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Wisconsin · County tornado history

Eau Claire County, Wisconsin tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 22 tornadoes in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin from 1950 through 2024, about one every 3.4 years. That ranks it 42 of 72 counties in Wisconsin with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on May 21, 2024.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
22
Since 2000
5
Strongest
F4, June 4, 1958
Most recent
EF1, May 21, 2024
Peak month
July (9)
Per 1,000 sq mi
34
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Moderate

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 Eau Claire County

July has brought the most, 9 of 22. About 86% 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) 3
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 7
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 8
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 2
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 2
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

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 Eau Claire County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
June 4, 1958 F4 59.2 mi 880 yd 4 3
May 10, 1953 F4 162 mi 100 yd 2 24
August 27, 1994 F3 10 mi 700 yd 2 25
July 15, 1980 F3 1 mi 440 yd 1 10
July 18, 1971 F2 38.5 mi 100 yd 1 2
June 26, 1969 F2 47.5 mi 100 yd 2
September 21, 1970 F2 2 mi 100 yd
July 15, 1980 F2 2.7 mi 10 yd
September 12, 1982 F2 5 mi 200 yd
September 12, 1982 F2 5 mi 77 yd

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

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Eau Claire County was an F4 on June 4, 1958. It killed 4 people and injured 3 along its 59.2-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
May 21, 2024 EF1 9.5 mi 440 yd
December 15, 2021 EF0 6.7 mi 75 yd
July 22, 2013 EF0 0.3 mi 10 yd
April 10, 2011 EF1 0.7 mi 150 yd
April 10, 2011 EF1 1.6 mi 200 yd
August 27, 1994 F3 10 mi 700 yd 2 25
July 27, 1993 F0 0.2 mi 50 yd
July 3, 1983 F2 0.5 mi 50 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 Eau Claire County as relatively moderate, with a score of 81 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.27 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $5,007,194 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 Eau Claire County had?

22 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 5 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Eau Claire County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on May 21, 2024. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Eau Claire County?

An F4 on June 4, 1958, with a 59.2-mile path.

When is tornado season in Eau Claire County?

July 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.