Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1952 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
26
Tornado reports
143
Hail reports
57
Floods since 1996
706
All events
1
Deaths
$73.7M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Cottonwood County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 26 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Steady snow accumulated 3 to 5 inches. The resulting slippery roads contributed to a 2 vehicle accident just east of Bingham Lake on Minnesota Highway 60 in which a 71 year old driver was killed and at least 3 others were injured.
Rainfall amounts across Cottonwood County from June 20-22 ranged from 6 to 9 inches. Overland flooding ensued with additional major to record flooding along the West Fork Des Moines River. County-wide, there were significant impacts to personal property with an estimated 1,000 pl…
Rainfall of 3 to 5 inches (locally 5 to 10 inches upstream) during the first three days of July exacerbated flooding through the Des Moines River basin. A state of emergency was declared in the City of Windom with water breaching Island Park, the golf course, and several homes. S…
An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing heavy ice accumulations, ranging up to a half inch. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow accumulations reaching 7.4 inches at Windom. Many branches, limbs, whole t…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by the Minnesota Road Weather Information System site near Mountain Lake.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Heat Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached a brief afternoon peak as high as 103 degrees at Windom and near Mountain Lake.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Photo provided with ruler for comparison.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 44 mph at times at a Minnesota Department of Transportation site near Jeffers.
Blizzard Blizzard
Northerly winds gusted as high as 60 mph near Mountain Lake, 56 mph at Windom, and 55 mph 4 miles east-northeast of Jeffers. During and after a period of heavy snowfall which totaled 4.0 inches at Windom, visibility was reduced to near zero at times with blowing snow. Travel was …
High Wind High Wind
A Minnesota Road Weather Information System site near Mountain Lake had frequent sustained winds from 40 to 45 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 53 mph at times, with gusts as high as 71 mph at a Minnesota Department of Transportation site near Mountain Lake.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 3.0 inches in Windom.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 46 mph at times, with gusts as high as 65 mph at a Minnesota Department of Transportation site near Jeffers.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A combination of widespread wind gusts from 45 to 55 mph and light snow resulted in brief reductions in visibility to around one mile or less, resulting in difficult travel.
Blizzard Blizzard
Northwest winds gusted to as high as 52 mph near Mountain Lake and 48 mph near Jeffers. These winds combined with periods of snow totaling 1 to 2 inches to produce periods with visibility of one-quarter mile or less.
Blizzard Blizzard
Even though snowfall was just a couple tenths of an inch, northwest winds gusted as high as 45 to 55 mph during the afternoon and evening of January 18. When snow was falling, even lightly, area Department of Transportation cameras and automated instruments indicated visibility a…
Blizzard Blizzard
Persistent northwest winds gusted as high as 35 to 44 mph with periods of very light snowfall, which contributed to a prolonged reduction in visibility to one-quarter mile or less. Travel was not recommended by the evening of January 16.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained winds reached 30 to 36 mph at times with a peak gust of 48 mph at a Minnesota Road Weather Information System site 4 miles east-northeast of Jeffers and 46 mph near Mountain Lake.
Blizzard Blizzard
Two episodes of extended blizzard conditions occurred over a slightly less than 24 hour period, with a slight improvement in conditions during the late afternoon to early evening. Gusty northwest winds from 35 to 50 mph were concurrent with light to moderate snowfall, which total…
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained winds occasionally reached 30 to 37 mph with a peak gust of 56 mph 4 miles west-southwest of Mountain Lake, 55 mph 4 miles east-northeast of Jeffers and 48 mph at Windom.
Blizzard Blizzard
Whiteout conditions became common as northwest winds reached 35 to 55 mph and interacted with periods of light snow during the very late morning and afternoon.
High Wind High Wind
Synoptic northwest winds were occasionally sustained from 40 to 45 mph at Minnesota Road Weather Information System sites 4 miles northeast of Jeffers and 3 miles west southwest of Mountain Lake, as well as at an Automated Weather Observing System site at Windom.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 1.4 inches at Windom.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A long-duration snowfall totaled 9.0 inches at Windom.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds reached around 40 mph at times at an Automated Weather Observing System site at Windom, and Minnesota Road Weather Information System sites near Mountain Lake and Jeffers.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Gusty winds from 40 to 60 mph and a period of evening light snowfall led to several hours with visibility reduced to one mile or less, briefly from one-quarter to one-half mile at Windom and Mountain Lake.
Hail Hail
Hail was quarter size or smaller.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several three-inch tree limbs were broken off by thunderstorm wind gusts.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached an afternoon peak on July 27 as high as 107 degrees near Mountain Lake.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached afternoon peaks as high as 111 degrees 6 miles south of Westbrook on July 22.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Daily afternoon and evening heat indices ranged from 105 to 112 degrees with a maximum heat index of 112 degrees at a personal weather station near Westbrook on June 20, 111 degrees at a personal weather station near Storden on June 21, 107 degrees near Jeffers and 106 degrees ne…
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained easterly winds reached 30 to 39 mph with gusts as high as 49 mph near Mountain Lake and 47 mph near Jeffers.
High Wind High Wind
An extended period of gusty winds reached speeds as high as 66 mph 11 miles north of Mountain Lake, 64 mph near Bingham Lake, 62 mph 5 miles east-northeast of Dundee, 61 mph 4 miles east-northeast of Jeffers, and 60 mph at Windom and near Mountain Lake. One mile west of Windom, w…
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25 | 0 |
| 2025 | 28 | 0 |
| 2024 | 21 | 0 |
| 2023 | 27 | 2 |
| 2022 | 46 | 4 |
| 2021 | 33 | 1 |
| 2020 | 21 | 0 |
| 2019 | 35 | 2 |
| 2018 | 36 | 0 |
| 2017 | 18 | 0 |
| 2016 | 27 | 0 |
| 2015 | 20 | 0 |
| 2014 | 18 | 1 |
| 2013 | 39 | 1 |
| 2012 | 13 | 0 |
| 2011 | 15 | 0 |
| 2010 | 30 | 1 |
| 2009 | 12 | 1 |
| 2008 | 14 | 1 |
| 2007 | 9 | 0 |
| 2006 | 10 | 1 |
| 2005 | 23 | 1 |
| 2004 | 27 | 0 |
| 2003 | 19 | 1 |
| 2002 | 13 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 0 |
| 2000 | 20 | 1 |
| 1999 | 7 | 0 |
| 1998 | 7 | 1 |
| 1997 | 17 | 0 |
| 1996 | 11 | 0 |
| 1995 | 4 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 3 | 0 |
| 1985 | 9 | 1 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 2 | 1 |
| 1980 | 6 | 0 |
| 1979 | 6 | 1 |
| 1978 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 1 |
| 1974 | 2 | 0 |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 1 |
| 1968 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1952 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Cottonwood County, measured to its path.
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