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Tornado in Nobles County, Minnesota
46 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 46 tornado events in Nobles County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
May is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 6.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
By rating: 22 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Nobles County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 46 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.4 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 20.9 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
4May
12Jun
3Jul
11Aug
8Sep
1Oct
2Nov
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 46 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 | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | $75K | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | $100K | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | $75K | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F5 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 5 Oct 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Nobles County had?
46 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 Nobles County?
17 May 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Nobles County?
The tornado of 16 Jun 1992, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Nobles County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
6.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 46 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.