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Tornado in Buffalo County, Nebraska
83 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 83 tornado events in Buffalo County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 40 years.
May is the busiest month, with 27 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 8.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 35 at (E)F0, 26 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 8 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Buffalo County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 83 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.6 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 16.5 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
7May
27Jun
22Jul
13Aug
2Sep
2Oct
3Nov
0Dec
3
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 83 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Dec 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $225K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $750K | $500K | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $6.0M | $2.0M | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $30K | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $30K | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $11M | $500K | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | $100K | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $80K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | $50K | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1985 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 21 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1969 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1962 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1959 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F4 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Buffalo County had?
83 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 Buffalo County?
26 Apr 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Buffalo County?
The tornado of 29 May 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $11M and crop damage at $500K.
How does Buffalo County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
8.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 83 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.