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Tornadoes in North Dakota

North Dakota has recorded 1,737 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 30.9 per year over the last 30 years. They killed 31 people and injured 366. June is the most active month.

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Map data: NWS, OpenFreeMap, OpenStreetMap

Tornadoes per year

96: 25962597: 31973198: 28982899: 58995800: 28002801: 47014702: 17021703: 31033104: 46044605: 53055306: 21062107: 38073808: 32083209: 30093010: 60106011: 59115912: 912913: 16131614: 14141415: 30153016: 22162217: 32173218: 28182819: 15191520: 22202221: 15211522: 16221623: 723724: 14241425: 822582
North Dakota tornadoes per year, 1996–2025
50s: 8550s8560s: 14260s14270s: 23070s23080s: 22580s22590s: 27190s27100s: 34300s34310s: 28510s28520s: 15620s156
Tornadoes per decade (the 2020s are partial)

When tornadoes happen in North Dakota

Jan: 0JanFeb: 0FebMar: 1Mar1Apr: 9Apr9May: 181May181Jun: 666Jun666Jul: 537Jul537Aug: 282Aug282Sep: 50Sep50Oct: 6Oct6Nov: 5Nov5Dec: 0Dec
Tornadoes by month, 1950–2025
EF0: 1,040EF01,040EF1: 431EF1431EF2: 143EF2143EF3: 37EF337EF4: 11EF411EF5: 3EF53
Tornadoes by (E)F rating

Ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita (F) scale; later tornadoes use the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. How the EF scale works.

Deadliest tornadoes in North Dakota

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
June 20, 1957F5—52.4 mi500 yd10103
July 4, 1978F4Grant County26 mi250 yd535
June 20, 2025EF5Ransom County12.1 mi1,850 yd30
May 29, 1953F5Morton County14.8 mi600 yd220
July 2, 1955F4Richland County9.1 mi150 yd219
July 31, 1966F3—26.4 mi280 yd24
July 1, 1952F4Burleigh County48 mi150 yd126
June 29, 1975F4Hettinger County68 mi880 yd14
August 26, 2007EF4Grand Forks County5 mi1,400 yd118
August 12, 2010EF3Burke County5 mi400 yd11

Strongest tornadoes in North Dakota

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
June 20, 1957F5—52.4 mi500 yd10103
June 20, 2025EF5Ransom County12.1 mi1,850 yd30
May 29, 1953F5Morton County14.8 mi600 yd220
July 4, 1978F4Grant County26 mi250 yd535
July 2, 1955F4Richland County9.1 mi150 yd219
June 29, 1975F4Hettinger County68 mi880 yd14
July 1, 1952F4Burleigh County48 mi150 yd126
August 26, 2007EF4Grand Forks County5 mi1,400 yd118
July 5, 1955F4Mountrail County28 mi100 yd00
June 17, 2010EF4Traill County17 mi150 yd01

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
September 18, 2025?Richland County0.2 mi10 yd00
September 17, 2025?McKenzie County1.1 mi50 yd00
September 14, 2025?McHenry County0.2 mi50 yd00
September 14, 2025?McHenry County1.8 mi50 yd00
September 14, 2025?McHenry County3.4 mi100 yd00
September 14, 2025?McHenry County6.9 mi50 yd00
September 14, 2025?McLean County7.3 mi100 yd00
September 14, 2025?Sheridan County1.3 mi50 yd00
September 14, 2025EF1McLean County8.7 mi250 yd00
September 14, 2025?Sheridan County3.1 mi50 yd00

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Cass County106155546742.2
Grand Forks County91164129526.5
Barnes County68118042895.4
Richland County60108217270.2
Burleigh County6095162278
Stutsman County5968771377.1
Walsh County55111115444.6
Ward County5570765027.3
Morton County5472616822.4
Ramsey County51111468354.4
Benson County5093232541.4
McLean County4960146919.4
Steele County45163693820.2
Cavalier County4374795164.5
Emmons County4373852785.1
Nelson County41108136456.2
Pembina County4194897229.7
Griggs County39142468265.2
LaMoure County3988141361.3
McHenry County3751136606.2

About this data

Tornado records come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database of confirmed tornadoes, 1950–2025. Tornadoes that crossed state lines are counted in the state where they began. Counts in the early decades are lower partly because many weak tornadoes went unreported before Doppler radar and storm spotter networks.