Norfolk, NE Tornado History — 121 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Norfolk, NE had?
Norfolk has had 121 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 12 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Norfolk?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Norfolk was an EF0 on June 25, 2024.
When is tornado season in Norfolk?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Norfolk, 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 Norfolk
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 35 total, averaging 1.8 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Norfolk 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Norfolk. 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 Norfolk
13 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Norfolk since 1950, across 5 events. 141 injuries have been reported across all events. 1954 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on May 30, 1954, which caused 6 fatalities along a 29.9-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Norfolk
About Tornadoes in Norfolk
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.
Quiet years come easily to Norfolk, yet the calm ends abruptly: the Elkhorn River country, placid through much of the warm season, can, on the right spring afternoon, produce tornadoes in quick succession. Geography explains both moods. Northeast Nebraska is gently rolling till plain, with little relief to slow moist Gulf air streaming north across the open interior. When that low-level moisture meets a sharpening dryline or an advancing cold front beneath a vigorous jet stream, storms organize fast, and the unbroken landscape gives them room to travel.
The historical record assembled by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center shows how hard those bursts can hit. An F4 tornado tore through the area on May 31, 1954, killing 6 people and injuring 23 along a 29.9-mile track. On May 8, 1965, another F4 traveled 125.7 miles, leaving 4 dead and 53 injured. Long tracks are a local signature: an F3 on May 22, 1962 injured 7 people while covering 71.7 miles.
Recent decades have kept the pattern intact. An EF4 with a damage path 2,428 yards across struck on October 4, 2013, injuring 15 people, remarkable timing for early autumn. On June 16, 2014, an EF4 tracked 23.94 miles, killing 1 person and injuring 20, as companion EF4 tornadoes carved separate paths nearby. The event list elsewhere on this page traces the fuller sequence, from the 1950s through the 2020s.