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Tornado in Rock County, Wisconsin
38 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.
Rock County, Wisconsin, has 38 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 1,820 tornado events recorded in Wisconsin; its 5.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 0 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 | Rock County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 1,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.3 | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.3 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 98 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
3Apr
5May
9Jun
6Jul
5Aug
3Sep
3Oct
1Nov
2Dec
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 38 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 | EF1 | $124K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $215K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | $408K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $112K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $6.8M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $600K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $845K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1978 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1972 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Oct 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Rock County had?
38 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 Rock County?
17 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Rock County?
The tornado of 22 Jun 2024, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Rock County compare with Wisconsin for tornado?
5.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 38 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.