Tornadoes can strike Alabama in any month, and every month has had one since 1950. They cluster in two seasons. The main season runs from March through May: 1,370 of the state's 2,772 recorded tornadoes, 49%, came in those three months, with April the busiest at 603.
A second season arrives in late fall, when strong cold fronts cross the South. November and December together account for 496 tornadoes, 18% of the total, and 73 of the 682 tornado deaths. July is the quietest month, averaging 1 tornado a year.
Counts below cover every year since 1950. Reporting improved over the decades, so recent years record more weak tornadoes than earlier ones.
Tornadoes by month since 1950
Tornado deaths by month
April stands out because of the outbreaks of 1974 and 2011.