82
Recorded events
4
Direct deaths
21
Direct injuries
$8.4M
Property damage
Tornado in Polk County, Minnesota: 82 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The strongest on record measured F2. That places the county #107 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Polk County, Minnesota: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Polk County is the 2010s, when 21 of the county's 82 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Polk County archive, tornado makes up 9.0% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #107 for this hazard and #2 within Minnesota, putting it in the 96.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for tornado in Polk County with 28 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-06-17 | EF3 | 15.0 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 1978-07-05 | EF2 | 57.5 mi | 400 yd | Crossed in |
| 2019-06-08 | EF2 | 3.6 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-06-29 | EF2 | 15.4 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 2016-08-28 | EF2 | 9.6 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 2014-07-21 | EF2 | 37.9 mi | 800 yd | Touched down here |
| 2007-08-26 | EF2 | 5.0 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 2005-05-21 | EF2 | 0.3 mi | 75 yd | Touched down here |
| 2005-06-23 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 2005-06-23 | EF2 | 1.5 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 1975 | F1 | 2 | 0 | $250K | |
| Jul 5, 1978 | F2 | 1 | 9 | $0 | |
| Jun 17, 2010 | MAPLE BAY | EF3 | 1 | 2 | $0 |
| Jun 30, 1955 | F2 | 0 | 7 | $25K | |
| Jul 14, 1977 | F2 | 0 | 2 | $25K | |
| Jul 9, 1966 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 2025 | EAST GRAND FORKS | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 8, 2025 | BELTRAMI | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 8, 2025 | NIELSVILLE | EF0 | $0 |
| May 15, 2025 | BURWELL | EFU | $0 |
| Jun 24, 2023 | GREENVIEW | EFU | $0 |
| Jun 24, 2023 | BELTRAMI | EFU | $0 |
| Jun 24, 2023 | NIELSVILLE | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 23, 2022 | KANKEL | EF0 | $0 |
| Aug 10, 2021 | KEY WEST | EF0 | $5K |
| Aug 10, 2021 | DAVIDSON | EF1 | $120K |
Other hazards here
More from Polk County
- Hail 423
- Thunderstorm Wind 318
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This tornado began in Polk County and tracked northeastward for nine miles to the Red Lake County line about 5 miles north-northeast of Mentor. After crossing into Red Lake County, it continued for an additional 6 miles. The tornado tracked across Maple Lake and the community of Mentor. Trees were sheared off or uprooted, power poles were snapped, and roofs and garages were destroyed. A convenience store and gas station along U. S. Highway 2 were flattened. Cabins, campers, boats, and docks were damaged along the northeast side of Maple Lake. Peak winds were estimated at 145 mph.
This tornado was likely wrapped in downburst winds and heavy rain for most of its path. It tracked nearly due east at about 60 mph, for at least 15 miles. It tore down trees in shelterbelts and tore roofing off of a couple of homes and farm buildings. It tore down 11 miles, or more than 50 high voltage towers, and snapped wooden power poles at cross roads along its path. Peak winds were estimated at 120 mph.
This tornado blew out two walls and the roof of a pole shed, broke several ash and cottonwood trees, and peeled up steel siding and roofing on other farm buildings in one farmstead. It carried and/or spread debris to the east and southeast for up to 500 yards while it tracked to the east. It also tore off some roof trim, shingles, and siding at three other farmsteads along its path.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Polk County, Minnesota?
82 tornado events are recorded in Polk County between 1955 and 2025, causing 4 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Polk County?
The strongest tornado on record in Polk County measured F2.
Where does the tornado data for Polk County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Tornado in Polk County, Minnesota.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/minnesota/polk-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.