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Tornado in Knox County, Nebraska
46 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.
Knox County, Nebraska, has 46 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 4.1 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 25 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Knox County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 46 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.1 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 54.8 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
6May
20Jun
11Jul
2Aug
2Sep
0Oct
4Nov
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 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 6 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 101 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Knox County had?
46 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 Knox County?
4 Oct 2013 (Tornado, EF3). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Knox County?
The tornado of 20 Apr 1985, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Knox County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
4.1 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 46 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.