Skip to content

NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Fairbury, NE

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

No tropical storm or hurricane has passed within 75 miles of Fairbury, Nebraska since records began in 1851. Since 1950, 133 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 14 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
0

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
133

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
14

9 deaths in all

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Fairbury

By decade

  • 2020s3
  • 2010s17
  • 2000s37(2 EF3+)
  • 1990s29(4 EF3+)
  • 1980s8(1 EF3+)
  • 1970s18(2 EF3+)
  • 1960s7(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s14(4 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Fairbury, Nebraska
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
May 22, 2004F413 mi54 mi1 / 38
May 20, 1957F419 mi44.6 mi0 / 0
Jun 4, 1955F419 mi61.9 mi0 / 0
May 9, 1953F320 mi46.9 mi5 / 82
Sep 25, 1973F320 mi169.7 mi3 / 42
May 29, 2008EF3in town55.22 mi0 / 0
Jul 24, 1993F312 mi9 mi0 / 0
Jun 15, 1992F324 mi21 mi0 / 0
Apr 26, 1991F319 mi24 mi0 / 0
Mar 13, 1990F314 mi13 mi0 / 0
Jun 12, 1984F321 mi13 mi0 / 5
Sep 25, 1973F325 mi69.9 mi0 / 2

The strongest 12 of 133, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Fairbury while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

Other cities in Nebraska