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Tornado in Buffalo County, Wisconsin
21 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.
Buffalo County, Wisconsin, has 21 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 16 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 1,820 tornado events recorded in Wisconsin; its 3.1 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Wisconsin
| Measure | Buffalo County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 21 | 1,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.1 | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 15.8 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 98 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
2May
8Jun
5Jul
3Aug
0Sep
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 21 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 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF3 | $928K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $126K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | $6K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | $8K | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $260K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $235K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $208K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | $4K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | $35K | — | 3 | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 17 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 20 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1959 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1953 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Buffalo County had?
21 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 Buffalo County?
17 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF3). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Buffalo County?
The tornado of 10 May 1953, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Buffalo County compare with Wisconsin for tornado?
3.1 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 21 of the state's 1,820 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.