58
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
16
Direct injuries
$17.8M
Property damage
Tornado in Dawson County, Nebraska: 58 recorded events between 1953 and 2023. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #268 nationally and #13 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Dawson County, Nebraska: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Dawson County is the 1950s, when 12 of the county's 58 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 Dawson County archive, tornado makes up 8.1% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #268 for this hazard and #13 within Nebraska, putting it in the 90.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Dawson County with 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-06-06 | EF3 | 10.0 mi | 880 yd | Touched down here |
| 1978-09-11 | EF3 | 22.5 mi | 20 yd | Crossed in |
| 1975-06-18 | EF3 | 9.4 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1974-04-20 | EF3 | 63.5 mi | 880 yd | Touched down here |
| 2007-04-20 | EF2 | 18.9 mi | 1,320 yd | Touched down here |
| 2000-10-31 | EF2 | 23.0 mi | 220 yd | Touched down here |
| 1998-10-16 | EF2 | 24.0 mi | 500 yd | Crossed in |
| 1975-04-22 | EF2 | 1.1 mi | 20 yd | Touched down here |
| 1959-07-07 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1953-05-09 | EF2 | 1.5 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 2007 | GOTHENBURG | EF2 | 0 | 9 | $2.5M |
| Apr 20, 1974 | F3 | 0 | 3 | $2.5M | |
| Apr 20, 1974 | F3 | 0 | 3 | $2.5M | |
| Apr 3, 1986 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2023 | OVERTON | EFU | $0 |
| Oct 3, 2023 | OVERTON | EF0 | $225K |
| May 6, 2023 | DARR | EF1 | $2.0M |
| May 18, 2019 | BUFFALO | EF0 | $0 |
| May 18, 2019 | COZAD | EF1 | $900K |
| May 18, 2019 | FARNAM | EF1 | $250K |
| Jul 9, 2013 | BUFFALO | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 1, 2011 | LEXINGTON ARPT | EF0 | $0 |
| May 31, 2011 | (CZD)COZAD MUNI ARPT | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 24, 2008 | (CZD)COZAD MUNI ARPT | EF0 | $40K |
Other hazards here
More from Dawson County
- Hail 367
- Thunderstorm Wind 259
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 southwest of Gothenburg and traveled north. It crossed Interstate 80 and passed about 2 miles west of the town of Gothenburg. The twister continued to the north and crossed from Dawson County into Custer County.
This tornado was witnessed by many as it formed on the east side of Cozad, where some tree damage and power poles were broken. The nearly 10-mile path weaved to the northeast across a rural landscape. One-half of a large farm machinery shed was complete destroyed and several irrigation pivots were upset, helping delineate the path. Grain bins were destroyed and tree damage was sporadic along the path. The tornado was reported to be rain-wrapped at times. The path become indiscernible as the tornado moved into the hills north of Cozad and the road network became more sparse. The estimated maximum wind speed was 100 MPH.
This tornado uprooted some trees, caused minor damage to some homes and completely destroyed at least one storage building. The tornado crossed Highway 23 east of Farnam, then Highway 47 northeast of Farnam before dissipating. The path became indiscernible as the storm approached rougher terrain and the road network was not viable for surveying. The estimated maximum wind speed was 100 MPH.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Dawson County, Nebraska?
58 tornado events are recorded in Dawson County between 1953 and 2023, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Dawson County?
The strongest tornado on record in Dawson County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Dawson 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 Dawson County, Nebraska.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/nebraska/dawson-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.