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Tornado in Keith County, Nebraska
53 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 53 tornado events in Keith County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 30 years.
June is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 5.0 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 6 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Keith County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 53 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.0 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 64.0 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
3May
14Jun
20Jul
8Aug
2Sep
0Oct
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 53 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 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $450K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1978 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1977 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Aug 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1967 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Keith County had?
53 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 Keith County?
23 May 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Keith County?
The tornado of 23 May 2024, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.5M.
How does Keith County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
5.0 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 53 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.