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Tornado in Pettis County, Missouri
41 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.
Pettis County, Missouri, has 41 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 23 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 6.0 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 16 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Pettis County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 41 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.0 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 9.5 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
10Apr
6May
11Jun
3Jul
1Aug
1Sep
2Oct
3Nov
3Dec
1
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 41 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 | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $4.0M | — | — | 20 | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $450K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 6 | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1980 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 23 | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 24 | County |
| 20 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 30 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | 1 | 13 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Pettis County had?
41 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 Pettis County?
6 May 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Pettis County?
The tornado of 21 Aug 1952, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Pettis County compare with Missouri for tornado?
6.0 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 41 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.