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Tornado in Polk County, Minnesota
82 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.
Polk County, Minnesota, has 82 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 36 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 28 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 33 events against 31 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.4% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 4.2 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 4 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 43 at (E)F0, 23 at (E)F1, 12 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Polk County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 82 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.2 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 26.7 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 4 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
9Jun
28Jul
27Aug
16Sep
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 82 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Aug 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $120K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $6.5M | $500K | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | $150K | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2005 | Tornado | F2 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | 1 | 9 | County |
| 13 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 13 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | 2 | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 7 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Polk County had?
82 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 Polk County?
8 Aug 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Polk County?
The tornado of 29 Jun 2018, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $6.5M and crop damage at $500K.
How does Polk County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
4.2 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 82 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.