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Tornado in Nelson County, North Dakota
41 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.
Nelson County, North Dakota, has 41 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.3% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 4.2 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 31 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 0 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Nelson County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 41 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.2 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 134.3 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
1Jun
14Jul
19Aug
5Sep
2Oct
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 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F3 | $200K | — | — | — | 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 |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | $50K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Nelson County had?
41 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 Nelson County?
24 Jun 2022 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Nelson County?
The tornado of 21 Jul 1987, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Nelson County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
4.2 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 41 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.