40
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
16
Direct injuries
$11.3M
Property damage
Tornado in Dakota County, Minnesota: 40 recorded events between 1965 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F2. That places the county #620 nationally and #13 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Dakota County, Minnesota: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Dakota County is the 2020s, when 10 of the county's 40 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 Dakota County archive, tornado makes up 6.1% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #620 for this hazard and #13 within Minnesota, putting it in the 78.6 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for tornado in Dakota County with 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-06-14 | EF3 | 16.2 mi | 600 yd | Crossed in |
| 1987-07-27 | EF3 | 30.0 mi | 220 yd | Crossed in |
| 2001-05-09 | EF2 | 12.0 mi | 50 yd | Crossed in |
| 1998-03-29 | EF2 | 3.0 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 1968-05-15 | EF2 | 15.4 mi | 333 yd | Crossed in |
| 1973-05-09 | EF1 | 0.2 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 2010-07-14 | EF1 | 1.7 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2010-08-13 | EF1 | 1.5 mi | 125 yd | Touched down here |
| 2009-08-19 | EF1 | 1.6 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 1987-07-27 | EF1 | 7.0 mi | 80 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 1973 | F1 | 1 | 11 | $250K | |
| Jul 13, 1969 | F1 | 0 | 3 | $25K | |
| Aug 13, 2010 | FARMINGTON | EF1 | 0 | 1 | $750K |
| May 15, 1968 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2024 | MIESVILLE | EF0 | $0 |
| Aug 28, 2022 | WEST ST PAUL | EF0 | $100K |
| Aug 28, 2022 | EAGAN | EF0 | $750K |
| Aug 28, 2022 | EAGAN | EF0 | $750K |
| Aug 28, 2022 | LAKEVILLE | EF0 | $500K |
| May 9, 2022 | MIESVILLE | EF0 | $0 |
| Sep 17, 2021 | ROSEMOUNT | EF0 | $0 |
| Sep 17, 2021 | EAGAN | EF0 | $0 |
| May 20, 2021 | LAKEVILLE AIRLAKE AR | EF0 | $0 |
| May 27, 2020 | ROSEMOUNT | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Dakota County
- Hail 310
- Thunderstorm Wind 244
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The Northfield tornado (which originated in Rice County) crossed Highway 19 into extreme southeastern Dakota County, then went into Goodhue County. Five homes sustained major damage, including one with its roof completely removed. 12 other homes received minor damage. Several motorists barely made it into nearby homes before the tornado struck.
A NWS Storm Survey concluded that an EF0 tornado touched down near Germane Avenue and 128th Street, or around Hidden Ponds, and Cedar Valley Apartments and moved northeast across 127th Street West. This tornado continued to move northeast before lifting between 126th and 125th Street along Genesee Avenue. This tornado uprooted or blew down numerous large trees along its path. Structural damage (mainly roof damage) occurred to apartment complexes, mobile homes, and single family homes between 128th and 125th Street. Maximum wind speeds were 85 mph with a width of 100 yards.
A NWS Storm Survey concluded that a brief EF0 tornado formed in a wooded area between Timbershore Lane and Tananger Circle, south of Duckwood Drive in Eagan, Minnesota. Most of the damage occurred in this area, with large hardwood trees uprooted or blown down. Several of the large trees landed on roofs, sheds and fences in this residential neighborhood. The damage path became more disorganized as the tornado lifted near Lexington, and Yankee Doodle Road where a few large pine trees were uprooted. Damage indicators showed that up to 85 mph winds occurred, with a path width of 150 yards.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Dakota County, Minnesota?
40 tornado events are recorded in Dakota County between 1965 and 2024, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Dakota County?
The strongest tornado on record in Dakota County measured F2.
Where does the tornado data for Dakota 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 Dakota County, Minnesota.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/minnesota/dakota-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.