63
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$40.7M
Property damage
Tornado in Hamilton County, Nebraska: 63 recorded events between 1953 and 2023. The strongest on record measured F2. That places the county #215 nationally and #9 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Hamilton County, Nebraska: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Hamilton County is the 2000s, when 13 of the county's 63 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 Hamilton County archive, tornado makes up 12.7% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #215 for this hazard and #9 within Nebraska, putting it in the 92.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Hamilton County with 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-05-05 | EF5 | 79.7 mi | 880 yd | Crossed in |
| 1978-04-07 | EF4 | 31.2 mi | 77 yd | Touched down here |
| 2001-10-09 | EF3 | 18.0 mi | 1,500 yd | Touched down here |
| 1993-05-07 | EF3 | 75.0 mi | 2,633 yd | Crossed in |
| 1957-07-19 | EF3 | 13.8 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 2011-06-20 | EF2 | 9.4 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 2009-06-17 | EF2 | 5.1 mi | 450 yd | Touched down here |
| 2008-05-29 | EF2 | 7.6 mi | 1,000 yd | Touched down here |
| 1992-06-15 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 30 yd | Touched down here |
| 1982-05-26 | EF2 | 0.8 mi | 30 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 8, 1978 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $25.0M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 2023 | KRONBORG | EFU | $0 |
| Jun 2, 2023 | AURORA | EFU | $0 |
| Dec 15, 2021 | KRONBORG | EF1 | $350K |
| Dec 15, 2021 | GILTNER | EF1 | $500K |
| Dec 15, 2021 | GILTNER | EF0 | $150K |
| May 3, 2021 | AURORA | EFU | $0 |
| May 3, 2021 | AURORA | EF0 | $45K |
| Aug 14, 2020 | STOCKHAM | EF0 | $30K |
| Aug 14, 2020 | HAMPTON | EF0 | $1K |
| May 1, 2018 | MURPHY | EF0 | $50K |
Other hazards here
More from Hamilton County
- Hail 236
- Thunderstorm Wind 148
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This Hamilton County tornado touched down four miles southeast of Giltner and traveled northeast into Aurora. The estimated maximum wind gust of 100 MPH was based mainly upon snapped power poles. There were numerous irrigation pivots damaged along and near this path. The tornado crossed Interstate 80 approximately two miles west of the Aurora interchange. The tornado entered the southwest side of Aurora near the fairgrounds. Metal cladding was peeled from storage facilities nearby and there were several spots of tree damage. The tornado lifted around 12th and E Streets just south of the railroad tracks.
This tornado was not witnessed by anyone as it occurred after dark. A large area of damaging winds occurred northwest of where the tornado apparently formed. Tree damage, snapped power poles, and overturned pivots were common from just south of Marquette to southeast of Hampton. The most evident tornado damage was observed at two homes north of Hampton. Both homes lost part of their roof. One home was a manufactured home and the other was conventional construction. The southern of the two homes had parts of the roof blown back to the west and southwest, while the rest of the debris was strewn southeast along the storm path. Leaves and mud were plastered on the east side of both homes. Radar data did not show any obvious tornado-like signatures. Due to the widespread damage, it was difficult to identify exactly where the tornado began and ended.
This tornado touched down in northeast Hamilton County near Kronborg and moved northeast into southwest Polk County. This tornado was one of the more classic-looking tornadoes of the day, based on photos reviewed. The estimated maximum wind speed of 100 MPH was based primarily upon snapped power poles, but a hog facility was also heavily damages about 2 miles into the path of this tornado. The tornado crossed Highway 66 about two miles west of Polk. Just before it lifted north of Polk, the tornado took down a large metal building.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Hamilton County, Nebraska?
63 tornado events are recorded in Hamilton County between 1953 and 2023, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Hamilton County?
The strongest tornado on record in Hamilton County measured F2.
Where does the tornado data for Hamilton 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 Hamilton County, Nebraska.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/nebraska/hamilton-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.