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Tornado in Hand County, South Dakota
40 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 40 tornado events in Hand County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
June is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 2.8 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 4 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Hand County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 40 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 129.2 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
3Jun
22Jul
6Aug
6Sep
2Oct
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 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1965 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 10 | County |
| 23 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Hand County had?
40 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 Hand County?
25 Jul 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Hand County?
The tornado of 18 Jun 1964, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Hand County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
2.8 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 40 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.