KinwarnDistrict of Columbia tornado warnings
The National Weather Service issued 6 tornado warnings, 201 severe thunderstorm warnings and 58 flash flood warnings for District of Columbia from 2016 to 2025, about 0.6, 20 and 5.8 a year. That ranks 47th of 52 states and territories for tornado warnings. District of Columbia had the most of any county: 6 tornado warnings.
District of Columbia warnings and radar right now
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District of Columbia counties ranked by tornado warnings
Warnings that listed each county, 2016 to 2025, and tornadoes recorded in the county since 1950. A warning can list several counties, so the county numbers add up to more than the state total.
| County | Tornado warnings | Severe thunderstorm | Flash flood | Tornadoes since 1950 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 6 | 201 | 58 | 6 |
District of Columbia warnings by year
Each warning counts once for the state, however many counties it covered. 2008 is the first full year the National Weather Service drew an outline around every warning.
Tornadoes since 1950
6 tornadoes have been recorded in District of Columbia since 1950. April had the most (2).
| Year | Tornado | Severe thunderstorm | Flash flood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to Oct 19 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 | 13 | 9 |
| 2024 | 1 | 16 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 | 19 | 5 |
| 2022 | 1 | 16 | 8 |
| 2021 | 2 | 35 | 11 |
| 2020 | 0 | 27 | 8 |
| 2019 | 1 | 30 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 | 8 | 4 |
| 2017 | 0 | 21 | 5 |
| 2016 | 0 | 16 | 3 |
| 2015 | 0 | 22 | 8 |
| 2014 | 1 | 11 | 4 |
| 2013 | 0 | 12 | 7 |
| 2012 | 2 | 15 | 7 |
| 2011 | 0 | 17 | 9 |
| 2010 | 0 | 17 | 7 |
| 2009 | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| 2008 | 0 | 24 | 3 |
What stands out in District of Columbia
2021 was the busiest year for tornado warnings in the District of Columbia since 2008, with 2 tornado warnings, and it was also the busiest year for flash flood warnings (11).
Since 2008, 1 flash flood warning for the District of Columbia was raised to a flash flood emergency for at least part of the warned area: the Weather Service’s rarest warning, used when a severe threat to life is happening or about to happen.
2 severe thunderstorm warnings for the District of Columbia carried the “destructive” tag (winds of 80 mph or more, or hail 2.75 inches or larger) since the tag started in August 2021. Only those severe thunderstorm warnings set off Wireless Emergency Alerts on phones.
The strongest tornado recorded in the District of Columbia since 1950 was rated EF1 on July 1, 2021.
National Weather Service warnings from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive through October 19, 2026; tornado ratings from the Storm Prediction Center and NOAA Storm Events.
States next to District of Columbia
Tornado warnings for each neighboring state, 2016 to 2025.
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District of Columbia tornado warnings: questions people ask
How many tornado warnings does the District of Columbia get a year?
About 0.6 a year: the National Weather Service issued 6 tornado warnings for the District of Columbia from 2016 to 2025, 47th of 52 states and territories.
Which District of Columbia county gets the most tornado warnings?
District of Columbia has the most: 6 tornado warnings listed it from 2016 to 2025. A warning can list several counties, so county counts add up to more than the state total.
Which District of Columbia city gets the most tornado warnings?
Washington has the most among cities and towns with 10,000 people or more: the outlines of 4 tornado warnings covered its center from 2016 to 2025.
About these numbers
Counts are National Weather Service warnings that listed a District of Columbia county, through October 19, 2026. How Kinwarn counts · District of Columbia data (CSV)
Cite: Kinwarn. “District of Columbia tornado warnings.” kinwarn.com/district-of-columbia. National Weather Service data through October 19, 2026.
Sources: IEM warning archive · NWS 2007 outlines · SPC tornado database · Census places · Census population estimates · NWS tornado alerts