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Tornado in Barton County, Missouri
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 Barton County, Missouri, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 29 years.
May is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 6.8 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 21 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Barton County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 40 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.8 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 34.3 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
3Mar
5Apr
4May
13Jun
2Jul
3Aug
3Sep
3Oct
1Nov
1Dec
2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $3.4M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Tornado | EF3 | $740K | — | 3 | 1 | County |
| 20 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F4 | $13M | $1.0M | 1 | 10 | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $138K | — | 1 | 7 | County |
| 26 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Feb 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1966 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Barton 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 Barton County?
6 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Barton County?
The tornado of 15 Mar 1982, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Barton County compare with Missouri for tornado?
6.8 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 40 of the state's 3,118 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.