North Dakota tornadoes

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1,739 confirmed tornadoes since 1950. Most recent: September 18, 2025, EFU. 2026 so far: 14 preliminary reports preliminary

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Cass County10861
Grand Forks County9365
Barnes County6846
Richland County6243
Burleigh County6037
Stutsman County5826
Walsh County5644
Ward County5527
Morton County5428
Ramsey County5143
Benson County5036
McLean County4923
Steele County4563
Cavalier County4329
Emmons County4329

When tornadoes hit here

By month

6670 Jan: 0Feb: 0Mar: 1Apr: 9May: 181Jun: 667Jul: 538Aug: 282Sep: 50Oct: 6Nov: 5Dec: 0JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

June is the peak month, with 667 of 1739 tornadoes.

By time of day

2380 12 AM: 16: 13: 173 AM: 10: 5: 56 AM: 3: 8: 49 AM: 7: 5: 1812 PM: 59: 103: 1053 PM: 185: 207: 2316 PM: 238: 189: 1519 PM: 83: 41: 3612 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 6:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

820 1950: 2: 2: 10: 9: 4: 12: 14: 13: 9: 111960: 16: 2: 9: 5: 11: 41: 29: 16: 6: 71970: 12: 16: 9: 10: 26: 15: 52: 30: 35: 251980: 29: 14: 18: 26: 15: 32: 29: 22: 28: 121990: 25: 17: 15: 39: 20: 13: 25: 31: 28: 582000: 28: 47: 17: 31: 46: 53: 21: 38: 32: 302010: 60: 59: 9: 16: 14: 31: 22: 32: 28: 152020: 22: 15: 16: 7: 14: 8219501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones. This year so far: 14 preliminary reports.

By rating

EF0
1040
EF1
432
EF2
143
EF3
38
EF4
11
EF5
3
Unknown
72

Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.

Notable tornadoes

Deadliest

F5, June 20, 1957

10 deaths Longest path

68 miles, F4

June 29, 1975

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Sep 18, 2025EFU0.2 mi10 yd00
Sep 17, 2025EFU1.14 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU0.15 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU1.75 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU3.39 mi100 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU6.88 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU7.27 mi100 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU1.25 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EF18.69 mi250 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU3.1 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU0.97 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EF212.89 mi800 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU5.19 mi100 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU3.82 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU2.85 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU2.8 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU4.49 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU1.84 mi50 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EF12.71 mi100 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EFU3.32 mi50 yd00

Every North Dakota county

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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched.