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Tornado in Barnes County, North Dakota
66 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.
Barnes County, North Dakota, has 66 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 40 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 25 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.7% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 4.4 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 37 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Barnes County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 66 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.4 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 61.1 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
10Jun
25Jul
14Aug
12Sep
5Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
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 66 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | $250K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | $40K | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F4 | $1.7M | $100K | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1976 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1968 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1965 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1956 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Barnes County had?
66 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 Barnes County?
20 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF3). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Barnes County?
The tornado of 18 Jul 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.7M and crop damage at $100K.
How does Barnes County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
4.4 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 66 of the state's 1,799 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.