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Tornado in Phelps County, Missouri
35 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.
NCEI records 35 tornado events in Phelps County, Missouri, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 19 years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,118 tornado events recorded in Missouri; its 5.2 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 10 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 5 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 | Phelps County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 35 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.2 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.8 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
2Mar
3Apr
5May
8Jun
5Jul
1Aug
2Sep
1Oct
0Nov
1Dec
5
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 35 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 | EF2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | $1.0M | — | 2 | 6 | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 2008 | Tornado | EF3 | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $1.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $3.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $175K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Dec 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1966 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Phelps County had?
35 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 Phelps County?
14 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Phelps County?
The tornado of 1 Jun 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.5M.
How does Phelps County compare with Missouri for tornado?
5.2 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 35 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.