States › Nebraska › Merrick County › Tornado
Tornado in Merrick County, Nebraska
25 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 25 tornado events in Merrick County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 17 years.
May is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 15 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 5.1 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 8 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 3 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 | Merrick County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 25 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 32.6 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
0Mar
2Apr
3May
6Jun
4Jul
2Aug
1Sep
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 25 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 | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $400K | $1.5M | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $300K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1992 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1951 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Merrick County had?
25 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 Merrick 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 Merrick County?
The tornado of 13 Mar 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Merrick County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
5.1 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 25 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.