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Tornado in Lincoln County, South Dakota
61 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 61 tornado events in Lincoln County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
June is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 33 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.1% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 10.6 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 35 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 11 at (E)F2, 1 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 | Lincoln County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 61 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 9.0 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
2May
16Jun
25Jul
12Aug
4Sep
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 61 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $6.8M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 10 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.2M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 1 Jul 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 21 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Jun 1965 | Tornado | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lincoln County had?
61 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 Lincoln County?
31 May 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lincoln County?
The tornado of 14 Jul 1970, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Lincoln County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
10.6 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 61 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.