States › Nebraska › Adams County › Tornado
Tornado in Adams County, Nebraska
56 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.
Adams County, Nebraska, has 56 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 30 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 9.9 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 6 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Adams County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 56 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.9 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 18.0 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
2May
19Jun
18Jul
3Aug
5Sep
1Oct
1Nov
1Dec
4
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 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $50K | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | $250K | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Nov 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 28 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1977 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1977 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1967 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F5 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 20 | County |
| 23 Aug 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1958 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Adams County had?
56 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 Adams County?
6 Jul 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Adams County?
The tornado of 5 May 1964, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Adams County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
9.9 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 56 of the state's 3,400 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.