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Tornado in McCook County, South Dakota
42 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.
McCook County, South Dakota, has 42 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 23 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 15 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.2% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 7.3 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | McCook County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.3 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 73.7 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
19Jun
17Jul
3Aug
0Sep
1Oct
1Nov
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 42 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 | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $900K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1998 | Tornado | F4 | $17M | $400K | 6 | 150 | County |
| 7 May 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1993 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Oct 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1967 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has McCook County had?
42 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 McCook County?
31 May 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in McCook County?
The tornado of 30 May 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $17M and crop damage at $400K; 6 deaths recorded.
How does McCook County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
7.3 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 42 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.