Dakota County, Minnesota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1957 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
41
Tornado reports
310
Hail reports
31
Floods since 1996
844
All events
4
Deaths
$340.4M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Dakota County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 41 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
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.
A period of freezing drizzle and freezing rain led to a thin layer of ice or glaze over much of the Twin Cities metro area. There were numerous car accidents due to the icy conditions. One fatality occurred (indirectly) from icy road conditions in Inver Grove Heights, MN.
Several sources from local observations indicated that a prolonged period of wind chill values below -35F occurred in the county, with locally -50F or lower during the height of the cold conditions. A 32 year old woman was found frozen to death outside her home in Lakeville on Ja…
Widespread flooding in Eagan and neighboring portions of Rosemount, Apple Valley, and Burnsville. Between 6 and 12 inches of rain fell during this 3 hour event. One man died of drowning after being swept into a culvert. Over 200 homes in Eagan incurred water damage. Numerous home…
Brick wall blown in at retail center. 2000 trees blown down. Indoor mall sustained $1 million in damage. 3 homes destroyed. Numerous trees down. Damage estimate for entire county. Estimated windspeed.
Mobile home flipped over. Structural damage at apartment complex. 30 homes damaged. Amphibean airplane flipped over. Estimated windspeed.
Hail was reported to be the size of hockey pucks. Many houses and vehicles were damaged in and around Hastings. Damage amount reported by the Hastings Star-Gazette.
Hail covered the ground. Observed at intersection of County Road 42 and Cedar. Vehicles, homes and businesses damaged. Damage total includes all storm reports from August 24 in Dakota County.
The Northfield tornado (which originated in Rice County) crossed Highway 19 into extreme southeastern Dakota County, then went into Goodhue County. Five homes sustained major damage, including one with its roof completely removed. 12 other homes received minor damage. Several mot…
10 homes with major structural damage. 1500 trees blown over. Estimated windspeed.
2000 trees blown over. 1500 homes damaged. Estimated windspeed.
Widespread damage to houses and vehicles by wind driven hail. Damage estimate for entire county.
Hail Hail
Photo measurement provided via Facebook.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A long duration winter weather event produced two rounds of rain/freezing rain mix which lasted several hours each. A CoCoRaHS Observer in Apple Valley reported in thin layer of on tree branches. Another observer in Eagan reported icing on sidewalks.
Blizzard Blizzard
Visibilities were dramatically reduced, at or below 1/4 mile for several hours, as heavy snow fell and sustained winds were 15 to 25 mph with frequent gusts over 35 mph. The 2-day snowfall reports ranged from about 10 to 15 inches throughout the county, with the highest report be…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The AWOS station located at the Airlake Airport observed approximately an hour of freezing rain. There was less than one tenth of ice accretion but did make the morning commute incredibly slippery.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Heavy snowfall with rates near one inch per hour produced 4 to 7 inches across the northern half of the county. The Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport reached 6 inches of snow during the official midnight observation. Snow continued to fall through the morning commute. Co…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Nearby KMSP reported wind gusts as high as 35 mph during the early evening as air temperatures dropped from -15F to -21F overnight. The lowest measured wind chill was -47F at 2AM on the 23rd.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The AWOS at KLVN reported several hours of freezing precipitation starting during the evening of January 5th and lasting into the morning of the 6th. CoCoRaHS observers reported a mix of freezing rain and drizzle, with some light icing on surfaces during the morning.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The nearby ASOS at KMSP reported an hour and a half of light freezing precipitation with occasional during the afternoon. Several CoCoRaHS observers reported a mixture of sleet and freezing precipitation resulting in a glaze of ice during the early afternoon in Burnsville, Lakevi…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The combination of falling snow and breezy winds resulted in winter storm conditions throughout the county. Snowfall reports ranged from 4 to 8, and the highest report was 7.5 inches in Burnsville. Surface visibilities reported at KLVN in Lakeville dropped to 1 mile or less for s…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The AWOS station located at Airlake Airport in Lakeville reported just over an hour of mixed precipitation. Additionally, a CoCoRaHS observer located in Inver Grove Heights reported that their snowboard was covered in a pelletized ice layer that was approximately a tenth of an in…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Approximately 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across the county. CoCoRaHS observers measured 5 inches of snow in South St. Paul, 5.1 inches 3 miles ENE of Burnsville, 4.8 inches 2 miles N of Rosemount, and 3 inches 2.5 miles N of Northfield. Additionally, the AWOS station located at A…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Persistent light snow lasted for over 24 hours. Snowfall totals across the county were estimated around 5 to 8 inches. The highest report was 6.5 inches 1 mile S of Eagan.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A combination of snow and strong winds impacted the county Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. Snowfall amounts around 1 to 3 inches were estimated across the county, and wind gusts around 30 to 40 mph were measured throughout the event at Airlake Airport.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Photo measurement provided via social media.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Cocorahs station MN-DK-281 Hastings 5.3 SE. 72 hour total of 5.35 inches.
Hail Hail
Hail was photographed near County Roads 42 and 5. It hailed for roughly five minutes.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report of a tree down on Southview Blvd near Hwy 52.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report of downed power lines near Highway 3 in Rosemount.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail ranging from half inch to penny sized in Lakeville.
Hail Hail
Winter Weather Winter Weather
CoCoRaHS observers across the county measured 1 to 3 inches of snowfall. The highest snowfall total was 2.8 inches located 1 miles NW of Hastings.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
An estimated 8 to 13 inches of snowfall was measured across the county. The highest measured snowfall amount was 12.5 inches northeast of Lakeville.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Several hours with wind chill ranging from -38 to -35 observed at KLVN each morning.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A quick burst of 1 to 3 inches of snowfall was reported across the county. Due to the timing, this led to travel impacts during the evening commute across the Twin Cities metro area.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
The AWOS located at the Airlake Airport in Lakeville recorded several hours of extreme wind chills with a minimum recording of -41 degrees.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An combination of light freezing drizzle and light snow impacted travel, especially within the Twin Cities metro.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Five to eight inches of snowfall was measured across the county. The highest snowfall observation was 7.6 inches 2 miles north-northeast of Northfield, MN.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A burst of 0.5 to 1.5 inches fell across the county. 1.2 inches of snow was measured 2.3 miles E of Burnsville, MN.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Report from Mping.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A tornado developed at the southern edge of Bellwood Oaks Golf Course, uprooting several trees, then continued northeast. A narrow path of sporadic tree damage occurred along the track, with the last damage in Minnesota being on Blackbird Trail in Dakota County. The tornado track…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Photo provided via social media of snapped maple tree.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 0 |
| 2025 | 23 | 0 |
| 2024 | 21 | 1 |
| 2023 | 30 | 0 |
| 2022 | 40 | 5 |
| 2021 | 27 | 3 |
| 2020 | 27 | 1 |
| 2019 | 23 | 1 |
| 2018 | 22 | 2 |
| 2017 | 17 | 0 |
| 2016 | 27 | 0 |
| 2015 | 10 | 0 |
| 2014 | 33 | 0 |
| 2013 | 35 | 0 |
| 2012 | 47 | 3 |
| 2011 | 21 | 0 |
| 2010 | 28 | 4 |
| 2009 | 14 | 1 |
| 2008 | 38 | 1 |
| 2007 | 30 | 0 |
| 2006 | 19 | 0 |
| 2005 | 42 | 0 |
| 2004 | 19 | 0 |
| 2003 | 4 | 0 |
| 2002 | 20 | 0 |
| 2001 | 26 | 2 |
| 2000 | 10 | 0 |
| 1999 | 13 | 1 |
| 1998 | 33 | 2 |
| 1997 | 21 | 0 |
| 1996 | 28 | 1 |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1993 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 |
| 1988 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987 | 10 | 3 |
| 1986 | 7 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 3 | 1 |
| 1981 | 5 | 1 |
| 1980 | 6 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 4 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 2 | 1 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 3 | 2 |
| 1968 | 7 | 1 |
| 1967 | 1 | 1 |
| 1966 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 1 | 1 |
| 1964 | 2 | 0 |
| 1959 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Dakota County, measured to its path.
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