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Tornado in Codington County, South Dakota
35 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 35 tornado events in Codington County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
June is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.8% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 5.1 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 6 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Codington County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 35 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 12.3 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
0Apr
1May
9Jun
11Jul
10Aug
2Sep
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 35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Jul 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1951 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Codington County had?
35 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 Codington County?
9 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Codington County?
The tornado of 19 Jun 1979, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Codington County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
5.1 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 35 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.