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Tornado in Perkins County, Nebraska
39 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.
Perkins County, Nebraska, has 39 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 4.4 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 10 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Perkins County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 39 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.4 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 137.7 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
1May
13Jun
10Jul
8Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
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 39 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 | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.2M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $700K | $1.5M | — | 1 | County |
| 21 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1991 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1958 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1951 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Perkins County had?
39 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 Perkins County?
23 May 2024 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Perkins County?
The tornado of 2 May 1991, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Perkins County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
4.4 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 39 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.