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Tornado in Stearns County, Minnesota
57 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.
Stearns County, Minnesota, has 57 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 30 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.3% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 4.2 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 34 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Stearns County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 57 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.2 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.6 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
0May
13Jun
16Jul
9Aug
9Sep
7Oct
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 57 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $3.0M | — | 1 | 30 | County |
| 26 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 2 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 1 | 15 | County |
| 3 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Aug 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 4 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 14 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 1953 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 1953 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Stearns County had?
57 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 Stearns County?
15 May 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Stearns County?
The tornado of 3 Sep 1980, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Stearns County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
4.2 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 57 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.