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Tornado in Franklin County, Missouri
35 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.
Franklin County, Missouri, has 35 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 21 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 3.8 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Franklin County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 35 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.8 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.3 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
3Mar
5Apr
6May
7Jun
0Jul
1Aug
3Sep
4Oct
0Nov
0Dec
5
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 35 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 |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $148K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 7 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 16 | County |
| 18 Aug 1954 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Franklin County had?
35 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County?
The tornado of 14 Mar 2025, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.5M.
How does Franklin County compare with Missouri for tornado?
3.8 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 35 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.