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Tornado in Butler County, Missouri
48 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 48 tornado events in Butler County, Missouri, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 27 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Butler County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 48 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.4 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
3Mar
10Apr
11May
9Jun
4Jul
0Aug
2Sep
3Oct
2Nov
0Dec
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 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF3 | $15M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.4M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $275K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $17K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $175K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F4 | $30M | — | — | 14 | County |
| 24 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $5.0M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 17 May 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 13 | County |
| 5 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 4 Dec 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 May 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 30 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Mar 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Butler County had?
48 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 Butler County?
30 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Butler County?
The tornado of 24 Apr 2002, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $30M.
How does Butler County compare with Missouri for tornado?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 48 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.