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Tornado in Clay County, Minnesota
43 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.
NCEI records 43 tornado events in Clay County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 33 years.
June is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 15 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.8% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 4.1 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
By rating: 22 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Clay County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.1 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.6 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
5Jun
17Jul
15Aug
2Sep
3Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $25K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 20 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F5 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Clay County had?
43 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 Clay County?
29 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Clay County?
The tornado of 5 Jun 1996, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K and crop damage at $50K.
How does Clay County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
4.1 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 43 of the state's 2,433 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.