630.1M damage2021: 1242 events, 264 deaths, $897.2M damage2022: 727 events, 12 deaths, $6.9M damage2023: 1474 events, 149 deaths, $1257.0M damage2024: 1238 events, 444 deaths, $1872.2M damage2025: 2495 events, 89 deaths, $225.0M damage2025
Events (no fatalities) Events with fatalities

Hazard Breakdown

⛈️hail
21.9K events·0 deaths·$563.6M
Low:20.3K
Moderate:1.3K
High:170
Severe:59
🌊flood
6.3K events·585 deaths·$20.2B
Low:2.4K
Moderate:1.2K
High:1.1K
Severe:1.5K
🌪️tornado
6K events·1,961 deaths·$20.8B
Low:3.4K
Moderate:1.6K
High:652
Severe:261
❄️blizzard
3.2K events·390 deaths·$395M
Low:1.6K
Moderate:611
High:499
Severe:421
💨wind
2.7K events·69 deaths·$1.2B
Low:2.4K
Moderate:257
High:22
Severe:3
🌡️heat
1.1K events·2,221 deaths·$2.6M
Low:632
High:253
Severe:178
🌍earthquake
518 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:466
Moderate:52
🥶cold
371 events·660 deaths·$5.5M
Low:225
High:3
Severe:143
🔥wildfire
288 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:248
Moderate:36
High:4
🌀hurricane
7 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:7

Most Affected ZIP Codes in Tennessee

38118 213 events 37122 203 events 37027 196 events 37013 193 events 37076 192 events 38002 189 events 38053 188 events 37064 184 events 38305 183 events 37075 180 events

📊 Tennessee Disaster Profile

Tennessee has experienced 42,230 documented natural disaster events across its 605 ZIP codes. The cumulative documented property damage stands at $43.2B. A total of 5,886 fatalities have been attributed to natural disasters in the state.

⚠️ Hazard Distribution

Hailstorms lead Tennessee's disaster profile with 21,851 events (52%), causing $563.6M in property damage. Other significant hazards include floods (6,300 events, $20.2B in damages), tornadoes (5,967 events, $20.8B in damages), and blizzards (3,168 events, $395M in damages).

📍 Geographic Impact

The most disaster-affected areas in Tennessee include ZIP 38118 (213 events, $213.8M in damages), ZIP 37122 (203 events, $491.4M in damages), and ZIP 37027 (196 events, $211.5M in damages).

📈 Trends Over Time

Disaster frequency in Tennessee has increased markedly over time. The average annual event count in recent decades is roughly 786% higher than in earlier periods of the record. The year 2011 stands out as particularly active, with 2,939 events recorded — likely driven by a major weather system or disaster season.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Tennessee

What natural disasters occur in Tennessee?

Tennessee has experienced 42,230 documented natural disaster events. The hazard types recorded include hailstorms (21,851), floods (6,300), tornadoes (5,967), blizzards (3,168), severe wind events (2,697), extreme heat events (1,063), earthquakes (518), extreme cold events (371), wildfires (288), and hurricanes (7). The most common hazard is hailstorms, accounting for 52% of all events.

What are the most disaster-prone areas in Tennessee?

Based on historical records, the most disaster-affected ZIP codes in Tennessee are ZIP 38118 (213 events), ZIP 37122 (203 events), ZIP 37027 (196 events), ZIP 37013 (193 events), and ZIP 37076 (192 events). These areas have the highest concentration of recorded natural disaster events in the state.

How much damage have natural disasters caused in Tennessee?

Natural disasters have caused a documented $43.2B in property damage across Tennessee. This total is based on records from FEMA, NOAA, and USGS, covering events from the 1950s onward. The actual figure is likely higher, as not all events have complete damage records.

About This Data

State-level data aggregated from FEMA (disaster declarations, NFIP flood claims), NOAA Storm Events Database, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, and NIFC wildfire records. Historical coverage varies by source, with most records beginning in the 1950s–1970s. Full methodology →

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