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Tornado in Frontier County, Nebraska
36 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 36 tornado events in Frontier County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 20 years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 3.7 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Frontier County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.7 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 140.9 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
3May
19Jun
4Jul
5Aug
2Sep
1Oct
2Nov
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 36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF3 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $240K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1978 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1977 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 May 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Jul 1957 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1957 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1957 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Frontier County had?
36 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 Frontier County?
17 May 2019 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Frontier County?
The tornado of 18 May 1960, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Frontier County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
3.7 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 36 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.