North Dakota has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 1,702 confirmed tornadoes, 9,761 hailstorm events and 6,374 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950., and averages 22.7 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in North Dakota 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.

North Dakota Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)

• 1,702 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
• 204 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
• 3 confirmed F5/EF5 tornadoes on record — the maximum rating on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita scales
• 26 direct tornado deaths and 362 direct injuries
• 9,761 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
• 6,374 damaging-wind events on record
• 22.7 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
• June is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 37.8% of North Dakota tornadoes
• 81 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS

When North Dakota Severe Weather Happens

North Dakota tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 50% of all North Dakota tornadoes, with June alone responsible for roughly 37.8%.

• June: 643 tornadoes (37.8%) — peak month
• July: 530 tornadoes (31.1%)
• August: 286 tornadoes (16.8%)
• May: 192 tornadoes (11.3%)
• September: 27 tornadoes (1.6%)
• April: 9 tornadoes (0.5%)

Top 10 North Dakota Counties by Tornado Frequency

Tornado activity in North Dakota 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 North Dakota History

North Dakota has lost 26 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 10 people in Cass County in 1957, rated F5 on the Fujita scale.

North Dakota Tornado Strength Distribution

Most North Dakota tornadoes are weak: roughly 87% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 13% of rated tornadoes in the state. North Dakota is one of the few states with a confirmed F5 or EF5 tornado on record.

• F0/EF0 (weak): 968 tornadoes — 61.8% of rated events
• F1/EF1: 394 tornadoes — 25.2% of rated events
• F2/EF2 (strong): 146 tornadoes — 9.3% of rated events
• F3/EF3: 41 tornadoes — 2.6% of rated events
• F4/EF4 (violent): 14 tornadoes — 0.9% of rated events
• F5/EF5 (incredible): 3 tornadoes — 0.2% of rated events

Record-Setting Severe Weather in North Dakota

Largest hailstone: 8.00 inches in diameter, observed in Eddy County on July 21, 1969. The three largest hailstones on record in North Dakota measured 8.00″, 5.00″, 5.00″.

Highest measured wind gust: 110 knots (127 mph) recorded in Sargent County near Straubville on July 10, 2011. Most damaging-wind events in North Dakota are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.

How North Dakota Compares Nationally

North Dakota ranks 19th nationally for tornado frequency, in the middle of the pack of US states by severe-weather activity.

• Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
• North Dakota tornado total: 1,702 — ranked 19th nationally.
• North Dakota hail total: 9,761 hail events on record since 1950.
• North Dakota wind total: 6,374 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes does North Dakota have on average per year?

North Dakota averages 22.7 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 North Dakota history?

The June 20, 1957 tornado, rated F5 on the Fujita scale, killed 10 people and injured 103 in Cass County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the North Dakota modern record.

Where in North Dakota are tornadoes most common?

The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Cass County with 99 events. The three most active counties overall are Cass, Grand Forks, Barnes.

How does North Dakota compare to its neighbors?

North Dakota shares a severe-weather climate with Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in North Dakota’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 North Dakota to Neighboring States

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

• Montana severe storm history — ranked 32nd nationally, mountain-west severe weather, mostly hail and high wind
• South Dakota severe storm history — ranked 17th nationally, core Tornado Alley state
• Minnesota severe storm history — ranked 14th nationally

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