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Tornado in Wayne County, Nebraska
20 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.
Wayne County, Nebraska, has 20 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 15 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 4.5 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 7 at (E)F0, 3 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Wayne County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 20 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.5 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 20.4 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
8Jun
8Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
3Nov
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 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF4 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF4 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF4 | — | — | — | 15 | County |
| 1 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Oct 1961 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 May 1953 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Wayne County had?
20 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 Wayne County?
12 May 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Wayne County?
The tornado of 16 Jun 2014, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Wayne County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
4.5 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 20 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.