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Tornado in Vilas County, Wisconsin
15 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.
Vilas County, Wisconsin, has 15 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 11 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 2 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 1,820 tornado events recorded in Wisconsin; its 1.7 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
By rating: 1 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Wisconsin
| Measure | Vilas County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 15 | 1,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.7 | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.4 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 98 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
2May
1Jun
3Jul
5Aug
4Sep
0Oct
0Nov
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 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 3 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 May 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Vilas County had?
15 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 Vilas County?
9 Aug 2020 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Vilas County?
The tornado of 27 Apr 1984, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Vilas County compare with Wisconsin for tornado?
1.7 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 15 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.