Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1955 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
87
Tornado reports
460
Hail reports
50
Floods since 1996
1,056
All events
3
Deaths
$30.4M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Otter Tail County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 87 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.
This tornado began in Grant County, but after about two miles, it crossed into Otter Tail County, where it ended about 5 miles east of Dalton. The total track through both counties was about 9 miles. Peak winds were estimated at 170 mph, based on available damage indicators. At l…
This tornado began in Douglas County, Minnesota. It moved northward into Otter Tail County and produced an additional 38 miles of continuous damage path. The tornado destroyed numerous homes and farmsteads along its path, completely sweeping 7 homes from their foundations. At tim…
Tornado EF4 Tornado
This tornado touched down in Otter Tail County and tracked northeastward for about 2 miles before crossing into Wadena County just southwest of the Wadena city limits. The tornado developed rapidly into a multi-vortex wedge type tornado as it approached Wadena. The tornado contin…
The tornado caused quite a bit of damage along its path across southeast Otter Tail county before it crossed into Todd county. At one farmstead, 9 people huddled inside a house with no basement as its roof was torn off. Nobody was injured, but another trailer home nearby was comp…
The strong wind knocked down trees and power lines. The city of Fergus Falls was without power for several hours. 30 to 40 homes sustained damage and many signs were knocked over.
An 85,000 bushel grain bin was flattened against the Ottertail elevator. Another 90,000 bushel bin crumpled to the ground, and two other 45,000 bushel bins were damaged by the strong wind. Around the town, a storage shed was blown apart, a marine business was damaged, several irr…
The strong winds hit New York Mills quite hard. 1,600 customers in the area lost power, with 50 power poles snapped in half. The city garage lost parts of its roof, as did the school gym and the school storage shed. A garage in the town was ripped in two, sending a portion of the…
Hail Hail
Report of half dollar size hail at Dead Lake. Time estimated from radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 12 inch tree branch split off the main trunk relayed via social media.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured gust at NDAWN site 10 ft sensor.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report of trees blown down on houses, many large limbs blown down. Report of roof got ripped off of a trailer house in the trailer court. Widespread wind damage throughout town.
Hail Hail
Report of ping pong ball sized hail.
Hail Hail
Time estimated from radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree damage reported by public and relayed via broadcast media.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree damage reported by public and relayed via broadcast media.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust measured at Fergus Falls airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Estimated 60 to 70 mph winds as the initial line of thunderstorms rolled through, with tree damage to branches larger than their forearm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured gust at AWOS station kffm at Fergus Falls MN airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measurement on 10 meter NDAWN sensor.
Hail Hail
Reported at Crystal Lake.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Photo evidence from chasers and reports called in via trained spotters indicate a brief tornado in this area with no damage reported.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Tornado was initially reported by law enforcement. Multiple pictures of the tornado exist showing it crossing Marion Lake SW of Perham MN but no damage has been reported.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust estimated 55 to 60 mph. Winds scoured dirt from the fields creating near zero visibility for a brief time.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust measured by 33 ft ndawn sensor.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several big trees blown down. Several cattle sheds blown down. A semi-trailer was blown over on highway 10 in similar area.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Substantial tree damage east of Perham.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple large tree limbs blown down.
Hail Hail
Public reports golf ball sized hail, with minor siding and car damage. Time estimated from radar.
Hail Hail
Report of golf ball sized hail relayed via Broadcast Media.
Hail Hail
Public relayed ping-pong ball sized hail via social media.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Estimated 80 mph winds at the leading edge of the thunderstorm. Boat canopies destroyed. 30 foot tree snapped at base and fallen. Deck furniture thrown. Numerous other branches and limbs down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report from a Minnesota DOT site.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report from a RWIS site in Fergus Falls.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured a 73 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report from the Frazee RWIS site.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter reports half dollar to ping pong ball sized hail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public report and picture of flattened corn as a result of thunderstorm wind gusts near French Minnesota. Time estimated from radar.
Hail Hail
Hailstones to quarter sized.
Hail Hail
West Lost Lake is where the hail fell.
Hail Hail
Trained Spotter reports quarter sized hail.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter reports quarter sized hail in Ottertail, MN.
Hail Hail
Broadcast Media relays report of quarter sized hail in Fergus Falls.
Hail Hail
An mPING report of quarter sized hail in Ottertail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree damage in the town of Pelican Rapids, time estimated from radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees down near Pelican Rapids, power outages as well.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
An mPING report of trees uprooted and snapped from 1 west Ottertail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Broadcast Media relays a report of large trees blown down 1 mile east of Almora.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 |
| 2025 | 15 | 2 |
| 2024 | 22 | 0 |
| 2023 | 14 | 0 |
| 2022 | 60 | 4 |
| 2021 | 15 | 1 |
| 2020 | 52 | 5 |
| 2019 | 30 | 2 |
| 2018 | 30 | 0 |
| 2017 | 38 | 0 |
| 2016 | 29 | 0 |
| 2015 | 27 | 4 |
| 2014 | 38 | 3 |
| 2013 | 26 | 1 |
| 2012 | 22 | 1 |
| 2011 | 20 | 0 |
| 2010 | 40 | 12 |
| 2009 | 18 | 2 |
| 2008 | 28 | 4 |
| 2007 | 19 | 2 |
| 2006 | 27 | 2 |
| 2005 | 60 | 5 |
| 2004 | 44 | 9 |
| 2003 | 21 | 1 |
| 2002 | 23 | 0 |
| 2001 | 61 | 2 |
| 2000 | 26 | 0 |
| 1999 | 25 | 2 |
| 1998 | 59 | 0 |
| 1997 | 8 | 0 |
| 1996 | 19 | 1 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 4 | 0 |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 6 | 0 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 |
| 1988 | 5 | 0 |
| 1987 | 13 | 2 |
| 1986 | 5 | 2 |
| 1985 | 7 | 0 |
| 1984 | 6 | 0 |
| 1983 | 3 | 0 |
| 1982 | 7 | 0 |
| 1981 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | 4 | 0 |
| 1979 | 3 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | 5 | 1 |
| 1976 | 2 | 0 |
| 1975 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 12 | 1 |
| 1973 | 4 | 2 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 4 | 0 |
| 1968 | 5 | 3 |
| 1967 | 3 | 0 |
| 1966 | 2 | 1 |
| 1964 | 2 | 2 |
| 1961 | 1 | 1 |
| 1960 | 2 | 2 |
| 1959 | 6 | 2 |
| 1958 | 2 | 0 |
| 1957 | 2 | 2 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | 3 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Otter Tail County, measured to its path.
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