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Tornado in Stark County, North Dakota
26 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.
Stark County, North Dakota, has 26 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 17 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 1.9 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Stark County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 26 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.9 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
2Jun
13Jul
8Aug
1Sep
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 26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF3 | $20M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $700K | $40K | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1978 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Stark County had?
26 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 Stark County?
19 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Stark County?
The tornado of 8 Jul 2009, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $20M.
How does Stark County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
1.9 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 26 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.