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Tornado in Ozark 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.
Ozark County, Missouri, has 36 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 6 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 4.8 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Ozark County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.8 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 41.0 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | March | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
8Apr
8May
8Jun
1Jul
2Aug
1Sep
0Oct
2Nov
1Dec
4
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF3 | $2.0M | — | 3 | 4 | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $875K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 11 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 7 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ozark 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 Ozark County?
14 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF3). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Ozark County?
The tornado of 2 Apr 1982, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Ozark County compare with Missouri for tornado?
4.8 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.