States › Nebraska › Phelps County › Tornado
Tornado in Phelps County, Nebraska
36 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.
Phelps County, Nebraska, has 36 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 22 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 13 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 6.7 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Phelps County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.7 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 40.3 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
4May
11Jun
12Jul
2Aug
0Sep
0Oct
6Nov
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 36 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 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $90K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Dec 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $375K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $500K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $400K | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 18 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 1 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Phelps County had?
36 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 Phelps 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 Phelps County?
The tornado of 29 Jun 1988, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Phelps County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
6.7 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 36 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.