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Tornado in Turner 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.
Turner County, South Dakota, has 45 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 22 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 21 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 7.3 per 100 square miles compares with 2.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 11 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Turner County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 1,947 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.3 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 51.7 | 21.7 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 19 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
5May
8Jun
21Jul
6Aug
3Sep
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | 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 |
| 18 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | 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 | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1981 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1971 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 10 May 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Turner 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 Turner County?
17 May 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Turner County?
The tornado of 24 Jun 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Turner County compare with South Dakota for tornado?
7.3 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.