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Tornado in Richland County, North Dakota
62 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.
Richland County, North Dakota, has 62 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 41 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.4% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 4.3 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 27 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 10 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Richland County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 62 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.3 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 37.4 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
9Jun
21Jul
18Aug
12Sep
1Oct
1Nov
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 62 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | $300K | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1991 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1977 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1976 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1966 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | 11 | County |
| 25 Aug 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1960 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1959 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1959 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1956 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 2 | 19 | County |
| 29 May 1953 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1952 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Richland County had?
62 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 Richland County?
18 Sep 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Richland County?
The tornado of 30 May 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Richland County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
4.3 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 62 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.