States › Nebraska › Howard County › Tornado
Tornado in Howard County, Nebraska
45 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 45 tornado events in Howard County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 7.9 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Howard County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.9 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 68.9 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
6May
19Jun
12Jul
5Aug
1Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF3 | $3.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 18 | County |
| 10 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 20 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1968 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1965 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1965 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 27 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Howard County had?
45 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 Howard County?
18 May 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Howard County?
The tornado of 25 Apr 1984, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Howard County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
7.9 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 45 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.