Rock County, Minnesota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1956 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
15
Tornado reports
138
Hail reports
68
Floods since 1996
701
All events
5
Deaths
$21.7M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Rock County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 14 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.
Sustained winds were frequently from 30 to 39 mph with gusts measured as high as 49 mph at Minnesota Road Weather Information System site MN006 near Beaver Creek.
Life threatening conditions developed during the morning of April 14, as the earlier mix of rain, sleet and snow changed to all snow, and brutal winds (gusting as high as 58 mph at Luverne) whipped visibility to less than a quarter mile at times through the evening of April 14. T…
Freezing rain caused icy roads and walkways, resulting in several accidents. One accident on Interstate 90 west of Luverne resulted in a fatality when a vehicle rolled off the icy surface and into a ditch, ejecting the driver who was the lone occupant.
Snowfall of 1 to 5 inches, including 4.5 inches at Luverne, was accompanied by sustained winds of 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph. This produced drifting snow and areas of blowing snow, making travel difficult at times. Wind chills were driven below zero. One man froze to death after…
Snow accumulated 3 to 5 inches. The snow and ice on roads contributed to a fatal vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 75 about 3 miles north of Luverne, where one person died and two others were injured in a head-on collision at about 10 am.
Rainfall amounts across Rock County from June 20-22 ranged from 2 to 7 inches. Widespread overland flooding ensued with additional moderate to major flooding along the Rock River and Split Rock Creek. During peak flooding, numerous township, county, and state roads were under wat…
In the midst of very heavy rain, estimated as much as 7 inches, a dam partially gave way on Blue Mounds Creek at Blue Mounds Lake in Blue Mounds State Park. The dam break drained the lake and flooded roads downstream to the Rock River.
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 6.7 inches at Luverne. Many branches, limbs, whole …
Thunderstorm winds blew down part of the roof of a large store, destroyed a hangar, and damaged a small plane inside. The winds also blew down signs including a large gas station sign, blew down the roof of a hardware store shed onto a pickup parked inside and destroyed several s…
Heat Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached a brief afternoon peak as high as 107 degrees near Beaver Creek, 104 degrees at Magnolia, and 101 degrees at Luverne.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Numerous trees were blown down around town with a few outbuildings damaged.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust measured by Minnesota Road Weather Information System site near Beaver Creek.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions intensified to extreme (D3) for much of mid to late June.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A landspout formed around 2 miles northwest of Hills, southwest of the intersection of 40th Avenue and 51st Street. The highly visible tornado was viewed from numerous angles as it traversed slowly across open fields to the west-southwest. The tornado crossed the state line out o…
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts measured by the Minnesota Road Weather Information System site near Beaver Creek.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gust was measured by the AWOS station KLYV 3 miles south of Luverne.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Hail Hail
Hail occurred for 5 to 10 minutes, largest briefly up to ping-pong ball size.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Drought Drought
Moderate (D1) drought conditions worsened to severe (D2) very late month.
Blizzard Blizzard
Northerly winds gusted as high as 58 mph near Beaver Creek, 54 mph at Magnolia, and 45 mph at Luverne. During and after a period of heavy snowfall which totaled 3.6 inches at Hills, visibility was reduced to near zero at times with blowing snow. Travel was not advised over most r…
High Wind High Wind
A Minnesota Road Weather Information System site near Beaver Creek had frequent sustained winds from 40 to 44 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 47 mph at times, with gusts as high as 64 mph at a Minnesota Department of Transportation site near Beaver Creek.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 47 mph at times, with gusts as high as 61 mph at a Minnesota Department of Transportation site near Beaver Creek.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Northwest winds gusted as high as 64 mph at Beaver Creek and 49 mph at Luverne. These winds combined with periods of light snowfall which totaled around 1 inch to produce visibility briefly as low as one-quarter to one-half mile.
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 42 mph with gusts as high as 64 mph near Beaver Creek.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained winds reached 30 to 34 mph at times with a peak gust of 54 mph at a Minnesota Road Weather Information System site 1 mile west of Beaver Creek and 53 mph at a personal weather station in Luverne.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Intermittent short duration near-blizzard conditions occurred, divided by a longer improvement in conditions as falling snow ended for a time during the late afternoon and evening. Gusty northwest winds from 35 to 50 mph were concurrent with light snowfall, which totaled 0.5 inch…
High Wind High Wind
Sustained northwest winds occasionally reached 40 to 47 mph with a peak gust of 60 mph at Beaver Creek and 59 mph in Luverne.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills reached as low as -30 degrees at Beaver Creek and -25 degrees at Magnolia.
High Wind High Wind
Synoptic northwest winds were occasionally sustained from 40 to 50 mph with gusts at Minnesota Road Weather Information System sites at high as 72 mph at Beaver Creek and 58 mph at Magnolia.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 4.5 inches at Hills.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A long-duration snowfall totaled 6.5 inches in Hills.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained winds reached 35 to 40 mph at times with a peak gust of 56 mph at a Minnesota Road Weather Information System site near Beaver Creek and 51 mph at Magnolia.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 3.0 inches at Hills.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
A funnel cloud was viewed by several law enforcement officers and storm chasers.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail size varied between quarter and half dollar size.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Strong thunderstorm wind gusts knocked down a large rotten tree in town and also some small branches on other trees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The roof on a cattle barn was blown off by thunderstorm wind gusts. Several surrounding tree limbs from 6 to 10 inches in diameter were also broken.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured as high as 70 mph at the Minnesota Department of Transportation site near Beaver Creek.
Heat Heat
Dangerous heat index values peaked as high as 104 degrees 2 miles east of Hardwick on August 16 and 101 degrees near Luverne on August 15.
Heat Heat
Heat index values peaked as high as 103 degrees near Beaver Creek and 101 degrees at Luverne.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached an afternoon peak on July 27 as high as 117 degrees near Hardwick, 112 degrees near Luverne, and 106 degrees near Beaver Creek and Magnolia.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached afternoon peaks as high as 107 degrees near Hardwick on July 22 and 105 degrees at Luverne on July 21.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Daily afternoon and evening heat indices ranged from 105 to 116 degrees with a maximum heat index of 116 degrees at a personal weather station near Hardwick, 111 degrees at a personal weather station in Luverne, and 106 degrees at Road Weather Information System sites near Beaver…
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained easterly winds reached 30 to 33 mph with gusts as high as 47 mph near Magnolia.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 19 | 1 |
| 2025 | 35 | 0 |
| 2024 | 27 | 0 |
| 2023 | 26 | 0 |
| 2022 | 35 | 1 |
| 2021 | 26 | 0 |
| 2020 | 23 | 0 |
| 2019 | 31 | 0 |
| 2018 | 42 | 0 |
| 2017 | 16 | 0 |
| 2016 | 23 | 0 |
| 2015 | 21 | 0 |
| 2014 | 25 | 1 |
| 2013 | 17 | 0 |
| 2012 | 26 | 0 |
| 2011 | 16 | 0 |
| 2010 | 23 | 0 |
| 2009 | 9 | 0 |
| 2008 | 14 | 0 |
| 2007 | 15 | 1 |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 |
| 2005 | 31 | 1 |
| 2004 | 30 | 1 |
| 2003 | 14 | 0 |
| 2002 | 11 | 0 |
| 2001 | 17 | 0 |
| 2000 | 15 | 0 |
| 1999 | 6 | 0 |
| 1998 | 13 | 0 |
| 1997 | 12 | 0 |
| 1996 | 18 | 1 |
| 1995 | 7 | 1 |
| 1994 | 6 | 2 |
| 1993 | 1 | 1 |
| 1992 | 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 7 | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 7 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 2 | 1 |
| 1968 | 3 | 1 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | 3 | 1 |
| 1956 | 2 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Rock County, measured to its path.
We couldn’t get your location. Check that location access is allowed for this site, or type an address.