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Tornado in Madison County, Missouri
36 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.
Madison County, Missouri, has 36 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 17 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 7.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
By rating: 10 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 8 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 | Madison County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.3 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 28.5 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
4Apr
8May
14Jun
0Jul
0Aug
1Sep
1Oct
4Nov
0Dec
2
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 36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Mar 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Madison County had?
36 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 Madison County?
26 May 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Madison County?
The tornado of 3 Apr 1968, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Madison County compare with Missouri for tornado?
7.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 36 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.