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Tornado in Callaway County, Missouri
42 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 42 tornado events in Callaway County, Missouri, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 19 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 5.0 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 21 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 4 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 Missouri
| Measure | Callaway County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.0 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 9.4 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
4Mar
7Apr
6May
8Jun
4Jul
6Aug
0Sep
5Oct
1Nov
1Dec
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $125K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 20 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Callaway County had?
42 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 Callaway County?
17 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Callaway County?
The tornado of 12 May 1980, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Callaway County compare with Missouri for tornado?
5.0 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 42 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.