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Tornado in Ward County, North Dakota
57 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.
NCEI records 57 tornado events in Ward County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 31 years.
July is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 4 events against 28 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.2% of the 1,799 tornado events recorded in North Dakota; its 2.8 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 42 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Ward County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 57 | 1,799 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 8.3 | 23.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 29 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
3Jun
19Jul
25Aug
7Sep
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 57 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 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | $500K | $100K | 1 | 1 | County |
| 12 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $120K | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $30 | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ward County had?
57 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 Ward County?
7 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Ward County?
The tornado of 13 Jul 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $150K and crop damage at $1.0M.
How does Ward County compare with North Dakota for tornado?
2.8 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 57 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.