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Tornado in Bates County, Missouri
28 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.
Bates County, Missouri, has 28 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 20 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 3.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Bates County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 28 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.3 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 17.4 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
3Apr
10May
6Jun
3Jul
1Aug
1Sep
1Oct
0Nov
1Dec
1
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 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Dec 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 3 Aug 1953 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Bates County had?
28 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 Bates County?
27 Apr 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Bates County?
The tornado of 12 Mar 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $400K.
How does Bates County compare with Missouri for tornado?
3.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 28 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.