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Tornado in Dane County, Wisconsin
76 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 76 tornado events in Dane County, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 39 years.
June is the busiest month, with 28 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 32 events against 23 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 4.2% of the 1,820 tornado events recorded in Wisconsin; its 6.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 4 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 26 at (E)F0, 31 at (E)F1, 13 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Wisconsin
| Measure | Dane County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 76 | 1,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.4 | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.3 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 4 | 98 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
5Apr
3May
11Jun
28Jul
17Aug
6Sep
2Oct
3Nov
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 76 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 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $167K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $160K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.1M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF3 | $14M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | $6K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $1K | $100 | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $429K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2005 | Tornado | F3 | $34M | $750K | 1 | 23 | County |
| 18 Aug 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $389K | $1K | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $130K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 30 | County |
| 22 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 14 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | 2 | 5 | County |
| 11 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 1958 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Dane County had?
76 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 Dane County?
17 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Dane County?
The tornado of 18 Aug 2005, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $34M and crop damage at $750K; 1 death recorded.
How does Dane County compare with Wisconsin for tornado?
6.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 76 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.