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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Detroit Lakes, MN

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 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota since records began in 1851. Since 1950, 70 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
0

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
70

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
1

10 deaths in all

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Detroit Lakes

By decade

  • 2020s8
  • 2010s5
  • 2000s22
  • 1990s10
  • 1980s5
  • 1970s8
  • 1960s8
  • 1950s4(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jun 20, 1957F518 mi52.4 mi10 / 103
Jun 24, 2022EF28 mi30.9 mi0 / 0
Jun 7, 2007EF210 mi7 mi0 / 0
Sep 5, 2004F220 mi4 mi0 / 0
Jun 5, 1996F220 mi5 mi0 / 0
May 5, 1965F217 mi24.3 mi0 / 0
May 5, 1964F213 mi0.1 mi0 / 13
Aug 25, 1960F212 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Jul 7, 1959F224 mi2.5 mi0 / 0
Jun 9, 1959F222 mi14.1 mi0 / 0
May 30, 2022EF120 mi5.39 mi0 / 0
Jul 11, 2020EF116 mi1.5 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 70, 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 Detroit Lakes 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 Minnesota