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Tornado in Dunklin County, Missouri
39 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.
Dunklin County, Missouri, has 39 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 7 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 7.2 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Dunklin County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 39 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.2 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.1 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
1Mar
4Apr
16May
7Jun
3Jul
0Aug
1Sep
2Oct
0Nov
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 39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $260K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF3 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 30 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F3 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $50 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $50 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | 26 | County |
| 24 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 2 | — | County |
| 27 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 21 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Dunklin County had?
39 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 Dunklin County?
15 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Dunklin County?
The tornado of 22 Apr 1981, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Dunklin County compare with Missouri for tornado?
7.2 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 39 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.