49
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$1.2M
Property damage
Tornado in Benson County, North Dakota: 49 recorded events between 1958 and 2020. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #400 nationally and #11 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Benson County, North Dakota: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Benson County is the 2000s, when 19 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 Benson County archive, tornado makes up 8.9% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #400 for this hazard and #11 within North Dakota, putting it in the 86.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for tornado in Benson County with 21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958-05-30 | EF3 | 10.7 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 2018-07-04 | EF2 | 3.1 mi | 400 yd | Crossed in |
| 2017-06-09 | EF2 | 8.0 mi | 600 yd | Touched down here |
| 2001-08-08 | EF2 | 7.0 mi | 250 yd | Touched down here |
| 2001-08-08 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 250 yd | Touched down here |
| 1974-05-20 | EF2 | 3.8 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 2020-07-17 | EF1 | 0.3 mi | 40 yd | Touched down here |
| 2005-06-19 | EF1 | 2.0 mi | 100 yd | Crossed in |
| 2005-06-19 | EF1 | 0.2 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2005-06-19 | EF1 | 0.2 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2020 | NILES | EF1 | $20K |
| Jul 17, 2020 | NILES | EF0 | $0 |
| May 23, 2020 | YORK | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 4, 2018 | WARWICK | EF2 | $50K |
| Jun 10, 2017 | BRINSMADE | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 10, 2017 | KNOX | EF2 | $200K |
| Jul 12, 2015 | BAKER | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 17, 2011 | FT TOTTEN | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 17, 2011 | MINNEWAUKAN | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 27, 2010 | HESPER | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Benson County
- Hail 297
- Thunderstorm Wind 152
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This tornado and corresponding rear flank downdraft wind produced widespread dust, which greatly reduced the visibility. Numerous ash, poplar, cottonwood, and evergreen trees were snapped or uprooted in shelterbelts and groves along its path. Peak winds of 119 mph were measured by a mobile system.
This tornado began in Eddy County at 0129 am CST, with about half its total path length occurring in Eddy County. The total path length was about three miles. The tornado likely initiated in a bowing section of a squall line and passed just east of Warwick. Multiple power poles were snapped on both north and south sides of highway 20. Large trees were snapped in and around Warwick. Metal sheathing was torn off a grain cleaning structure. Peak winds were estimated at 115 mph.
The tornado began northwest of Maddock and travelled along a path intermittently to near Flora and near Oberon. A 40×60 foot metal shed was demolished. About 2 miles northeast of Maddock, a grain bin was pulled from its foundation and thrown about 500 yards. A hopper bin and concrete pad were also turned on end at this location. Many large trees were flattened all along the path until the tornado weakened from Flora to near Oberon.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Benson County, North Dakota?
49 tornado events are recorded in Benson County between 1958 and 2020, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Benson County?
The strongest tornado on record in Benson County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Benson 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 Benson County, North Dakota.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-dakota/benson-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.