KinwarnRhode Island tornado warnings
The National Weather Service issued 12 tornado warnings, 212 severe thunderstorm warnings and 55 flash flood warnings for Rhode Island from 2016 to 2025, about 1.2, 21 and 5.5 a year. That ranks 45th of 52 states and territories for tornado warnings. Providence County had the most of any county: 11 tornado warnings.
Rhode Island warnings and radar right now
Checking the National Weather Service for Rhode Island…
Rhode Island 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County | 11 | 166 | 40 | 12 |
| Kent County | 2 | 87 | 22 | 2 |
| Washington County | 2 | 76 | 13 | 3 |
| Bristol County | 1 | 66 | 23 | 2 |
| Newport County | 0 | 70 | 22 | 1 |
Rhode Island 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
20 tornadoes have been recorded in Rhode Island since 1950. August had the most (8).
| Year | Tornado | Severe thunderstorm | Flash flood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to Oct 19 | 0 | 8 | 7 |
| 2025 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 | 26 | 5 |
| 2023 | 5 | 26 | 16 |
| 2022 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| 2021 | 3 | 29 | 6 |
| 2020 | 0 | 31 | 4 |
| 2019 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 | 14 | 5 |
| 2017 | 0 | 15 | 6 |
| 2016 | 0 | 35 | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 | 19 | 5 |
| 2014 | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| 2013 | 0 | 9 | 5 |
| 2012 | 0 | 24 | 7 |
| 2011 | 3 | 16 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 | 32 | 4 |
What stands out in Rhode Island
2023 was the busiest year for tornado warnings in Rhode Island since 2008, with 5 tornado warnings, and it was also the busiest year for flash flood warnings (16).
Since 2008, 1 flash flood warning for Rhode Island 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.
1 severe thunderstorm warning for Rhode Island 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.
2 tornadoes in Rhode Island since 1950 were rated F2 or EF2, the strongest recorded there. The most recent was on August 18, 2023.
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 Rhode Island
Tornado warnings for each neighboring state, 2016 to 2025.
- Massachusetts 77 tornado warnings
- Connecticut 42 tornado warnings
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Rhode Island tornado warnings: questions people ask
How many tornado warnings does Rhode Island get a year?
About 1.2 a year: the National Weather Service issued 12 tornado warnings for Rhode Island from 2016 to 2025, 45th of 52 states and territories.
Which Rhode Island county gets the most tornado warnings?
Providence County has the most: 11 tornado warnings listed it from 2016 to 2025, ahead of Kent County with 2. A warning can list several counties, so county counts add up to more than the state total.
Which Rhode Island city gets the most tornado warnings?
Valley Falls has the most among cities and towns with 10,000 people or more: the outlines of 6 tornado warnings covered its center from 2016 to 2025.
When is tornado season in Rhode Island?
August and September: 60% of the 20 tornadoes recorded in Rhode Island since 1950 came in those two months.
About these numbers
Counts are National Weather Service warnings that listed a Rhode Island county, through October 19, 2026. How Kinwarn counts · Rhode Island data (CSV)
Cite: Kinwarn. “Rhode Island tornado warnings.” kinwarn.com/rhode-island. 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