Tornado History
McCook Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on McCook, South Dakota. The records below identify 42 tornadoes from 1953 through 2026, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $28.9M, with 6 deaths and 151 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for McCook, South Dakota
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.6 tornadoes per year (0.3/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 19 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in McCook, South Dakota with 6 deaths
1965 was the most active year with 6 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (9 events)
Longest tornado: 12 miles in McCook, South Dakota
Widest tornado: 1,600.0 yards in McCook, South Dakota
Most tornadoes in one day: 6 on May 24, 1965
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In McCook, South Dakota, May is the most active month with 19 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 1965 was the most active year with 6 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 1998 with at least $18.0M 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 McCook, South Dakota.
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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 30, 1998 | F4 | McCook, South Dakota | 7 mi | 1600 yd | 6 | 150 | $17.0M |
| May 7, 1993 | F3 | McCook, South Dakota | 10 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
| May 24, 1965 | F3 | McCook, South Dakota | 9 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| May 30, 1998 | F2 | McCook, South Dakota | 6 mi | 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $900K |
| May 7, 1993 | F2 | McCook, South Dakota | 1 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| September 16, 2006 | F2 | McCook, South Dakota | 12 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| May 5, 2007 | EF2 | McCook, South Dakota | 4 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| May 27, 1954 | F2 | McCook, South Dakota | 9 mi | 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| October 1, 1971 | F2 | McCook, South Dakota | 0 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| July 1, 1973 | F2 | McCook, South Dakota | 0.5 mi | 67 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K |
| June 16, 1992 | F1 | McCook, South Dakota | 0.5 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| June 16, 1992 | F1 | McCook, South Dakota | 0.5 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
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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.