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Tornado in Spink County, South Dakota
43 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 43 tornado events in Spink County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
June is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 10 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 2.9 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Spink County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 68.6 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
2May
4Jun
18Jul
7Aug
6Sep
5Oct
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1980 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1970 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1967 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1966 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Spink County had?
43 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 Spink County?
19 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Spink County?
The tornado of 29 May 1953, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25K.
How does Spink County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
2.9 events per 100 square miles against 2.6 statewide; the county holds 43 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.