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Tornado in Freeborn County, Minnesota
72 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 72 tornado events in Freeborn County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 30 years.
June is the busiest month, with 32 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 35 events against 15 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 10.2 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 14 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 29 at (E)F0, 25 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 6 at (E)F3, 4 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Freeborn County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 72 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.2 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 23.4 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 14 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
5May
17Jun
32Jul
5Aug
2Sep
1Oct
1Nov
0Dec
8
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 72 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 May 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 1 | 14 | County |
| 21 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $20M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 12 | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 2 | 23 | County |
| 30 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 5 | 35 | County |
| 30 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Oct 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 May 1960 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1957 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1957 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1953 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | 6 | 3 | County |
| 27 Jul 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 4 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Freeborn County had?
72 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 Freeborn County?
17 May 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Freeborn County?
The tornado of 30 Apr 1967, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Freeborn County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
10.2 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 72 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.