North Dakota tornadoes
Every recorded tornado since 1950 · 53 counties with a record
North Dakota has recorded 1,739 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 30 a year since 2000, with 52 rated F3/EF3 or stronger (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). The deadliest was the June 20, 1957 Fargo tornado (10 deaths in North Dakota). North Dakota ranks 18th of 52 states and territories by count and 28th of 51 per square mile.
Tornadoes in North Dakota, 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
- 1,7391950 to 2025
- A year since 2000
- 30average
- Deaths
- 29362 injuries
- F3/EF3 or stronger
- 523% of tornadoes
- Busiest year
- 202582 tornadoes
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025 (state segments). SPC severe weather database.
Are tornadoes common in North Dakota?
North Dakota averages about 30 tornadoes a year since 2000, 18th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2025 (82). Per 10,000 square miles of land, North Dakota records 252 tornadoes since 1950, 28th 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 North Dakota have the most tornadoes?
Per square mile, Cass County leads North Dakota: 73 days with a tornado record since 1950, 41.4 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Cass County has the most tornado records (109 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 North Dakota?
69% of its tornadoes since 1950 fell in June and July. The busiest month is June (667 tornadoes).
The values, month by month
Jan 0 · Feb 0 · Mar 1 · Apr 9 · May 181 · Jun 667 · Jul 538 · Aug 282 · Sep 50 · Oct 6 · Nov 5 · Dec 0 (records).
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments by the month they began, 1950-2025.
What were the deadliest tornadoes in North Dakota?
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-06-20 | Fargo · CassWhole track: MN, ND; 10 deaths | F5 | 27.4 mi | 10 | 103 |
| 1978-07-04 | Carson · Grant | F4 | 26 mi | 5 | 35 |
| 2025-06-20 | Enderlin · Ransom, Cass | EF5 | 12.1 mi | 3 | 0 |
| 1953-05-29 | Ft. Rice · Morton, Emmons | F5 | 14.8 mi | 2 | 20 |
| 1955-07-02 | Walcott to Colfax · Richland | F4 | 9.1 mi | 2 | 19 |
| 2018-07-09 | Watford · McKenzie | EF2 | 0.53 mi | 1 | 28 |
| 1952-07-01 | Tuttle · Burleigh, Kidder | F4 | 48 mi | 1 | 26 |
| 2007-08-26 | Northwood · Grand Forks | EF4 | 5 mi | 1 | 18 |
| 1975-06-29 | Leith · Hettinger, Grant | F4 | 68 mi | 1 | 4 |
| 1997-07-23 | Carpio · Renville | F2 | 0.2 mi | 1 | 2 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (state segments: deaths and path inside North Dakota), 1950-2025; counties are the first four the SPC lists for the segment. SPC severe weather database.
Where have the strongest tornadoes tracked in North Dakota?
- 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 North Dakota
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-06-20 | Fargo · Cass | F5 | 27.4 mi | 500 yd | 10 |
| 2025-06-20 | Enderlin · Ransom, Cass | EF5 | 12.1 mi | 1,850 yd | 3 |
| 1953-05-29 | Ft. Rice · Morton, Emmons | F5 | 14.8 mi | 600 yd | 2 |
| 1978-07-04 | Carson · Grant | F4 | 26 mi | 250 yd | 5 |
| 1955-07-02 | Walcott to Colfax · Richland | F4 | 9.1 mi | 150 yd | 2 |
| 1975-06-29 | Leith · Hettinger, Grant | F4 | 68 mi | 880 yd | 1 |
| 1952-07-01 | Tuttle · Burleigh, Kidder | F4 | 48 mi | 150 yd | 1 |
| 2007-08-26 | Northwood · Grand Forks | EF4 | 5 mi | 1,400 yd | 1 |
| 1955-07-05 | Tolley · Mountrail | F4 | 28 mi | 100 yd | 0 |
| 2010-06-17 | Mayville · Traill, Grand Forks | EF4 | 17 mi | 150 yd | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database; F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after.
The longest tornado paths in North Dakota
| Date | Tornado and counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975-06-29 | Leith · Hettinger, Grant | F4 | 68 mi | 880 yd | 1 |
| 1952-07-01 | Tuttle · Burleigh, Kidder | F4 | 48 mi | 150 yd | 1 |
| 1964-05-05 | Hague · Emmons, McIntosh, Logan | F2 | 47.5 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
| 1956-06-17 | Tuttle · Burleigh, Kidder | F2 | 37.1 mi | 50 yd | 0 |
| 1965-05-05 | Mapleton · Cass | F2 | 33.8 mi | 83 yd | 0 |
| 1975-05-24 | Beulah to Garrison · Mercer, McLean | F2 | 33.7 mi | 50 yd | 0 |
| 2001-07-17 | Cleveland · Kidder, Stutsman | F2 | 30 mi | 880 yd | 0 |
| 1999-06-13 | Oliver | F1 | 29 mi | 50 yd | 0 |
| 2003-07-13 | McLean, Sheridan | F1 | 29 mi | 40 yd | 0 |
| 1999-08-15 | Litchville · Barnes, LaMoure, Ransom | F2 | 28.5 mi | 283 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 North Dakota county
All 53 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 North Dakota 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, North Dakota ranks 32nd of 50 states for tornadoes rated 1 or higher per square mile since 1950 (91 per 10,000 square miles), and it is one of the Plains states at the core of the area the name usually means.
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 North Dakota
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-26 | TornadoNorthwood, Grand Forks County The tornado touched down about 2 miles west-southwest of Northwood. The tornado crossed the Goose River about a mile west-southwest of the Northwood airport and left a 200 yard wide stretch of downed trees in its wake. By the time it hit the airport, the ground track was one-third of a mile wide and growing wider. At ... | EF4 5 mi x 1,400 yd | 1 | 18 | $74M |
| 2009-07-08 | TornadoDickinson, Stark County Meteorologists from the National Weather Service conducted a storm damage survey in and around Dickinson on Thursday, July 9th, 2009. Meteorologists walked through the area and spoke with numerous people affected, many of whom were eye witnesses to the event. This tornado passed through the city of Dickinson on the ... | EF3 2.29 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 2 | $28M |
| 2017-06-09 | TornadoEasby, Cavalier County This tornado was partially engulfed in downburst winds and hail along its nearly 20 mile path. Large wooden power poles were snapped, roofing was stripped off of homes, steel pole sheds were totally dismantled, numerous steel grain bins were crushed, and large metal segments were carried for a mile or more downwind. ... | EF2 18 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.2M |
| 2018-07-09 | TornadoWatford City, McKenzie County About 135 people were displaced from their homes. One fatality occurred and 28 people were injured, about 13 of them seriously. Based on the damage the tornado was rated EF2 and from that winds were estimated to have been around 127 mph. This tornado developed just to the west of a large recreational vehicle, camper, ... | EF2 0.53 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 28 | $4.1M |
| 2011-07-10 | TornadoNicholson, Sargent County This tornado was enshrouded in downburst winds and heavy rains, but was briefly visible to spotters near Cogswell. The tornado ripped out nearly seven miles of dual wooden high voltage power line along its track. Numerous trees and singular power poles were snapped and pole sheds and steel grain bins were destroyed at ... | EF2 26 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.7M |
| 2007-07-15 | TornadoTower City, Cass County The tornado plowed through wooden power poles and viciously ripped up mature trees over its damage path. The tornado also damaged a sturdy pole shed, where the sidewall was caved in and the roof and rafters were torn off. It tore the roof off and collapsed an older barn, then lifted and threw a well-built two car ... | EF2 8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.6M |
| 2010-07-14 | TornadoLisbon Municipal Airport, Ransom County This tornado was embedded in a squall line which also produced large hail and a wide swath of damaging downburst winds. The most extreme tornado damage was observed at two farmsteads, one about four miles west of Lisbon where a barn was ripped off its foundation and destroyed, and another about 4 miles ESE of Lisbon ... | EF2 9.12 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 2014-05-26 | TornadoWatford City, McKenzie County Thirteen campers, serving as homes, were completely destroyed and two more were damaged by this tornado. Other damage included a snapped wooden power line pole, automobiles, and fences, both wooden and metal. One automobile was tossed sixty feet and flipped onto its roof, with a trailer parked next to its initial ... | EF2 0.46 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 9 | $3.1M |
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: June 20, 1957 (tornado, Cass County, 10 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 North Dakota?
North Dakota'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 | North Dakota | United States | North Dakota's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 86 | 4,837 | 1.8% |
| 1960s | 142 | 6,863 | 2.1% |
| 1970s | 230 | 8,633 | 2.7% |
| 1980s | 225 | 8,250 | 2.7% |
| 1990s | 271 | 12,205 | 2.2% |
| 2000s | 343 | 12,892 | 2.7% |
| 2010s | 286 | 12,232 | 2.3% |
| 2020-25 | 156 | 8,234 | 1.9% |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments.
The most recent tornadoes in North Dakota
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | TornadoRiverdale, McLean County | EFU 1.48 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | TornadoFryburg, Billings County | EF1 0.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-09 | TornadoNoonan, Divide County | EFU 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | TornadoNiobe, Ward County | EFU 0.58 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | TornadoBowbells, Burke County | EF1 2.68 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-07 | TornadoDes Lacs, Ward County | EFU 0.49 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-18 | TornadoWyndmere, Richland County | EFU 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-17 | TornadoArnegard, McKenzie County | EFU 1.14 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-14 | TornadoButte, McHenry County | EFU 0.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-14 | TornadoButte, McLean County | EFU 6.78 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-14 | TornadoGranville, McHenry County | EFU 0.15 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-14 | TornadoKarlsruhe, McHenry County | EFU 1.75 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 North Dakota
FEMA has declared 9 disasters in North Dakota for tornadoes, counting its incident type and declarations that name tornado in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 8 were major disasters, the latest on September 1, 2026.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4934 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes | 7 |
| 2025-10-22 | DR-4895 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes | 7 |
| 2025-09-11 | DR-4888 | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds | 19 |
| 2007-09-07 | DR-1726 | Severe Storms and Tornadoes | 1 |
| 2007-09-07 | DR-1725 | Severe Storms and Tornadoes | 2 |
| 2002-09-10 | DR-1431 | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes | 6 |
| 2000-12-29 | DR-1353 | Severe Winter Storms and Tornadoes | 9 |
| 1978-07-07 | EM-3065 | Severe Storms & Tornadoes | 1 |
| 1957-06-22 | DR-79 | Tornado | 1 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Cass County: the county's whole recordThe North Dakota county with the most tornadoes per square mile
- Tornadoes across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in North DakotaTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
- Hail in North Dakota10,026 records
- Severe thunderstorm wind in North Dakota6,888 records
- Winter storms in North Dakota6,541 records