States › Missouri › Cooper County › Tornado
Tornado in Cooper 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.
NCEI records 19 tornado events in Cooper County, Missouri, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 14 years.
April is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 3 events against 7 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 3.4 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
By rating: 10 at (E)F0, 5 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 | Cooper County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 19 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.4 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.1 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
3Apr
7May
4Jun
1Jul
2Aug
1Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $750K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cooper 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 Cooper County?
2 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cooper County?
The tornado of 8 Apr 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $750K and crop damage at $50K.
How does Cooper County compare with Missouri for tornado?
3.4 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.