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Tornado in Ramsey County, North Dakota
50 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.
Ramsey County, North Dakota, has 50 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 30 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.8% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 4.2 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 29 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Ramsey County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 50 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.2 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 43.2 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
1Jun
17Jul
21Aug
10Sep
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 50 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 |
| 18 Sep 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Aug 1966 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1965 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ramsey County had?
50 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 Ramsey 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 Ramsey County?
The tornado of 5 Aug 1966, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Ramsey County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
4.2 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 50 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.