Minnesota has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 2,360 confirmed tornadoes, 15,223 hailstorm events and 13,141 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950. The state ranks 14th nationally for tornado frequency, and averages 31.5 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Minnesota from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).

Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.

Minnesota Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)

• 2,360 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
• 383 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
• 6 confirmed F5/EF5 tornadoes on record — the maximum rating on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita scales
• 100 direct tornado deaths and 1,982 direct injuries
• 15,223 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
• 13,141 damaging-wind events on record
• 31.5 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
• June is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 31.1% of Minnesota tornadoes
• 219 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS

When Minnesota Severe Weather Happens

Minnesota tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 53% of all Minnesota tornadoes, with June alone responsible for roughly 31.1%.

• June: 733 tornadoes (31.1%) — peak month
• July: 556 tornadoes (23.6%)
• May: 397 tornadoes (16.8%)
• August: 342 tornadoes (14.5%)
• September: 146 tornadoes (6.2%)
• April: 86 tornadoes (3.6%)

Top 10 Minnesota Counties by Tornado Frequency

Tornado activity in Minnesota is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.

The Deadliest Tornadoes in Minnesota History

Minnesota has lost 100 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 12 people in Cass County in 1969, rated F4 on the Fujita scale.

Minnesota Tornado Strength Distribution

Most Minnesota tornadoes are weak: roughly 83% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 16.5% of rated tornadoes in the state. Minnesota is one of the few states with a confirmed F5 or EF5 tornado on record.

• F0/EF0 (weak): 1,188 tornadoes — 51.2% of rated events
• F1/EF1: 749 tornadoes — 32.3% of rated events
• F2/EF2 (strong): 260 tornadoes — 11.2% of rated events
• F3/EF3: 77 tornadoes — 3.3% of rated events
• F4/EF4 (violent): 40 tornadoes — 1.7% of rated events
• F5/EF5 (incredible): 6 tornadoes — 0.3% of rated events

Record-Setting Severe Weather in Minnesota

Largest hailstone: 6.00 inches in diameter, observed in Murray County on July 4, 1968. The three largest hailstones on record in Minnesota measured 6.00″, 6.00″, 6.00″.

Highest measured wind gust: 126 knots (145 mph) recorded in Otter Tail County near Parkers Prairie on June 17, 2010. Most damaging-wind events in Minnesota are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.

How Minnesota Compares Nationally

Minnesota ranks 14th nationally for tornado frequency since 1950, placing it in the upper third of states by severe-weather activity.

• Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
• Minnesota tornado total: 2,360 — ranked 14th nationally.
• Minnesota hail total: 15,223 hail events on record since 1950.
• Minnesota wind total: 13,141 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes does Minnesota have on average per year?

Minnesota averages 31.5 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.

What was the deadliest tornado in Minnesota history?

The August 6, 1969 tornado, rated F4 on the Fujita scale, killed 12 people and injured 70 in Cass County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Minnesota modern record.

Where in Minnesota are tornadoes most common?

The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Otter Tail County with 85 events. The three most active counties overall are Otter Tail, Polk, Freeborn.

How does Minnesota compare to its neighbors?

Minnesota shares a severe-weather climate with North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Minnesota’s neighbors’ records on the same date.

How recent is the data on this map?

The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.

Compare Minnesota to Neighboring States

Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Minnesota tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Minnesota’s storm history to its land neighbors:

• North Dakota severe storm history — ranked 19th nationally
• South Dakota severe storm history — ranked 17th nationally, core Tornado Alley state
• Iowa severe storm history — ranked 5th nationally, core Tornado Alley state
• Wisconsin severe storm history — ranked 18th nationally, Great Lakes severe-weather and lake-effect winters

Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map