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Tornado in Clay County, Nebraska
52 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 52 tornado events in Clay County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 31 years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 9.1 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Clay County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 52 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.1 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 85.6 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
7May
19Jun
11Jul
3Aug
5Sep
4Oct
1Nov
0Dec
1
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 52 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 | EF1 | $50K | $2.5M | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | $40K | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF3 | $13M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $4.5M | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2001 | Tornado | F3 | $1.3M | $1.5M | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 24 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1977 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F5 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1959 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Clay County had?
52 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 Clay County?
6 Jul 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Clay County?
The tornado of 13 Mar 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Clay County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
9.1 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 52 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.