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Tornado in Benson County, North Dakota
49 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.
Benson County, North Dakota, has 49 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.7% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 3.5 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 32 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Benson County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 49 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 84.4 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
4Jun
21Jul
16Aug
8Sep
0Oct
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 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $50K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $200K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $20K | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1959 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Benson County had?
49 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 Benson County?
17 Jul 2020 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Benson County?
The tornado of 8 Aug 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $300K.
How does Benson County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
3.5 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 49 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.