Knoxville, Tennessee tornadoes
13confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Knoxville since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: August 7, 2023, EF2.
Every tornado path within 10 miles
Each path is a straight line from where the tornado started to where it ended, which is all most NOAA records hold. Tap a path for its details.
Recent warnings near Knoxville
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At a glance
Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond Knoxville.
When tornadoes hit here
By month
May is the peak month, with 5 of 13 tornadoes.
By time of day
Most often around 3:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.
By year, 1950 to 2025
The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones.
By rating
Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.
Notable tornadoes
All 13 tornadoes, newest first
| Date | Rating | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2023 | EF2 | 3.7 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 23, 2011 | EF0 | 1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF1 | 1 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF0 | 6.5 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 2003 | F1 | 1.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 2003 | F1 | 2.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2000 | F1 | 0.5 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 1 |
| May 18, 1995 | F1 | 2 mi | 23 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1993 | F0 | 1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1993 | F0 | 2 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 1 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | F3 | 16 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 3 |
| Apr 15, 1965 | F2 | 7.4 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 6 |
| May 2, 1953 | F2 | 0.8 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
Knoxville and its county
Knoxville is in Knox County, where NOAA has recorded 17 tornadoes since 1950. A county's record counts every tornado inside its borders, while this page counts every path within 10 miles of the city, so the two overlap without matching.
Nearby cities
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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. City point and population: US Census Bureau, 2024. Each path is a straight line between NOAA's start and end points.