Lincoln, NE Tornado History — 143 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Lincoln, NE had?
Lincoln has had 143 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 14 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Lincoln?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lincoln was an EF0 on April 17, 2025.
When is tornado season in Lincoln?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lincoln, with 43 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 Lincoln
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 48 total, averaging 2.4 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Lincoln since December 29, 2025
These are 2 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Lincoln. 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 Lincoln
12 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Lincoln since 1950, across 5 events. 217 injuries have been reported across all events. 1953 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F3 on May 9, 1953, which caused 5 fatalities along a 46.9-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Lincoln
About Tornadoes in Lincoln
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.
Lincoln's tornado file reaches back to mid-century, when systematic storm surveys took hold across the Great Plains, giving Nebraska's capital a long and well-documented severe-weather history. The city spreads along Salt Creek in southeastern Nebraska, open prairie where humid Gulf air pushing north meets drier air sliding off the High Plains — a clash that lets spring thunderstorms begin to rotate.
The events span every era of that file. An F3 tornado on May 10, 1953 carved a 46.9-mile path through the area, killing 5 people and injuring 82. An F4 on April 26, 1957 followed an 89.8-mile track, killing 1 person and injuring 8. On May 23, 2004, another F4, its damage path 4400 yards across, tracked 54 miles past the city's south side, killing 1 person and injuring 38. And on April 26, 2024, an EF3 swept close to Lincoln, injuring 3 people.
The rhythm is strongly seasonal. Activity concentrates from mid-spring into early summer, when the jet stream still sweeps across the central United States while low-level moisture streams north from the Gulf, then slackens through late summer and fall. The live listings elsewhere on this page — the event table, decade summary and intensity breakdown — draw on the record maintained by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center and refresh as new storm surveys are finalized.