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Warnings by state

North Dakota tornado warnings

The National Weather Service issued 361 tornado warnings, 3,288 severe thunderstorm warnings and 85 flash flood warnings for North Dakota from 2016 to 2025, about 36, 329 and 8.5 a year. That ranks 26th of 52 states and territories for tornado warnings. Grand Forks County had the most of any county: 38 tornado warnings.

North Dakota warnings and radar right now

Checking the National Weather Service for North Dakota…

North Dakota counties ranked by tornado warnings

Warnings that listed each county, 2016 to 2025, and tornadoes recorded in the county since 1950. A warning can list several counties, so the county numbers add up to more than the state total.

CountyTornado warningsSevere thunderstormFlash floodTornadoes since 1950
Grand Forks County382351593
Cass County272708108
Nelson County26169341
Richland County23182462
Barnes County23173268
Burleigh County221781060
Ramsey County19201551
Stutsman County19182358
McKenzie County19181224
Walsh County19175556
Cavalier County19140743
Benson County18185750
McLean County17207550
Dunn County17181326
Griggs County17154239
Morton County16297754
Steele County16213345
Traill County15214534
Stark County14183026
Emmons County14154643
Eddy County14115320
Ransom County13132335
Sheridan County13103224
Kidder County12152224
Sioux County11174317
Mountrail County11162131
Mercer County11161222
Wells County11123427
Hettinger County10192120
Oliver County10148212
Pembina County10114743
LaMoure County10100039
McHenry County9165037
McIntosh County9100223
Foster County970117
Grant County8242127
Towner County8102533
Dickey County784335
Ward County5176257
Sargent County597126
Adams County4158114
Williams County4141126
Bottineau County4136134
Billings County413408
Logan County3127019
Pierce County3115217
Renville County3103125
Burke County392128
Golden Valley County298011
Slope County1139011
Bowman County1115014
Divide County181013
Rolette County160017

North Dakota warnings by year

Each warning counts once for the state, however many counties it covered. 2008 is the first full year the National Weather Service drew an outline around every warning.

Tornadoes since 1950

1,744 tornadoes have been recorded in North Dakota since 1950, 14 of them rated 4 or 5 on the F or EF scale. They killed 29 people and injured 362. June had the most (672).

Warnings for North Dakota by year
YearTornadoSevere thunderstormFlash flood
2026 to Oct 19304477
20259042112
20242829614
202382082
20222627710
2021242548
2020334654
20193036117
2018403707
2017382360
20164440011
2015522655
20144317810
20132730819
2012112465
201113143157
201014853146
20097021329
20088453918

What stands out in North Dakota

2010 was the busiest year for tornado warnings in North Dakota since 2008, with 148 tornado warnings. The busiest year for flash flood warnings was 2011, with 57.

Since 2008, 1 tornado warning for North Dakota was raised to a tornado emergency for at least part of the warned area: the Weather Service’s rarest warning, used when a severe threat to life is happening or about to happen.

83 severe thunderstorm warnings for North Dakota carried the “destructive” tag (winds of 80 mph or more, or hail 2.75 inches or larger) since the tag started in August 2021. Only those severe thunderstorm warnings set off Wireless Emergency Alerts on phones.

3 tornadoes in North Dakota since 1950 were rated F5 or EF5, the strongest recorded there. The most recent was on June 20, 2025.

National Weather Service warnings from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive through October 19, 2026; tornado ratings from the Storm Prediction Center and NOAA Storm Events.

States next to North Dakota

Tornado warnings for each neighboring state, 2016 to 2025.

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North Dakota tornado warnings: questions people ask

How many tornado warnings does North Dakota get a year?

About 36 a year: the National Weather Service issued 361 tornado warnings for North Dakota from 2016 to 2025, 26th of 52 states and territories.

Which North Dakota county gets the most tornado warnings?

Grand Forks County has the most: 38 tornado warnings listed it from 2016 to 2025, ahead of Cass County with 27. A warning can list several counties, so county counts add up to more than the state total.

Which North Dakota city gets the most tornado warnings?

Grand Forks has the most among cities and towns with 10,000 people or more: the outlines of 5 tornado warnings covered its center from 2016 to 2025.

When is tornado season in North Dakota?

June and July: 69% of the 1,744 tornadoes recorded in North Dakota since 1950 came in those two months.

About these numbers

Counts are National Weather Service warnings that listed a North Dakota county, through October 19, 2026. How Kinwarn counts · North Dakota data (CSV)

Cite: Kinwarn. “North Dakota tornado warnings.” kinwarn.com/north-dakota. National Weather Service data through October 19, 2026.

Sources: IEM warning archive · NWS 2007 outlines · SPC tornado database · Census places · Census population estimates · NWS tornado alerts