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South Dakota · County tornado history

Charles Mix County, South Dakota tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 47 tornadoes in Charles Mix County, South Dakota from 1950 through 2024, about one every 1.6 years. That ranks it 10 of 66 counties in South Dakota with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF-U on July 28, 2019.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
47
Since 2000
10
Strongest
F3, May 21, 1962
Most recent
EF-U, July 28, 2019
Peak month
June (24)
Per 1,000 sq mi
41
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Low

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Charles Mix County

June has brought the most, 24 of 47. About 77% touched down between 3 pm and 9 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 22
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 15
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 6
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 3
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0
EF-U Unknown: no damage to rate (mostly since 2016) 1

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Charles Mix County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
May 14, 1962 F3 53.8 mi 1,760 yd 8
May 16, 1962 F3 0.1 mi 33 yd 2
May 21, 1962 F3 11 mi 10 yd
June 24, 1973 F2 0.1 mi 10 yd 1 1
May 10, 2015 EF2 16.2 mi 400 yd 9
July 29, 1954 F2 4.1 mi 10 yd
June 20, 1968 F2 33.5 mi 10 yd
June 20, 1968 F2 21.4 mi 10 yd
June 4, 1971 F2 4.3 mi 137 yd
May 21, 1962 F1 47.9 mi 10 yd 2

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Charles Mix County was an F2 on June 24, 1973. It killed 1 person and injured 1 along its 0.1-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
July 28, 2019 EF-U 1.2 mi 10 yd
May 10, 2015 EF2 16.2 mi 400 yd 9
May 30, 2011 EF0 0.5 mi 50 yd
June 5, 2008 EF1 9.9 mi 100 yd
May 5, 2007 EF0 0.1 mi 50 yd
July 15, 2004 F0 10 mi 400 yd
June 24, 2003 F1 3 mi 150 yd
June 24, 2003 F1 3 mi 200 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Charles Mix County as relatively low, with a score of 55 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.60 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $1,261,714 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Charles Mix County had?

47 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 10 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Charles Mix County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF-U on July 28, 2019. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Charles Mix County?

An F3 on May 21, 1962, with a 11-mile path.

When is tornado season in Charles Mix County?

June has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.