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Tornado in McLean County, North Dakota
48 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 48 tornado events in McLean County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 30 years.
June is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 18 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 2.3 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 22 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 8 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | McLean County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 48 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 49.0 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
3Jun
19Jul
10Aug
10Sep
4Oct
0Nov
2Dec
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 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | $150K | — | 4 | County |
| 12 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1995 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 8 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1955 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has McLean County had?
48 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 McLean County?
28 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in McLean County?
The tornado of 14 Sep 2025, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $300K.
How does McLean County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
2.3 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 48 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.