Nicollet 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.
29
Tornado reports
110
Hail reports
23
Floods since 1996
462
All events
2
Deaths
$131.9M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Nicollet County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 29 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.
Tornado F4 Tornado
See narrative for Brown county.
The tornado began with a very narrow path and gradually expanded to a half mile wide multiple vortex tornado. One home in Nicollet lost much of its upper floor, and other homes suffered major damage, including some bring shifted off their foundation. The tornado continued east al…
Tornado made a direct hit on the city of St. Peter and Gustavius Adolphus College. All major buildings on campus suffered varying degrees of damage. The spire on Christ Chapel snapped in half. 70% of the windows on campus were broken. 500 homes were destroyed in St. Peter, 1,700 …
Several highways and county roads from North Mankato, northward along the Minnesota River to Le Sueur, Minnesota were impassable due to Spring flooding. Some of the major routes included 169, 22, and 93 and 99. There was one fatality on March 22 when a MNDOT worker tried to clear…
Roof torn off high school gymnasium resulting in water damage to floor. Garage walls blown down at pair of houses in northwestern part of town. High winds affected 100,000 to 115,000 acres across Nicollet county. 50,000 acres of crops severely damaged. Damage estimate for entire …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several trained spotters reported blowing dust as thunderstorms impacted the county. Spotter estimated 50-60 MPH winds during the peak gusts.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A long duration winter weather event produced two rounds of rain/freezing rain/snow mix which lasted several hours each. A CoCoRaHS observes reported icing on elevated surfaces.
Blizzard Blizzard
MNDOT RWIS sites reported visibilities 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 6 to 9 inches throughout the county, with the highest report being …
High Wind High Wind
Strong northwest winds were sustained around 35 to 45 mph overnight, with frequent gusts over 50 mph. A max wind gust of 63 mph was recorded at nearby KULM around 2:15am.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall measurements ranged between 5 to 7 inches across the county. The highest snowfall observation was 6.5 inches in New Ulm.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The neighboring AWOS station located at the Olivia Regional Airport observed approximately an hour of freezing rain which then occurred in the northern half of Nicollet County. There was less than one tenth of ice accretion but did make travel conditions incredibly slippery.
Blizzard Blizzard
Emergency management reported that blowing snow and poor visibility led to multiple vehicles in the ditch along U.S. 169, U.S. 14, and MN-15. Worst conditions occurred west of St. Peter. The AWOS station at the neighboring New Ulm Municipal Airport recorded a wind gust of 48 mph …
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Nearby KMKT reported wind gusts as high as 30 mph during the evening as air temperatures dropped from -15F to -20F overnight. The lowest measured wind chill was -45F at 12AM on the 23rd.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Strong winds gusting to 35 mph and scattered snow showers resulted in periodic reductions in visibility as low as a 1/2 mile at times, though generally around 2 to 3 miles. Total snowfall accumulation was under an inch.
Blizzard Blizzard
The combination of falling snow and strong winds resulted in blizzard conditions throughout the county. Surface visibilities reported at nearby KULM in dropped to 1/4 mile or below for several hours, and winds gusted around 35 to 45 mph while snow was falling throughout much of t…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The AWOS at New Ulm Municipal Airport reported two hours of light rain that froze on contact with the ground. CoCoRaHS observes in surrounding counties reported a light glaze of ice on flat surfaces.
Blizzard Blizzard
Light snow combined with strong 40 to 50 mph wind gusts caused blowing snow and whiteout conditions for multiple hours. The AWOS station located at New Ulm Municipal Airport record a wind gust of 49 mph.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Light snow fell across the county during the afternoon and evening hours. Around one inch of snow was measured in New Ulm.
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 6.2 inches in North Mankato.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A combination of snow and strong winds impacted the county Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. Snowfall amounts around 1 to 2 inches were estimated across the county, and wind gusts around 35 to 45 mph were measured throughout the event at New Ulm Municipal Airport.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
Satellite and drone imagery confirmed a brief tornado in a cornfield southeast of Lafayette MN. It traveled east for 3.5 miles and damaged the roof of a hog barn and produced crop damage along its path. The tornado was rated EF0.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A tornado touched down in a field and hit a farmstead, knocking down and breaking multiple trees across the property. The time was estimated from radar.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Cocorahs station MN-NC-3 St. Peter 6WSW. 72 hour total of 5.00 inches.
Hail Hail
Quarter to golf ball sized hail.
Hail Hail
Quarter sized hail near the Kwik Trip in St Peter.
Tornado EFU Tornado
The location and track of this tornado is based on storm chaser video. It moved through fields and across a road without hitting any damage indicators.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
Approximate track of tornado, based on storm chaser video. The tornado knocked down small branches at a farmstead. Many storm chasers, spotters, and members of the public took photos and video of this tornado. It was highly visible from miles away.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Photo measurement provided via X.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
CoCoRaHS observers across the county measured 3 to 5 inches of snowfall. The highest snowfall total was 4.8 inches located 4 miles ENE of Renville.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Several hours of light freezing rain resulted in accumulations around 0.1 to 0.2 inches of flat ice across the county. Additional snow accumulations around up to 2 inches fell on top of the ice resulted in hazardous travel conditions Saturday into Sunday.
Blizzard Blizzard
An estimated 3 to 6 inches of snow fell across the county with the greatest amounts across the southeast portion. Frequent gusts over 30 mph and heavy snowfall rates resulted in several hours of 3/4 mile visibility or less. These conditions resulted in many roads becoming impassa…
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
The wind chill dropped to -32 at the Ag Weather Station in North Mankato.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Five to eight inches of snowfall was measured across the county based off of interpolated snowfall analysis. The highest snowfall measured 7.8 inches one mile north of St. Peter, MN.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A band of 2 to 3 inches fell across the western part of the county.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County Dispatch reported trees down near the intersection of Co Rd 21 and 611th ave.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County dispatch reported a power line down near the intersection of Webster Ave and Center St.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
Funnel cloud was reported via spotter network. Time was estimated from radar.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
A total of 3 to 6 inches of rain fell from multiple rounds of thunderstorms. CoCoRaHS observers measured 5.71 inches near North Mankato.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Multiple bands of snow moved through and produced generally 4 to 6 inches of heavy wet snow and 35 mph wind gusts in the extreme northern portion of the county.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
CoCoRaHS observers measured three to five inches of snow that fell across the county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Based on surrounding observations, wind chill values were -35 to -40 degrees.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Based on surrounding observations, winds gusted over 30 mph, with blowing snow and reduced visibilities.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 0 |
| 2025 | 21 | 4 |
| 2024 | 10 | 0 |
| 2023 | 14 | 0 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 |
| 2020 | 17 | 1 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | 15 | 5 |
| 2016 | 18 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 | 1 |
| 2014 | 16 | 0 |
| 2013 | 17 | 0 |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 |
| 2010 | 20 | 1 |
| 2009 | 7 | 0 |
| 2008 | 10 | 0 |
| 2007 | 11 | 0 |
| 2006 | 6 | 1 |
| 2005 | 21 | 1 |
| 2004 | 13 | 0 |
| 2003 | 9 | 0 |
| 2002 | 10 | 1 |
| 2001 | 13 | 0 |
| 2000 | 10 | 0 |
| 1999 | 18 | 2 |
| 1998 | 24 | 3 |
| 1997 | 17 | 0 |
| 1996 | 26 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 4 | 1 |
| 1991 | 6 | 0 |
| 1990 | 2 | 0 |
| 1989 | 4 | 3 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 3 | 1 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 3 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 |
| 1977 | 2 | 1 |
| 1974 | 4 | 1 |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 3 | 0 |
| 1965 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | 2 | 0 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1952 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Nicollet County, measured to its path.
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