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Tornado in Jackson County, Missouri
50 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.
Jackson County, Missouri, has 50 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 8.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 37 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Jackson County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 50 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.3 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.7 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 37 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
3Apr
7May
16Jun
13Jul
3Aug
0Sep
5Oct
0Nov
2Dec
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 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 12 | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Nov 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Nov 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F4 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 26 May 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1957 | Tornado | F5 | $2.5M | — | 37 | 176 | County |
| 22 May 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Jackson County had?
50 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 Jackson County?
3 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Jackson County?
The tornado of 20 May 1957, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 37 deaths recorded.
How does Jackson County compare with Missouri for tornado?
8.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 50 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.