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Tornado in Norman County, Minnesota
30 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 30 tornado events in Norman County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 22 years.
June is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 2 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 3.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 14 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Norman County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 30 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 46.8 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
3Jun
12Jul
8Aug
5Sep
1Oct
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 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $2K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $550K | $400K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $450K | $350K | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | 3 | 35 | County |
| 27 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Norman County had?
30 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 Norman County?
7 Jul 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Norman County?
The tornado of 5 Jul 1978, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 3 deaths recorded.
How does Norman County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
3.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 30 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.