Cottonwood County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Minnesota Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Cottonwood County is about the same as Minnesota average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Cottonwood County is higher than Minnesota average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #32
| Cottonwood County | 0.00 |
| Minnesota | 0.01 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Cottonwood County | 0.0000 |
| Minnesota | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #22
| Cottonwood County | 169.71 |
| Minnesota | 135.90 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 11,226 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Cottonwood County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 101 | Cold: | 42 | Dense Fog: | 3 | Drought: | 18 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 761 | Hail: | 5,191 | Heat: | 12 | Heavy Snow: | 115 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 28 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 126 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 4,132 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 2 | Winter Storm: | 154 | Winter Weather: | 111 |
| Other: | 430 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Cottonwood County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Cottonwood County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Cottonwood County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 66 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Cottonwood County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 2.1 | 1998-03-29 | 3 | 43°59'N / 95°26'W | 44°06'N / 94°56'W | 39.50 Miles | 900 Yards | 0 | 3 | 30.0M | 0 | Cottonwood |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado which began in Murray County tracked across Cottonwood County and then further northeast. The tornado destroyed numerous farms, farm equipment, buildings, trees, power lines and poles, vehicles, and other structures in its path. A vehicle was tossed a hundred yards as it hit the first farm in southwest Cottonwood County. People in the basement of the house on this farm received minor injuries. The tornado also destroyed a church near Jeffers, and destroyed numerous homes in the southern part of Comfrey, a city which is only partly in Cottonwood County. | |||||||||||
| 3.3 | 1952-06-23 | 2 | 44°00'N / 95°17'W | 44°07'N / 95°05'W | 12.50 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Cottonwood |
| 10.6 | 1976-06-14 | 2 | 43°51'N / 95°06'W | 43°56'N / 95°00'W | 7.10 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Cottonwood |
| 10.8 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 43°57'N / 95°26'W | 44°06'N / 95°22'W | 7.50 Miles | 90 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Cottonwood |
| 14.1 | 1976-06-14 | 2 | 43°46'N / 95°11'W | 43°51'N / 95°06'W | 6.40 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Jackson |
| 17.1 | 1998-03-29 | 4 | 44°05'N / 94°51'W | 44°06'N / 94°52'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Watonwan |
| Brief Description: Tornado moving through southern Brown county brushed extreme northwest Watonwan county. See Brown county narrative. | |||||||||||
| 22.8 | 1977-08-09 | 2 | 44°04'N / 94°46'W | 44°00'N / 94°41'W | 5.60 Miles | 70 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Watonwan |
| 23.7 | 1963-07-16 | 2 | 44°03'N / 94°46'W | 44°03'N / 94°39'W | 5.20 Miles | 1760 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Watonwan |
| 23.9 | 1952-06-23 | 2 | 44°07'N / 95°05'W | 44°23'N / 94°35'W | 30.70 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Brown |
| 24.2 | 1981-06-21 | 2 | 44°17'N / 94°50'W | 44°13'N / 94°49'W | 3.80 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Brown |
| 25.8 | 2006-08-01 | 3 | 43°54'N / 94°43'W | 43°53'N / 94°40'W | 1.50 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.0M | 0 | Watonwan |
| Brief Description: Initial damage occurred at farmstead just east of the Watonwan/Cottonwood line. Damage included the partial removal of roofs off two large sheds, along with scattered downed trees. The tornado then moved across corn and bean fields. Another farmstead was hit just southwest of the intersection of County Roads 10 and 2. This was the location of the F3 damage. A house was leveled, a 60 foot concrete base silo was toppled and rolled. Virtually all barns, sheds and outbuildings were completely destroyed. | |||||||||||
| 27.4 | 1968-06-13 | 5 | 44°12'N / 95°42'W | 44°16'N / 95°35'W | 6.80 Miles | 150 Yards | 9 | 150 | 2.5M | 0 | Lyon |
| 27.6 | 1968-06-13 | 5 | 44°16'N / 95°35'W | 44°18'N / 95°36'W | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Redwood | ||
| 28.1 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 44°00'N / 95°51'W | 44°09'N / 95°38'W | 13.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Murray |
| 28.2 | 1981-06-21 | 2 | 44°25'N / 94°54'W | 44°17'N / 94°50'W | 9.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Redwood |
| 28.7 | 1992-06-16 | 3 | 44°14'N / 95°35'W | 44°27'N / 95°29'W | 16.00 Miles | 90 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Redwood |
| 28.8 | 1992-06-16 | 3 | 44°21'N / 95°22'W | 44°30'N / 95°09'W | 13.00 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Redwood |
| 29.0 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 43°59'N / 95°46'W | 0.50 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Murray | |
| 29.4 | 1968-06-13 | 5 | 44°10'N / 95°45'W | 44°12'N / 95°42'W | 2.30 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Murray |
| 29.5 | 1998-03-29 | 4 | 44°07'N / 94°54'W | 44°14'N / 94°22'W | 25.00 Miles | 2200 Yards | 1 | 16 | 45.0M | 0 | Brown |
| Brief Description: Tornado began 7 miles east of Avoca in Murray county, continued through Cottonwood, Brown, extreme Northwest Watonwan, Northwest Blue Earth, and finally lifted off 4 miles east of Courtland in Nicollet county. Total storm track was 67 miles. The tornado ripped through the village of Comfrey destroying a grain elevator and damaging 75% of the town. Much of downtown Comfrey destroyed including the town hall. School heavily damaged. 100 people made homeless. 50 homes destroyed. 130 farmsteads damaged or destroyed in Brown county. 500 dairy cows killed. One man critically injured in collapse of farmstead northwest of the town of Hanska. He died the next day. 35 buildings destroyed or damaged in far Northwest Blue Earth county. Damage estimate estimated. Property damage to extreme northwest Blue Earth county across Cambria township estimated at 2 million. Property damage to extreme northwest Watonwan county estimated at 245 thousand. M85PH | |||||||||||
| 30.1 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 44°19'N / 95°37'W | 2.00 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Lyon | |
| 31.1 | 1971-05-31 | 3 | 43°30'N / 95°20'W | 43°38'N / 95°14'W | 10.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Jackson |
| 33.0 | 1992-06-16 | 3 | 44°12'N / 95°51'W | 44°14'N / 95°43'W | 3.00 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Lyon |
| 33.5 | 1960-06-23 | 2 | 43°39'N / 94°44'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Martin | |
| 33.7 | 1992-06-16 | 3 | 44°06'N / 95°49'W | 44°12'N / 95°51'W | 9.00 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Murray |
| 34.5 | 2010-06-25 | 2 | 44°20'N / 94°39'W | 44°20'N / 94°39'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Brown | ||
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Two farmsteads were hit near the intersection of 260th Street and County Road 10, with one receiving considerable damage. A barn was 2/3 destroyed, a harvestore silo was dented in about 70 feet off the ground, a corn crib was flattened, multiple wagons were displaced approximately 50 yards, and a wooden pole rated to 118 mph was cracked at the base. EPISODE NARRATIVE: During the morning of Friday June 25th, a small complex of thunderstorms developed across west-central Minnesota, and quickly moved eastward across southern Minnesota. Isolated severe weather occurred with these storms in west-central Minnesota during the morning hours. During the afternoon, a larger complex of storms developed across western Minnesota, and moved quickly across portions of central and southern Minnesota during the evening. Damage was extensive as several bow echoes, supercells, and squall lines raced across the area. There were numerous reports of structural damage to farms and homesteads, very large hail, and very large trees blown down. Softball to baseball size hail was reported near New Ulm, Minnesota, with several reports of wind damage throughout southern, and east-central Minnesota. Several significant tornadoes occurred in portions of south central Minnesota during the late afternoon, and early evening hours. Two separate severe storms moved across the Twin Cities area, one produced minor damage with hail in the late afternoon, but the second that occurred in the early evening caused more straight-line wind damage throughout the area, along with flash flooding. | |||||||||||
| 36.0 | 1981-06-14 | 2 | 43°29'N / 95°23'W | 43°30'N / 95°07'W | 13.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Dickinson |
| 36.2 | 1981-06-21 | 2 | 44°39'N / 95°20'W | 44°25'N / 94°54'W | 26.60 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Redwood |
| 36.4 | 1981-06-23 | 2 | 44°32'N / 95°05'W | 1.00 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Redwood | |
| 37.3 | 1992-06-16 | 4 | 43°57'N / 95°54'W | 44°03'N / 95°58'W | 7.00 Miles | 160 Yards | 0 | 3 | 25.0M | 0 | Murray |
| 37.3 | 1992-06-16 | 5 | 43°51'N / 96°00'W | 44°00'N / 95°51'W | 13.00 Miles | 280 Yards | 1 | 35 | 25.0M | 0 | Murray |
| 37.6 | 1956-05-10 | 2 | 43°37'N / 95°48'W | 43°42'N / 95°43'W | 6.50 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Nobles |
| 37.7 | 1981-06-14 | 2 | 43°27'N / 95°23'W | 43°29'N / 95°07'W | 13.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Dickinson |
| 37.9 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 44°31'N / 95°15'W | 44°36'N / 95°12'W | 8.00 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Redwood |
| 38.2 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 43°55'N / 95°59'W | 43°56'N / 95°54'W | 4.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Murray |
| 38.5 | 1998-03-29 | 2 | 43°48'N / 95°54'W | 43°48'N / 95°54'W | 0.10 Mile | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 200K | 0 | Nobles |
| Brief Description: A tornado destroyed farm buildings...uprooted numerous trees...and overturned a tractor trailer. | |||||||||||
| 39.4 | 1962-05-18 | 2 | 44°04'N / 94°48'W | 43°53'N / 93°59'W | 42.40 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Watonwan |
| 39.5 | 1964-05-08 | 2 | 43°26'N / 95°26'W | 43°29'N / 95°21'W | 5.10 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Osceola |
| 40.2 | 1968-03-18 | 2 | 43°52'N / 94°24'W | 2.50 Miles | 83 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Watonwan | |
| 40.6 | 1951-06-25 | 2 | 43°34'N / 94°46'W | 43°36'N / 94°29'W | 14.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Martin |
| 40.7 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 44°31'N / 95°25'W | 44°39'N / 95°20'W | 12.00 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Redwood |
| 40.7 | 1981-06-14 | 2 | 43°26'N / 95°33'W | 43°29'N / 95°23'W | 8.80 Miles | 1533 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Osceola |
| 41.0 | 1990-08-18 | 2 | 43°28'N / 95°16'W | 43°22'N / 95°08'W | 8.50 Miles | 63 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Dickinson |
| 41.2 | 1971-05-31 | 3 | 43°22'N / 95°19'W | 43°28'N / 95°13'W | 8.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dickinson |
| 41.3 | 1998-03-29 | 2 | 43°47'N / 95°57'W | 43°47'N / 95°57'W | 0.10 Mile | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 400K | 0 | Nobles |
| Brief Description: A tornado destroyed buildings...trees in shelter belts...and numerous pieces of farm equipment...and killed two cattle. | |||||||||||
| 41.5 | 1966-07-09 | 2 | 43°26'N / 95°25'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Osceola | |
| 41.8 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 44°34'N / 95°10'W | 44°40'N / 95°13'W | 5.50 Miles | 23 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Redwood |
| 42.0 | 1977-05-04 | 2 | 43°33'N / 94°38'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Martin | |||
| 42.1 | 1968-06-13 | 2 | 43°23'N / 95°06'W | 43°26'N / 95°01'W | 4.90 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 17 | 2.5M | 0 | Dickinson |
| 42.3 | 1981-06-14 | 2 | 43°25'N / 95°33'W | 43°27'N / 95°23'W | 8.30 Miles | 1533 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Osceola |
| 42.4 | 1960-07-11 | 2 | 43°24'N / 95°06'W | 1.00 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dickinson | |
| 42.8 | 1985-04-20 | 3 | 43°55'N / 96°05'W | 44°01'N / 96°00'W | 7.20 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 2 | 2.5M | 0 | Murray |
| 43.0 | 1992-06-16 | 5 | 43°48'N / 96°01'W | 43°51'N / 96°00'W | 3.00 Miles | 280 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Nobles |
| 44.1 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 44°39'N / 95°11'W | 5.00 Miles | 23 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Renville | |
| 44.7 | 1977-05-27 | 2 | 43°28'N / 95°48'W | 43°37'N / 95°48'W | 10.30 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Nobles |
| 45.4 | 1971-05-31 | 3 | 43°20'N / 95°32'W | 43°27'N / 95°27'W | 8.60 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Osceola |
| 45.7 | 1985-04-20 | 3 | 43°54'N / 96°06'W | 43°55'N / 96°05'W | 0.80 Mile | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Pipestone |
| 45.7 | 1967-04-30 | 2 | 43°23'N / 94°41'W | 43°29'N / 94°47'W | 8.20 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Emmet |
| 46.1 | 1968-06-13 | 2 | 43°23'N / 95°30'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Osceola | |||
| 46.6 | 2010-06-25 | 2 | 44°16'N / 94°21'W | 44°15'N / 94°16'W | 4.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Nicollet |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado touched down on the west side of Courtland, near Highway 14. The tornado produced EF-1 damage in the town of Courtland, where numerous trees were uprooted and many large tree branches were downed. The tornado continued east- southeast and strengthened in intensity just south of County Highway 25, where it produced EF-2 damage to multiple farmsteads. Damage included total destruction of a barn just west of the intersection of 511th avenue and County Highway 25. Widespread tree damage and snapped electrical transmission lines were also noted. EPISODE NARRATIVE: During the morning of Friday June 25th, a small complex of thunderstorms developed across west-central Minnesota, and quickly moved eastward across southern Minnesota. Isolated severe weather occurred with these storms in west-central Minnesota during the morning hours. During the afternoon, a larger complex of storms developed across western Minnesota, and moved quickly across portions of central and southern Minnesota during the evening. Damage was extensive as several bow echoes, supercells, and squall lines raced across the area. There were numerous reports of structural damage to farms and homesteads, very large hail, and very large trees blown down. Softball to baseball size hail was reported near New Ulm, Minnesota, with several reports of wind damage throughout southern, and east-central Minnesota. Several significant tornadoes occurred in portions of south central Minnesota during the late afternoon, and early evening hours. Two separate severe storms moved across the Twin Cities area, one produced minor damage with hail in the late afternoon, but the second that occurred in the early evening caused more straight-line wind damage throughout the area, along with flash flooding. | |||||||||||
| 47.0 | 1998-03-29 | 4 | 44°15'N / 94°20'W | 44°16'N / 94°16'W | 4.00 Miles | 2200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Nicollet |
| Brief Description: See narrative for Brown county. | |||||||||||
| 47.2 | 1992-06-16 | 2 | 44°40'N / 95°06'W | 44°43'N / 95°06'W | 3.00 Miles | 13 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Renville |
| 47.8 | 1986-04-26 | 2 | 43°28'N / 95°56'W | 43°35'N / 95°48'W | 10.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 2 | 2.5M | 0 | Nobles |
| 48.0 | 1967-04-30 | 2 | 43°25'N / 94°41'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Emmet | |
| 48.8 | 2000-07-25 | 2 | 43°38'N / 96°03'W | 43°40'N / 96°00'W | 3.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Nobles |
| Brief Description: A tornado damaged buildings, vehicles, and trees on a farm. The tornado destroyed the west side of the house, blew three grain bins away and wrapped them around trees. The tornado also blew the top of a barn off, killing at least 4 calves inside. | |||||||||||
| 49.9 | 1982-06-06 | 2 | 43°24'N / 95°43'W | 2.00 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Osceola | |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.