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Tornado in Morton County, North Dakota
54 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.
Morton County, North Dakota, has 54 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 24 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 2.8 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 34 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Morton County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 54 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 16.1 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
11Jun
23Jul
11Aug
7Sep
0Oct
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 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $95K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1995 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1978 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1953 | Tornado | F5 | $250K | — | 2 | 20 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Morton County had?
54 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 Morton County?
27 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Morton County?
The tornado of 20 Jun 2025, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.5M.
How does Morton County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
2.8 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 54 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.