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Tornado in Newton County, Missouri
54 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.
Newton County, Missouri, has 54 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 35 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.7% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 8.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 17 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 24 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Newton County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 54 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.6 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 9.1 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 17 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
3Mar
7Apr
10May
13Jun
7Jul
1Aug
1Sep
6Oct
3Nov
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 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $550K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2008 | Tornado | EF4 | $35M | — | 14 | 200 | County |
| 31 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $2.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $20 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 3 | 22 | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 31 May 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Newton County had?
54 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 Newton County?
29 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Newton County?
The tornado of 10 May 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $35M; 14 deaths recorded.
How does Newton County compare with Missouri for tornado?
8.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 54 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.