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Tornado in Wheeler County, Nebraska
15 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.
Wheeler County, Nebraska, has 15 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 10 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 3,400 tornado events recorded in Nebraska; its 2.6 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 8 at (E)F0, 2 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Nebraska
| Measure | Wheeler County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 15 | 3,400 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.6 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 188.7 | 17.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 56 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
3May
6Jun
0Jul
4Aug
1Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 15 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 | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $54K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $130K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $170K | $25K | — | 2 | County |
| 12 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $90K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Wheeler County had?
15 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 Wheeler County?
12 May 2023 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Wheeler County?
The tornado of 12 Jul 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $170K and crop damage at $25K.
How does Wheeler County compare with Nebraska for tornado?
2.6 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 15 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.