Gillette, WY Tornado History — 67 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Gillette, WY had?
Gillette has had 67 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Gillette?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Gillette was an EF1 on July 19, 2025.
When is tornado season in Gillette?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Gillette, with 33 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 Gillette
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 14 total, averaging 0.7 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Gillette since December 29, 2025
These 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
Within 25 miles of Gillette. 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
Have any tornadoes near Gillette been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Gillette from any of the 67 tornadoes since 1950, though 11 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Gillette
About Tornadoes in Gillette
This overview was written April 23, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Gillette, Wyoming has experienced 67 documented tornadoes within 25 miles of the city since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. The majority of these events have been relatively weak, with 44 rated EF0 and 17 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest). Only six tornadoes have reached EF2 or EF3 intensity in the area's recorded history, and notably, none of these events have resulted in fatalities.
Tornado activity in the Gillette area has varied considerably by decade. The 1970s saw the highest concentration with 25 recorded tornadoes, while the 1960s recorded just four events. More recent decades have shown moderate activity, with 11 tornadoes in the 2000s, eight in the 2010s, and one event so far in the 2020s. June stands out as the peak month for tornado occurrence, accounting for 33 of the 67 total events, which aligns with the typical late spring and early summer pattern when atmospheric conditions most favor severe thunderstorm development.
The costliest tornado on record struck on May 6, 1988, an F2-rated storm that caused $2.75 million in property damage while traveling a 1.5-mile path with a maximum width of 50 yards. The longest-tracked tornado occurred on June 25, 1975, when an F2 tornado carved a 16.3-mile path with a maximum width of 67 yards, though it caused no reported property damage. The widest tornado reached 365 yards across on August 8, 2016, an EF1 event that traveled 1.5 miles without causing monetary damage.
The most recent tornado in the area was an EF1 that touched down on July 19, 2025, with a maximum width of 55 yards. Like most tornadoes near Gillette, this event resulted in no fatalities or reported property damage, reflecting the generally low-impact nature of tornado activity in this region of northeastern Wyoming.