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Tornado in Dakota County, Minnesota
41 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.
Dakota County, Minnesota, has 41 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.7% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 7.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 27 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Dakota County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 41 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.3 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.9 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
1May
8Jun
3Jul
10Aug
9Sep
5Oct
0Nov
3Dec
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 41 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 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $200K | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $7.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | 1 | 11 | County |
| 14 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Dakota County had?
41 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 Dakota County?
29 Aug 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Dakota County?
The tornado of 9 May 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $7.0M.
How does Dakota County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
7.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 41 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.