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Tornado History

Buffalo Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Buffalo, South Dakota. The records below identify 14 tornadoes from 1955 through 2014, including a highest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $25.0M, with 0 deaths and 10 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes14
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries10
Property Damage$25.0M
Avg Length1.2 mi
Avg Width83 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Buffalo, South Dakota

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 0.2 tornadoes per year (0.0/yr in last decade)
July is the peak tornado month with 8 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F0 in Buffalo, South Dakota with 0 deaths
1987 was the most active year with 5 tornadoes
The 1980s had the most tornado activity (8 events)
Longest tornado: 8 miles in Buffalo, South Dakota
Widest tornado: 400.0 yards in Buffalo, South Dakota
Most tornadoes in one day: 5 on Jul 6, 1987

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Buffalo, South Dakota, July is the most active month with 8 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

5420

Summary: 1987 was the most active year with 5 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
F3
Unknown

Summary: F0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 9 recorded events.

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.

$25.0M$2.5M$250K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1992 with at least $25.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F3 June 16, 19921992F1 May 20, 19821982F0 July 3, 19711971F0 July 1, 19551955F0 May 28, 19851985F0 July 6, 19871987F0 July 6, 19871987F0 July 6, 19871987F0 July 6, 19871987F0 July 6, 19871987F0 July 23, 19881988EF0 June 18, 20142014EF0 June 18, 20142014Unknown May 8, 19651965© OpenStreetMap contributors

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.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
June 16, 1992F3Buffalo, South Dakota2 mi73 yd08$25.0M
May 20, 1982F1Buffalo, South Dakota0.1 mi10 yd00$250
July 3, 1971F0Buffalo, South Dakota0 mi33 yd00$25K
July 1, 1955F0Buffalo, South Dakota0.8 mi220 yd00N/A
May 28, 1985F0Buffalo, South Dakota0.1 mi3 yd00N/A
July 6, 1987F0Buffalo, South Dakota0.1 mi20 yd00N/A
July 6, 1987F0Buffalo, South Dakota0.1 mi20 yd00N/A
July 6, 1987F0Buffalo, South Dakota8 mi40 yd00N/A
July 6, 1987F0Buffalo, South Dakota0.5 mi30 yd00N/A
July 6, 1987F0Buffalo, South Dakota0.1 mi20 yd00N/A
July 23, 1988F0Buffalo, South Dakota0.2 mi10 yd00N/A
June 18, 2014EF0Buffalo, South Dakota2 mi400 yd00N/A

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Source And Limits

Data source: NOAA/NCEI. TornadoTrace summarizes historical records for screening and research. Coordinates, damage estimates, narratives, and event details can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. Do not use this page as legal, insurance, engineering, real estate, emergency management, or safety advice.