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Tornado in Spokane County, Washington
16 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.
Spokane County, Washington, has 16 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 14 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 5 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 11.6% of the 138 tornado events recorded in Washington; its 0.9 per 100 square miles compares with 0.2 statewide.
By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Washington
| Measure | Spokane County | Washington | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 16 | 138 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 6 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
4May
6Jun
3Jul
1Aug
1Sep
0Oct
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 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Spokane County had?
16 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 Spokane County?
18 Apr 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Spokane County?
The tornado of 31 May 1997, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $350K.
How does Spokane County compare with Washington for tornado?
0.9 events per 100 square miles against 0.2 statewide; the county holds 16 of the state's 138 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.