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Tornado in Dent County, Missouri
20 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.
Dent County, Missouri, has 20 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 15 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 5 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 2.7 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Dent County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 20 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.7 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.9 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
1Apr
1May
10Jun
3Jul
0Aug
1Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $55K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $225K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $450K | — | 2 | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $5K | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1978 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Dent County had?
20 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 Dent County?
19 May 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Dent County?
The tornado of 31 Dec 2010, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $450K; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Dent County compare with Missouri for tornado?
2.7 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 20 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.