Which covered Tennessee cities have the highest relative tornado risk?
Memphis use FEMA data for Shelby County, which has the highest relative tornado score in this covered set at 99.6/100. Cities sharing the same FEMA area share the same score.
Tornado Risk by City in Tennessee
Compare 9 cities using FEMA's relative tornado scores and annualized frequency for the county-equivalent areas shown.
Highest relative score
99.6/100
Shelby County
Covered cities: Memphis
Lowest relative score in this set
48.8/100
Sullivan County
Covered cities: Kingsport
These are relative FEMA scores for county-equivalent areas. They are not annual probabilities or property-level findings.
Tennessee tornado rankings
Cities sharing a FEMA area are grouped together and receive the same score.
| Rank | FEMA area and cities | Rating | Score | Annualized frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Shelby County | Very High | 99.6/100 | 0.46 events per year |
| #2 | Hamilton County | Relatively High | 98.6/100 | 0.37 events per year |
| #3 | Davidson County | Relatively High | 98.0/100 | 0.42 events per year |
| #4 | Knox County | Relatively High | 96.8/100 | 0.16 events per year |
| #5 | Rutherford County | Relatively High | 95.5/100 | 0.52 events per year |
| #6 | Montgomery County | Relatively High | 93.0/100 | 0.48 events per year |
| #7 | Williamson County | Relatively Moderate | 91.7/100 | 0.51 events per year |
| #8 | Washington County | Relatively Low | 53.9/100 | 0.06 events per year |
| #9 | Sullivan County | Relatively Low | 48.8/100 | 0.06 events per year |
FEMA annualizes recorded qualifying tornado occurrences across the FEMA geography and source period.
Preparing for tornado
Ready.gov Tornadoes ↗For a home or move
- ✓Identify the lowest-floor interior room or nearby rated shelter you can reach quickly.
- ✓Review how garage doors, roof connections, and exterior objects could perform in severe wind with a qualified local professional.
- ✓Confirm that insurance documents cover wind damage and understand the deductible before storm season.
For a household plan
- ✓Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts and keep a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio available.
- ✓Keep shoes, flashlights, and head protection in or beside the shelter location.
- ✓Practice reaching the shelter with children, pets, and anyone who needs mobility assistance.
Questions about tornado risk in Tennessee
Which covered Tennessee area has the lowest relative tornado score?
Sullivan County has the lowest score in this covered set at 48.8/100. This is a relative FEMA comparison, not a declaration that every property there is safe.
Are these tornado figures city-level?
No. The city links provide geographic navigation, while the scores and frequencies cover the FEMA county-equivalent areas shown in the table. Address-level conditions require local maps and property details.
Is the FEMA relative score an annual probability?
No. The relative score compares FEMA areas on a 0–100 scale. Annualized frequency appears separately with hazard-specific units.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0, released March 2023. Hazard data covers FEMA county-equivalent areas.