States › South Dakota › Beadle County › Tornado
Tornado in Beadle County, South Dakota
38 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 38 tornado events in Beadle County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
June is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 3.0 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Beadle County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 19.9 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
3May
8Jun
16Jul
6Aug
4Sep
1Oct
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 38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F3 | $15M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F3 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 17 Jul 1966 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Beadle County had?
38 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 Beadle County?
20 Jun 2022 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Beadle County?
The tornado of 24 Aug 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $15M.
How does Beadle County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
3.0 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 38 of the state's 1,947 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.