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Tornado in Cavalier County, North Dakota
43 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.
Cavalier County, North Dakota, has 43 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 2.9 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 4 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 North Dakota
| Measure | Cavalier County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 117.4 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
3Jun
21Jul
13Aug
6Sep
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $50K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.5M | $2.0M | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 22 Jul 1961 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cavalier County had?
43 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 Cavalier County?
7 Jul 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cavalier County?
The tornado of 9 Jun 2017, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.5M and crop damage at $2.0M.
How does Cavalier County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
2.9 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 43 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.