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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Aberdeen, SD

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

No tropical storm or hurricane has passed within 75 miles of Aberdeen, South Dakota since records began in 1851. Since 1950, 92 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 6 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
0

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
92

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
6

3 deaths in all

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Aberdeen

By decade

  • 2020s6
  • 2010s4
  • 2000s14(2 EF3+)
  • 1990s15(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s17
  • 1970s15(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s12(2 EF3+)
  • 1950s9
Strongest tornadoes near Aberdeen, South Dakota
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jun 23, 2002F415 mi9 mi0 / 0
Jul 1, 1973F315 mi0.3 mi1 / 3
Jun 21, 1961F313 mi156.3 mi1 / 7
Jun 23, 2002F316 mi10 mi0 / 0
May 31, 1996F3in town32 mi0 / 1
Jun 25, 1969F320 mi1.5 mi0 / 6
Jul 31, 1966F22 mi2.3 mi1 / 3
Jul 4, 2020EF217 mi2.66 mi0 / 0
May 22, 2010EF219 mi18.64 mi0 / 0
Jun 15, 1978F210 mi0.1 mi0 / 15
Sep 7, 1961F222 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Jun 28, 1961F26 mi49.7 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 92, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Aberdeen while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

Other cities in South Dakota