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Tornado in Perkins County, South Dakota
45 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.
Perkins County, South Dakota, has 45 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 20 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 27 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.3% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 1.6 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 17 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Perkins County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 159.6 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
11Jun
27Jul
4Aug
3Sep
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 6 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 17 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1967 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Perkins County had?
45 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 Perkins County?
21 Jun 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Perkins County?
The tornado of 6 Jun 1978, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Perkins County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
1.6 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 45 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.