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Tornado in Polk County, Missouri
38 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 38 tornado events in Polk County, Missouri, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
May is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 11 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 6.0 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 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 | Polk County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 3,118 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.0 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.9 | 5.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 429 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
3Mar
3Apr
2May
17Jun
4Jul
0Aug
0Sep
2Oct
1Nov
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 38 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 | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $55K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $3.7M | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Feb 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | $500 | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1978 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Oct 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Polk County had?
38 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 Polk County?
6 May 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Polk County?
The tornado of 4 May 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.7M and crop damage at $1.0M.
How does Polk County compare with Missouri for tornado?
6.0 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 38 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.