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Grand Island, NY Tornado History — 19 Tornadoes Since 1950

New York · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Grand Island, NY had?

Grand Island has had 19 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Grand Island?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Grand Island was an EF0 on September 9, 2024.

When is tornado season in Grand Island?

August is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Grand Island, with 6 on record. April through June account for 3 of the 19 tornadoes on record near Grand Island.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
19
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
August
6 on record
Per Year Avg
0.3
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Grand Island

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 5 total, averaging 0.3 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Grand Island since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 September 2, 2026
Olcott, Niagara County, NY
The National Weather Service in Buffalo completed a damage survey across Niagara County today in response to reports of concentrated areas of damage near Olcott from a (BUF)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 1
1960s 3
1970s 2
1980s 1
1990s 6
2000s 1
2010s 3
2020s 2

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 7
EF1 8
EF2 4

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 0
Apr 1
May 0
Jun 2
Jul 5
Aug 6
Sep 3
Oct 2
Nov 0
Dec 0

Have any tornadoes near Grand Island been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Grand Island from any of the 19 tornadoes since 1950, though 3 injuries have been reported, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Grand Island

Costliest Tornado
F2 on July 30, 1987 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF2 on July 20, 2017 — 700 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on July 7, 1961 — 7.8 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on September 9, 2024.

What the record shows near Grand Island

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Grand Island, with 6 of the 19 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 2 so far. The Grand Island record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Grand Island, 15 reached EF0 or EF1 and 4 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Grand Island is rated EF2, of which 4 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Grand Island has averaged 0.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 5 in total. 2017 was the busiest of them with 2, and 17 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Grand Island, NY had?
Since 1950, 19 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Grand Island. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Grand Island?
August is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Grand Island, with 6 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.
When was the most recent tornado near Grand Island?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Grand Island was an EF0 on September 9, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Grand Island?
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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