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Tornado in Custer County, Nebraska
108 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.
Custer County, Nebraska, has 108 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 48 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 36 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 28 events against 35 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.2% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 4.2 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 49 at (E)F0, 26 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 7 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 14 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Custer County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 108 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.2 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 103.3 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
13May
36Jun
34Jul
13Aug
3Sep
2Oct
7Nov
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 108 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $70K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $40K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F2 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | $700 | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 21 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Oct 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1977 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F4 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 20 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 26 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 11 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1962 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1961 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1961 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1961 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1957 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1955 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1951 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Custer County had?
108 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 Custer County?
23 Jul 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Custer County?
The tornado of 14 Apr 1973, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Custer County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
4.2 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 108 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.