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Tornado in Lafayette County, Missouri
29 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.
Lafayette County, Missouri, has 29 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 19 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 4.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 16 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Lafayette County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 29 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.6 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 8.8 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
3May
14Jun
8Jul
1Aug
0Sep
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 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $750 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | $4K | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 1 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lafayette County had?
29 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 Lafayette County?
6 May 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lafayette County?
The tornado of 4 May 1977, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 1 death recorded.
How does Lafayette County compare with Missouri for tornado?
4.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 29 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.