44
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$17.4M
Property damage
Tornado in Turner County, South Dakota: 44 recorded events between 1954 and 2021. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #513 nationally and #10 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Turner County, South Dakota: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Turner County is the 2000s, when 20 of the county's 44 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 Turner County archive, tornado makes up 10.4% of all recorded severe weather across 5 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #513 for this hazard and #10 within South Dakota, putting it in the 82.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for tornado in Turner 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-06-07 | EF4 | 7.8 mi | 647 yd | Touched down here |
| 1981-08-03 | EF3 | 12.8 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 1954-06-18 | EF3 | 12.8 mi | 33 yd | Crossed in |
| 2003-06-24 | EF2 | 1.5 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 2003-06-24 | EF2 | 7.0 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 2003-06-24 | EF2 | 7.7 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 1986-04-26 | EF2 | 12.0 mi | 50 yd | Touched down here |
| 1985-04-20 | EF2 | 12.0 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 1966-05-22 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1965-06-07 | EF2 | 3.6 mi | 100 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 7, 1965 | F4 | 1 | 0 | $2.5M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2021 | CHANCELLOR | EFU | $0 |
| Jul 6, 2015 | DOLTON | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 25, 2009 | VIBORG | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 25, 2009 | MARION | EF0 | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2004 | CENTERVILLE | F1 | $30K |
| Aug 1, 2004 | VIBORG | F0 | $0 |
| May 29, 2004 | CENTERVILLE | F0 | $0 |
| May 29, 2004 | CENTERVILLE | F0 | $0 |
| May 29, 2004 | DAVIS | F0 | $0 |
| May 29, 2004 | HURLEY | F0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Turner County
- Hail 193
- Thunderstorm Wind 123
- Flood 56
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A tornado heavily damaged or destroyed numerous structures at the county fairgrounds, uprooted numerous trees, and blew down power lines, resulting in power outages which lasted up to a day. The tornado damaged other structures in Parker including homes and the county courthouse. One home was shifted off its foundation and received broken windows and damaged siding. Some of the damage resulted from falling trees or wind blown debris.
A tornado destroyed small farm buildings, tore the roof off a barn, blew down trees, severely damaged at least two houses in Viborg, destroyed two garages, and damaged other structures including homes and a large propane tank.
A tornado, after crossing into Turner County from Lincoln County, heavily damaged farm buildings, including one farm home demolished, and roof and window damage to at least two other farm homes. The tornado also caused an unknown amount of crop damage.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Turner County, South Dakota?
44 tornado events are recorded in Turner County between 1954 and 2021, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Turner County?
The strongest tornado on record in Turner County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Turner 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 Turner County, South Dakota.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/south-dakota/turner-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.