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Tornado in Roberts County, South Dakota
32 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 32 tornado events in Roberts County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 20 years.
June is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 1,947 tornado events recorded in South Dakota; its 2.9 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Roberts County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 32 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 31.5 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
7Jun
13Jul
4Aug
2Sep
1Oct
5Nov
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 32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 28 May 1979 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1951 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Roberts County had?
32 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 Roberts County?
1 Jun 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Roberts County?
The tornado of 19 Jun 1979, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 1 death recorded.
How does Roberts County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
2.9 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 32 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.