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Tornado in Boone County, Kentucky
18 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Boone County, Kentucky, has 18 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 15 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 4 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 1,497 tornado events recorded in Kentucky; its 7.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.8 statewide.
By rating: 3 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Boone County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 18 | 1,497 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.3 | 3.8 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.3 | 3.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 246 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
2Apr
4May
0Jun
6Jul
2Aug
0Sep
1Oct
0Nov
1Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 18 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Nov 1992 | Tornado | F4 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 2 Apr 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F5 | $2.5M | — | — | 20 | County |
| 29 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 13 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 12 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Boone County had?
18 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Boone County?
17 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Boone County?
The tornado of 13 Jul 1956, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Boone County compare with Kentucky for tornado?
7.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.8 statewide; the county holds 18 of the state's 1,497 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.