States › South Dakota › Brown County › Tornado
Tornado in Brown County, South Dakota
84 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.
Brown County, South Dakota, has 84 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 42 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 38 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 27 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 4.3% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 4.9 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 58 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 6 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Brown County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 84 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 22.0 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
22Jun
38Jul
16Aug
7Sep
0Oct
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 84 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F3 | $750K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 15 | County |
| 10 Jul 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 17 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1970 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1970 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 25 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 24 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1965 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Brown County had?
84 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 Brown County?
13 Jul 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Brown County?
The tornado of 19 Jun 1979, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Brown County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
4.9 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 84 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.