Brookings, SD Tornado History — 83 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Brookings, SD had?
Brookings has had 83 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 5 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Brookings?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Brookings was an Unrated on September 23, 2023.
When is tornado season in Brookings?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Brookings, with 34 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 Brookings
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 14 total, averaging 0.7 per year over this window.
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 Brookings
1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Brookings since 1950, across 1 event. 25 injuries have been reported across all events. 1961 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F3 on June 21, 1961, which caused 1 fatality along a 156.3-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Brookings
About Tornadoes in Brookings
This overview was written July 24, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Brookings sits in eastern South Dakota, in the broad, gently rolling prairie of the northern Great Plains. This open agricultural country lies within the tornado-prone interior of the continent, and severe thunderstorms are a regular part of its warm season.
The area's tornadoes come from the collision of air masses over the plains. Warm, humid air moving north from the Gulf of Mexico meets cooler, drier air from the north and west, and when a strong jet stream supplies wind shear, thunderstorms can organize into rotating supercells. Activity is greatest from late spring into summer, when heat and moisture make the atmosphere most unstable, with a shorter season than regions farther south.
Tornado strength is measured on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which runs from EF0 to EF5 based on a survey of the damage rather than a measured wind speed. Most tornadoes are relatively weak, but the northern plains can produce strong and occasionally violent ones. For the specific history near Brookings — the number on file, the breakdown by decade and rating, and the deadliest, costliest, and most recent events — see the figures compiled from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center elsewhere on this page.