Linn County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29115 · population 11,784 · 616 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 353 records for Linn County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 244 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (111 records). The most damaging was the May 24, 2004 hail ($3.9 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1976, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on August 3, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 353on 244 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 016 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $28Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Linn County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 111 since 1956. 53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Missouri's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 111 | 72 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $300K | 95 of 114 |
| Hail | 107 | 71 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 89 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 44 | 43 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $171K | 90 of 114 |
| Floods | 22 | 16 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 108 of 114 |
| Drought | 21 | 21 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 16 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 16 | $24M | 85 of 114 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 114 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 86 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 107 of 114 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 114 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Linn County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Linn County from 1955 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 16 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 17 tornadoes whose track touched Linn County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-04-21 14:20, as SPC files it | Bucklin | F4 | 59 mi | 0 |
| 1975-04-23 15:45, as SPC files it | Brookfield | F3 | 14 mi | 0 |
| 1971-05-05 18:05, as SPC files it | Marceline | F3 | 0.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Missouri.
Every tornado record filed for Linn County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-27 | Brookfield Aprt, Linn County | EFU 0.06 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-08-11 | North Salem, Linn County | EF0 1.26 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-06 | St Catharine, Linn County | EF1 8.51 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-06 | Hecla, Linn County | EF2 12.38 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-10-24 | Hecla, Linn County | EF2 28.19 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $272K |
| 2011-06-14 | New Boston, Linn County | EF0 1.96 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-07-21 | North Salem, Linn County | EF0 5.57 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-24 | Meadville, Linn County | F1 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2003-05-10 | Linneus, Linn County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-04 | Linneus, Linn County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 1989-05-24 | Linn County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-05-16 | Linn County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1975-04-23 | Linn County | F3 5.4 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1975-04-23 | Linn County | F3 8.6 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1971-05-05 | Linn County | F3 | 0 | 12 | $2.5M step |
| 1967-04-21 | Linn County | F4 59 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1960-05-19 | Linn County | F1 1.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-05-26 | Linn County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-05-26 | Linn County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Linn County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 24, 2021 tornado ($272,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This is a continuation of the tornado that came out of Livingston County. The tornado continued across the entirety of Linn County. For the most part the tornado impacted mainly rural areas of the county, but the tornado did brush by the south side of Purdin, Missouri, causing EF-2 damage to residences near Highway 5. The tornado was well reported by chasers as it approached the northeast corner of Linn County. The tornado was reported dissipated as the storm crossed into Macon and Adair Counties. This was corroborated on the survey with the last damage point in the far northeast corner of Linn County.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 991502)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindBucklin, Linn County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | HailLmneus, Linn County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | HailLmneus, Linn County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | HailPurdin, Linn County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindHecla, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindShafter, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindShafter, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | HailLmneus, Linn County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-04 | HailSt Catharine, Linn County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowLinn County · forecast zone Linn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-28 | Winter StormLinn County · forecast zone Linn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindBrookfield, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-05-05 | TornadoLinn County | F3 | 0 | 12 | $2.5M step |
| 1975-04-23 | TornadoLinn County | F3 5.4 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1967-04-21 | TornadoLinn County | F4 59 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-24 | HailMeadville, Linn County | 6.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.9M |
| 2004-05-24 | TornadoMeadville, Linn County | F1 5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2021-10-24 | TornadoHecla, Linn County | EF2 28.19 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $272K |
| 2012-02-28 | Thunderstorm WindLinneus, Linn County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $64K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 5, 1971 (tornado, Linn County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Linn County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 32 | 30 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 47 | 21 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 15 | 22 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 14 | 6 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 23 · Feb 22 · Mar 15 · Apr 31 · May 83 · Jun 65 · Jul 39 · Aug 30 · Sep 14 · Oct 11 · Nov 7 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Linn County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Linn County: 17 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (14) and severe ice storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-03 | DR-4929 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4490 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3482 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-07-09 | DR-4451 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2015-08-07 | DR-4238 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-10-31 | DR-4200 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-03-23 | DR-1961 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2011-02-03 | EM-3317 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-08-17 | DR-1934 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2009-01-30 | EM-3303 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-11-13 | DR-1809 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and A Tornado |
| 2008-06-25 | DR-1773 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-12-27 | DR-1736 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3281 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-06-11 | DR-1708 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3232 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-06-11 | DR-1524 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-05-06 | DR-1412 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1403 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1998-10-14 | DR-1253 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1995-06-02 | DR-1054 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-995 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-09-24 | EM-3017 | Drought | Drought |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Linn County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 22 flood or flash flood records for Linn County from 1996 to 2020, on 16 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Linn County ranks 2061st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $215,000 on 22 claims filed in Linn County; the most in one year was 6 in 2002. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2002: 6 · 2008: 6 · 2014: 2 · 2019: 3; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Linn County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Linn County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.4 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $488K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $590K | 9.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $195K | 49 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $214K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $691K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $236K | 3 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Linn County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MissouriEvery Missouri tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MissouriThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Missouri recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Linn CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Linn County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis