49
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
35
Direct injuries
$37.8M
Property damage
Tornado in York County, Nebraska: 49 recorded events between 1953 and 2022. The strongest on record measured F5. That places the county #400 nationally and #20 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in York County, Nebraska: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in York County is the 2010s, when 9 of the county's 49 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 York County archive, tornado makes up 9.4% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #400 for this hazard and #20 within Nebraska, putting it in the 86.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in York County with 18 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 |
| 1990-03-13 | EF4 | 131.0 mi | 440 yd | Crossed in |
| 2014-05-11 | EF3 | 19.1 mi | 2,640 yd | Crossed in |
| 1975-06-15 | EF3 | 63.2 mi | 200 yd | Crossed in |
| 1957-06-21 | EF3 | 5.4 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 2022-06-14 | EF2 | 7.1 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 2011-06-20 | EF2 | 15.3 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 1998-05-15 | EF2 | 9.0 mi | 70 yd | Crossed in |
| 1968-07-30 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1954-07-30 | EF2 | 1.5 mi | 880 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 6, 1964 | F5 | 2 | 30 | $2.5M | |
| Jun 15, 2022 | LUSHTON | EF2 | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| Mar 14, 1990 | F4 | 0 | 2 | $25.0M | |
| Jul 4, 1994 | Benedict | F0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15, 2022 | LUSHTON | EF2 | $1.2M |
| Aug 7, 2018 | ARBORVILLE | EF1 | $25K |
| May 11, 2014 | MC COOL JCT | EF1 | $60K |
| May 11, 2014 | MC COOL JCT | EF0 | $0 |
| May 11, 2014 | MC COOL JCT | EF3 | $1.5M |
| Apr 27, 2014 | BRADSHAW | EF0 | $0 |
| May 29, 2013 | MC COOL JCT | EF1 | $1.5M |
| May 29, 2013 | YORK ARPT | EF1 | $500K |
| May 29, 2013 | BRADSHAW | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 20, 2011 | HENDERSON | EF2 | $3.5M |
Other hazards here
More from York County
- Hail 260
- Thunderstorm Wind 158
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This tornado touched down approximately 4 miles southwest of Bradshaw, moving to the north-northeast and dissipating approximately 4 miles southeast of Polk, near the York and Polk County line. As the tornado approached Highway 34 west of Bradshaw, a metal outbuilding and grain bins were destroyed, and it also crossed a railroad line, derailing several train cars. North of Bradshaw, a home suffered significant roof damage and the loss of one wall, and as the tornado continued north, power poles were snapped, irrigation pivots were overturned, and several trees were damaged. Between Bradshaw to the area west of Benedict, a total of 40 power poles were downed. The maximum wind speed of this tornado was estimated to be 130 MPH.
This tornado touched down approximately 5 miles south of York, traveling along a 16 mile path before lifting 12 miles northeast of York. It crossed over Interstate 80 approximately 1.3 miles east of the York interchange. This tornado had a maximum width of 400 yards and maximum wind speed estimated to be 110 MPH. Along this path, power poles and trees were snapped, large branches up to 12 to 18 inches in diameter were downed and irrigation pivots were overturned. Two outbuildings were damaged or destroyed.
This is a continuation of the tornado that started in northern Fillmore County. This tornado was the second to be rated an EF3 that affected south central Nebraska, starting in far northern Fillmore County before traversing a portion of York County and passing north of Cordova in Seward County. Damage along the track in Fillmore County was widespread, including one home which was totally destroyed. All 6 occupants took shelter in the basement. Another home suffered less significant damage, but outbuildings on the same property were destroyed. Also along the path of this tornado, and to the south of the path where rear flank downdraft winds occurred, numerous irrigation pivots were overturned, power poles were broken as well as trees and grain bins either damaged or destroyed. The strongest and widest time of this tornado occurred in Seward County, with a peak wind estimated to be 140 MPH and a maximum width of 2,640 yards, or 1.5 miles.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in York County, Nebraska?
49 tornado events are recorded in York County between 1953 and 2022, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in York County?
The strongest tornado on record in York County measured F5.
Where does the tornado data for York 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 York County, Nebraska.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/nebraska/york-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.