Missouri tornadoes
Every recorded tornado since 1950 · 115 counties with a record
Missouri has recorded 2,707 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 54 a year since 2000, with 165 rated F3/EF3 or stronger (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). The deadliest was the May 22, 2011 Joplin tornado (158 deaths in Missouri). Missouri ranks 10th of 52 states and territories by count and 15th of 51 per square mile.
Tornadoes in Missouri, 1950 to 2025
Tornadoes per year (SPC; a tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1996: tornado reports rose with NEXRAD Doppler radar, mid-1990s (SPC)
- Tornadoes
- 2,7071950 to 2025
- A year since 2000
- 54average
- Deaths
- 4234,584 injuries
- F3/EF3 or stronger
- 1656% of tornadoes
- Busiest year
- 2006101 tornadoes
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025 (state segments). SPC severe weather database.
Are tornadoes common in Missouri?
Missouri averages about 54 tornadoes a year since 2000, 10th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2006 (101). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Missouri records 394 tornadoes since 1950, 15th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA SPC, tornadoes 1950-2025, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Missouri have the most tornadoes?
Per square mile, Scott County leads Missouri: 36 days with a tornado record since 1950, 85.7 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Greene County has the most tornado records (60 since 1950); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1950 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is tornado season in Missouri?
47% of its tornadoes since 1950 fell in April and May. The busiest month is May (719 tornadoes).
The values, month by month
Jan 90 · Feb 83 · Mar 255 · Apr 550 · May 719 · Jun 343 · Jul 137 · Aug 58 · Sep 111 · Oct 132 · Nov 93 · Dec 136 (records).
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments by the month they began, 1950-2025.
What were the deadliest tornadoes in Missouri?
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-22 | Joplin · Newton, Jasper | EF5 | 21.62 mi | 158 | 1,150 |
| 1957-05-20 | Ruskin Heights · JacksonWhole track: KS, MO; 44 deaths | F5 | 12.6 mi | 37 | 176 |
| 1959-02-10 | Wildwood to St. Louis · St. Louis, St. Louis (city)Whole track: IL, MO; 21 deaths | F4 | 23.9 mi | 21 | 345 |
| 1952-03-21 | Cooter · Pemiscot | F4 | 6.5 mi | 17 | 100 |
| 2008-05-10 | Purdy · Newton, BarryWhole track: MO, OK; 21 deaths | EF4 | 46.51 mi | 15 | 200 |
| 1957-05-21 | Desloge · Washington, St. Francois | F3 | 22.2 mi | 8 | 50 |
| 1957-05-21 | Van Buren · Carter | F4 | 9.1 mi | 7 | 75 |
| 2003-05-04 | Springfield · Newton, Lawrence, Christian, Greene | F3 | 49 mi | 7 | 48 |
| 2003-05-04 | Liberal to Stockton · Barton, Cedar, Polk, Hickory | F3 | 86 mi | 5 | 47 |
| 2023-04-05 | Glen Allen · Bollinger, Cape Girardeau | EF2 | 20.66 mi | 5 | 4 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (state segments: deaths and path inside Missouri), 1950-2025; counties are the first four the SPC lists for the segment. SPC severe weather database.
Where have the strongest tornadoes tracked in Missouri?
- F2/EF2
- F3/EF3
- F4/EF4
- F5/EF5
- no end point filed
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, start and end points of each track; county lines: Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (2017), via us-atlas. SPC severe weather database. Census cartographic boundary files.
The strongest tornadoes in Missouri
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-22 | Joplin · Newton, Jasper | EF5 | 21.62 mi | 1,600 yd | 158 |
| 1957-05-20 | Ruskin Heights · Jackson | F5 | 12.6 mi | 440 yd | 37 |
| 1959-02-10 | Wildwood to St. Louis · St. Louis, St. Louis (city) | F4 | 23.9 mi | 200 yd | 21 |
| 1952-03-21 | Cooter · Pemiscot | F4 | 6.5 mi | 880 yd | 17 |
| 2008-05-10 | Purdy · Newton, Barry | EF4 | 46.51 mi | 1,760 yd | 15 |
| 1957-05-21 | Van Buren · Carter | F4 | 9.1 mi | 500 yd | 7 |
| 1969-06-22 | Doe Run · St. Francois | F4 | 15.1 mi | 440 yd | 4 |
| 1967-12-21 | Viburnum to Potosi · Iron, Washington | F4 | 27.9 mi | 200 yd | 3 |
| 1967-01-24 | Chesterfield to Bridgeton · St. Louis | F4 | 25 mi | 200 yd | 3 |
| 2004-05-29 | Pattonsburg · DeKalb, Daviess, Harrison | F4 | 22 mi | 800 yd | 3 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database; F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after.
The longest tornado paths in Missouri
| Date | Tornado and counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-04-30 | Sturgeon to Shelbina · Boone, Monroe, Shelby, Clark | F2 | 89.6 mi | 100 yd | 0 |
| 2003-05-04 | Liberal to Stockton · Barton, Cedar, Polk, Hickory | F3 | 86 mi | 880 yd | 5 |
| 1981-04-22 | Sikeston · Dunklin, New Madrid, Mississippi | F4 | 63 mi | 400 yd | 1 |
| 1982-03-15 | El Dorado Springs to Osceola · Barton, Vernon, Cedar, St. Clair | F3 | 60 mi | 500 yd | 1 |
| 1967-04-21 | Bucklin · Linn, Macon, Knox | F4 | 59 mi | 500 yd | 0 |
| 1973-11-24 | Gideon to East Prairie · Dunklin, New Madrid, Mississippi | F2 | 57.3 mi | 10 yd | 2 |
| 2025-03-14 | Brandsville · Oregon, Shannon, Carter, Reynolds | EF3 | 57.24 mi | 800 yd | 0 |
| 2006-03-12 | Barton, Dade, Cedar, Polk | F0 | 57 mi | 50 yd | 0 |
| 1999-04-08 | Marceline · Carroll, Chariton, Macon | F2 | 53.5 mi | 280 yd | 0 |
| 1955-03-20 | Arbyrd · Dunklin, Pemiscot, New Madrid | F2 | 51.4 mi | 250 yd | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments: path length and width inside the state. SPC severe weather database.
Tornadoes in every Missouri county
All 115 counties: tornadoes whose track touched each, and the strongest
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database: whole tornadoes whose track touched the county (any state segment listing it). SPC severe weather database.
Is Missouri in Tornado Alley?
Tornado Alley has no official boundary; the Storm Prediction Center calls it a media nickname for the central U.S. area of relatively high tornado occurrence. By the record, Missouri ranks 14th of 50 states for tornadoes rated 1 or higher per square mile since 1950 (237 per 10,000 square miles).
Tornado Alley, measured: the states by density and maps of where tornadoes began in two eras.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database and Online Tornado FAQ. SPC's tornado FAQ.
The costliest tornadoes in Missouri
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-22 | TornadoCentral City, Jasper County National Weather Service survey teams rated the tornado that tracked across the southwest through east central portion of Joplin, Missouri, as an EF5 tornado. Maximum winds were estimated to have exceeded 200 miles per hour. The tornado had a maximum width of one mile and an overall path length of nearly 21.6 miles, ... | EF5 8.8 mi x 1,600 yd | 161 | 1,150 | $3.7B |
| 2025-05-16 | TornadoTower Grove, St. Louis (city) The tornado was its widest and strongest in St. Louis City. After it crossed into the City, the tornado caused major tree and structural damage in and around Forest Park and its northern neighborhoods. The then EF-3 tornado continued northeast into North St. Louis City where 4 individuals lost their lives. Continuing ... | EF0 6.61 mi x 1,750 yd | 4 | 38 | $1.6B |
| 2011-04-22 | TornadoVigus, St. Louis County During the evening of Friday April 22nd, an intense supercell thunderstorm produced a long-track tornado which tore a path of destruction from west to east across the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, from St. Louis County Missouri eastward through the far northern portions of the City of St. Louis, then across the ... | EF4 15.39 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 5 | $328M |
| 2019-05-22 | TornadoScrivner, Cole County A tornado crossed from Miller County (WFO Springfield’s County Warning Area) into Cole County at 1120 PM. As the tornado tracked to the northeast it crossed Lake Carmel and tore the roof off of a one story home on the northeast shore of the lake. Numerous trees were either snapped off or uprooted in the area as well. ... | EF3 17.13 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 32 | $196M |
| 2010-12-31 | TornadoBloodland, Pulaski County A NWS storm survey team determined that a tornado occurred over Fort Leonard Wood. Numerous homes were destroyed on the east side of the base. Several homes suffered complete wall damage. A total of 159 homes were damaged with 41 destroyed and 32 others with significant damage. Extensive to moderate damage occurred to ... | EF3 7.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 4 | $122M |
| 2003-05-04 | TornadoLiberty, Clay County Tornado reported on the ground near Missouri Route 291, south of Missouri Route 152, it produced spotty damage northeast to downtown Liberty. Substantial damage was noted near the square in Libery, and to William Jewel College. The tornado tracked east along Missouri Route H into rural portions of Clay county before ... | F2 8.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $96M |
| 2006-04-02 | TornadoDeering, Pemiscot County The tornado continued east out of Dunklin County into Pemiscot County. The tornado lifted near the Mississippi River. There were two fatalities in Braggadocio. One hundred thirty people were injured. The most affected area was the southern portion of Caruthersville. Two hundred twenty-six homes were destroyed and five ... | F3 17.6 mi x 880 yd | 2 | 130 | $88M |
| 2006-03-12 | TornadoClever, Christian County This tornado is a continuation of the Lawrence County tornado. Significant structural damage occurred across the Christian County panhandle in a rural area between Billings and Clever. This area was also heavily impacted by the 4 May 2003 tornado. A subdivision with solid well built homes northwest of Nixa was ... | F3 17 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 3 | $73M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: February 10, 1959 (tornado, St. Louis (city), 11 killed); February 10, 1959 (tornado, St. Louis County, 10 killed); May 21, 1957 (tornado, St. Francois County, 8 killed); January 24, 1967 (tornado, St. Louis County, 3 killed); April 24, 1975 (tornado, Newton County, 3 killed).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are tornadoes becoming more frequent in Missouri?
Missouri's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. The Storm Prediction Center notes that tornado reports rose especially around the installation of the NEXRAD Doppler radar network in the mid-1990s, so a rising count is partly better detection; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Missouri | United States | Missouri's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 217 | 4,837 | 4.5% |
| 1960s | 311 | 6,863 | 4.5% |
| 1970s | 241 | 8,633 | 2.8% |
| 1980s | 248 | 8,250 | 3.0% |
| 1990s | 288 | 12,205 | 2.4% |
| 2000s | 576 | 12,892 | 4.5% |
| 2010s | 530 | 12,232 | 4.3% |
| 2020-25 | 296 | 8,234 | 3.6% |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments.
The most recent tornadoes in Missouri
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | TornadoSeymour Owen Field Arp, Webster County | EF0 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-26 | TornadoMt Zion, Douglas County | EF1 0.46 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-21 | TornadoWarson Woods, St. Louis County | EF0 0.88 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-21 | TornadoMunsett, Shannon County | EF0 2.7 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-17 | TornadoAlexandria, Clark County | EF1 0.94 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2026-06-13 | TornadoPulaskifield, Barry County | EF0 4.77 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-13 | TornadoFidelity, Jasper County | EF1 1.23 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2026-06-13 | TornadoButterfield, Barry County | EF0 6.64 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-07 | TornadoZenar, Webster County | EF0 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | TornadoOngo, Douglas County | EF1 8.86 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2026-06-07 | TornadoSparta, Christian County | EF1 2.3 mi x 333 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-07 | TornadoSpokane, Christian County | EF0 0.94 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for tornadoes in Missouri
FEMA has declared 40 disasters in Missouri for tornadoes, counting its incident type and declarations that name tornado in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 39 were major disasters, the latest on August 3, 2026.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-03 | DR-4929 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 34 |
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4924 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 10 |
| 2025-06-09 | DR-4877 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 3 |
| 2025-06-09 | DR-4876 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 6 |
| 2025-05-21 | DR-4872 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 27 |
| 2025-05-21 | DR-4867 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Wildfires | 25 |
| 2025-01-01 | DR-4855 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 14 |
| 2024-07-23 | DR-4803 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 15 |
| 2023-09-21 | DR-4741 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 33 |
| 2022-01-10 | DR-4636 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes | 7 |
| 2021-09-01 | DR-4612 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 21 |
| 2020-07-09 | DR-4552 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 19 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Scott County: the county's whole recordThe Missouri county with the most tornadoes per square mile
- Tornadoes across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in MissouriTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
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