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Tornado in Lancaster County, Nebraska
52 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 52 tornado events in Lancaster County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 31 years.
May is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 6.2 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Lancaster County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 52 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.2 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.6 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
3Apr
9May
17Jun
14Jul
4Aug
2Sep
1Oct
1Nov
0Dec
1
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 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F4 | $100M | — | 1 | 30 | County |
| 13 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1977 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1967 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lancaster County had?
52 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 Lancaster County?
1 Jul 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lancaster County?
The tornado of 22 May 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100M; 1 death recorded.
How does Lancaster County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
6.2 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 52 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.