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Tornado in Rice County, Minnesota
40 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 40 tornado events in Rice County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 14 years.
September is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 8.1 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Rice County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 40 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.1 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 5.9 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | September | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
2May
9Jun
7Jul
3Aug
6Sep
11Oct
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 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $9.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $20M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 27 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Rice County had?
40 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 Rice County?
28 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Rice County?
The tornado of 29 Mar 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $20M.
How does Rice County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
8.1 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 40 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.