States › North Dakota › Griggs County › Tornado
Tornado in Griggs County, North Dakota
37 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.
Griggs County, North Dakota, has 37 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 23 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 5.2 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 25 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 2 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 | Griggs County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 37 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.2 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 162.2 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
4Jun
12Jul
15Aug
5Sep
1Oct
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 37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Aug 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | $20K | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1965 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Griggs County had?
37 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 Griggs County?
8 Aug 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Griggs County?
The tornado of 15 Jun 1986, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Griggs County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
5.2 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 37 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.