Independence, MO Tornado History — 135 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Independence, MO had?
Independence has had 135 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 13 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Independence?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Independence was an EF0 on June 3, 2025.
When is tornado season in Independence?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Independence, with 55 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Independence
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 48 total, averaging 2.4 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Independence since December 29, 2025
These are 5 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
Within 25 miles of Independence. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Independence
49 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Independence since 1950, across 4 events. 345 injuries have been reported across all events. 1957 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F5 on May 20, 1957, which caused 44 fatalities along a 69.4-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Independence
About Tornadoes in Independence
This overview was written August 10, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Jackson County occupies a stretch of western Missouri where the Missouri River bends eastward past Independence, and the surrounding terrain of low bluffs and gently rolling prairie does little to slow a mature supercell. Warm, humid air streaming north from the Gulf of Mexico routinely meets drier continental air and sharp frontal boundaries over this part of the state, especially in spring, when the jet stream still dips far enough south to supply strong wind shear. Storms that organize over the open Kansas plains often hold their rotation as they cross into the county, because the river valley's gradual relief offers little disruption to a storm's inflow.
The NOAA Storm Prediction Center's database, the source for this page's history, shows how that setup has played out. On May 21, 1957, an F5 tornado tore across the region, killing 44 people and injuring 207. Decades later, on May 4, 2003, an F4 struck the area, killing 2 people and injuring 30 as it passed. The enhanced Fujita era added its own chapters: EF3 and EF2 tornadoes damaged neighborhoods near Independence on May 2, 2008, and an EF1 moved through the area on June 3, 2025. Entries stretch from the 1950s to the 2020s, and the event list elsewhere on this page reflects that long span.