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Tornado in Saunders 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.
NCEI records 46 tornado events in Saunders County, Nebraska, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 27 years.
May is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 13 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 6.1 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Saunders County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 46 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.1 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 20.2 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
5May
22Jun
9Jul
4Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1977 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1966 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 May 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1957 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1956 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1953 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1952 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 20 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Saunders 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 Saunders County?
17 May 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Saunders County?
The tornado of 3 Jul 1973, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Saunders County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
6.1 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.