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Liberty, MO Tornado History — 124 Tornadoes Since 1950

Missouri · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Liberty, MO had?

Liberty has had 124 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 13 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Liberty?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Liberty was an EF0 on June 3, 2025.

When is tornado season in Liberty?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Liberty, with 46 on record. April through June account for 89 of the 124 tornadoes on record near Liberty.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
124
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
13
10.5% of total
Peak Month
May
46 on record
Per Year Avg
1.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Liberty

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 37 total, averaging 1.9 per year over this window.

2026 0+4 prelim
2025 2
2024 5
2023 0
2022 2
2021 1
2020 2
2019 3
2018 3
2017 4
2016 1
2015 5
2014 2
2013 0
2012 0
2011 2
2010 1
2009 0
2008 4
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Liberty since December 29, 2025

These are 4 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary June 14, 2026
Liberty, Clay County, MO
During the evening of Saturday June 13... 2026 a line of damaging thunderstorms moved across the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. At 8:47 PM CDT... a tornado formed on th (EAX)
Preliminary May 19, 2026
3 S Woods Heights, Ray County, MO
TDS observed on radar at 9:52 PM CDT. (EAX)
Preliminary EF0° April 24, 2026
1 SSW Kearney, Clay County, MO
Just after 9 PM CDT Thursday April 23... 2026... within a severe line of thunderstorms... an embedded circulation resulted in a brief EF 0 Tornado beginning on the sout (EAX)
Preliminary EF0° March 7, 2026
2 ESE Lake Quivira, Johnson County, KS
NWS Damage Survey found evidence of a 7.9 mile long EF-0 tornado that began in Shawnee... crossing the state line into Missouri... and ending shortly before reaching We (EAX)

Within 25 miles of Liberty. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Liberty

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Liberty and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on June 3, 2025 and the most recent on June 3, 2025. It is already counted in the Liberty totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

June 3, 2025
2 E Independence, Jackson County, MO
Storm survey team has noted damage consistent with a tornado. More information to come. (EAX)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 15
1960s 29
1970s 11
1980s 11
1990s 6
2000s 19
2010s 21
2020s 12

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.

EF0 45
EF1 42
EF2 24
EF3 5
EF4 7
EF5 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 2
Feb 0
Mar 6
Apr 11
May 46
Jun 32
Jul 12
Aug 2
Sep 6
Oct 1
Nov 4
Dec 2

Casualties on Record Near Liberty

49 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Liberty since 1950, across 4 events. 342 injuries have been reported across all events. 1957 was the deadliest year on record near Liberty.

The deadliest single event was an F5 on May 20, 1957, which caused 44 fatalities along a 69.4-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Liberty

Deadliest Tornado
F5 on May 20, 1957 — 44 fatalities, 69.4 mi path, 440 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF2 on May 2, 2008 — $10.0M in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
EF2 on March 6, 2017 — 1,000 yards wide.
Longest Path
F5 on May 20, 1957 — 69.4 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on June 3, 2025.

What the record shows near Liberty

The 1960s were the busiest decade near Liberty, with 29 of the 124 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 12 so far. The Liberty record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Liberty, 87 reached EF0 or EF1 and 37 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Liberty is rated EF5, of which 1 is logged.

Across the last 20 years Liberty has averaged 1.9 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 37 in total. 2015 was the busiest of them with 5, and 6 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Liberty, MO had?
Since 1950, 124 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Liberty. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Liberty?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Liberty was an F5 on May 20, 1957, which caused 44 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Liberty?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Liberty, with 46 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
Has Liberty been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Liberty, there have been 1 EF5 and 7 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Liberty?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Liberty was an EF0 on June 3, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Liberty?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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