States › Missouri › Cedar County › Tornado
Tornado in Cedar County, Missouri
19 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.
Cedar County, Missouri, has 19 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 15 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 4.0 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 7 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Cedar County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 19 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.0 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.1 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
0Mar
6Apr
2May
3Jun
2Jul
2Aug
0Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jan 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $800K | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F3 | $40M | $3.0M | 3 | 37 | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cedar County had?
19 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 Cedar County?
10 Jan 2020 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cedar County?
The tornado of 4 May 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $40M and crop damage at $3.0M; 3 deaths recorded.
How does Cedar County compare with Missouri for tornado?
4.0 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 19 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.