Tornado History
Polk Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Polk, Missouri. The records below identify 38 tornadoes from 1955 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F2 (Considerable damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $12.8M, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Polk, Missouri
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.5 tornadoes per year (0.9/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 17 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F1 in Polk, Missouri with 0 deaths
2003 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (14 events)
Longest tornado: 23 miles in Polk, Missouri
Widest tornado: 600.0 yards in Polk, Missouri
Most tornadoes in one day: 3 on May 17, 2015
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Polk, Missouri, May is the most active month with 17 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 2003 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.
Property Damage Trends
Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.
Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2003 with at least $3.7M in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Polk, Missouri.
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Notable Tornado Records
The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.
| Date | Rating | Area | Length | Width | Deaths | Injuries | Min. property damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2003 | F2 | Polk, Missouri | 23 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.7M |
| December 14, 1971 | F2 | Polk, Missouri | 17.4 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| March 13, 1990 | F2 | Polk, Missouri | 2 mi | 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| May 8, 2009 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 8.61 mi | 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| December 18, 2002 | F1 | Polk, Missouri | 6 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $500K |
| January 10, 2020 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 8.25 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| April 30, 2019 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 1.84 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| May 27, 2021 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 0.08 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| November 24, 2010 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 0.85 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| May 27, 2021 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 1.17 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| February 28, 2012 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 5.38 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| May 19, 2018 | EF1 | Polk, Missouri | 2.3 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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Source And Limits
Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.