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Tornado in Swift County, Minnesota
51 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 51 tornado events in Swift County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 22 years.
June is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 22 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 2,433 tornado events recorded in Minnesota; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 3.1 statewide.
By rating: 31 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Swift County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 51 | 2,433 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 52.3 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 101 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
3May
13Jun
19Jul
7Aug
3Sep
5Oct
1Nov
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 51 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 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $10M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Swift County had?
51 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 Swift County?
28 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Swift County?
The tornado of 11 Jun 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10M.
How does Swift County compare with Minnesota for tornado?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 3.1 statewide; the county holds 51 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.