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Tornado in Otter Tail County, Minnesota
87 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 87 tornado events in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 33 years.
June is the busiest month, with 30 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 43 events against 24 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.6% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 4.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 31 at (E)F0, 34 at (E)F1, 14 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Otter Tail County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 87 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.4 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.5 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
8Jun
30Jul
28Aug
14Sep
4Oct
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 87 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | $200K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF4 | $1.5M | $250K | 1 | 2 | County |
| 13 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $10K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | $20K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 9 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $400K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 8 | County |
| 26 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 13 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1966 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 13 | County |
| 30 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1957 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Otter Tail County had?
87 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 Otter Tail County?
16 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Otter Tail County?
The tornado of 13 Jun 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5.0M.
How does Otter Tail County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
4.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 87 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.