National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Tornadoes in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest & central Wisconsin

Background Information
 
Statistics (1850-Present)
 
Records (1850-Present)
 

Winona County (MN) Tornadoes*
1850-2020
Date Time Location Other 
Counties 
Affected
Length
(miles)
Width
(yards)
Deaths** Injuries** EF-Scale
Month Day Year
6 28 2020 1954-1956 CST Stockton 2NE None     0 0 EF0
 
Brief, weak touchdown in rural area. No damage reported.
6 28 2020 1937-1942 CST Lewiston/Stockton None 0.7 25 0 0 EF0
 
Brief, weak touchdown in rural area. No damage reported.
9 11 2019 522-523 CST Winona 1.2SSW to Winona 1SSW None 0.17 80 0 0 EF1
 
A short-lived tornado moved through Woodlawn Cemetery in Winona. The tornado caused extensive damage to trees and gravestones. The roof of a shed was also damaged. This tornado caused $180,000 in property damage.
7 18 2019 2133-2134 CST Ridgeway 3.2ENE to Pickwick 3.1SSW None 0.27 20 0 0 EF0
 
A brief tornado occurred east of Witoka. The tornado touched down on a ridge top and damaged a house and some trees before dissipating before crossing County Road 7. This tornado caused $15,000 in property damage. More on this tornado can be found at: http://www.weather.gov/arx/jul1819
9 4 2018 2005-2012 CST Hart 3.7SW to Hart 2.1NNW Fillmore, MN 5.14 50 0 0 EF1
 
A NWS Storm Survey found that an EF-1 tornado that started in Fillmore County, entered Winona County southwest of Hart near County Highway 25. The tornado then traveled northeast across rural areas before ending along State Highway 43 between Hart and Interstate 90. The tornado had an intermittent damage path with only some minor damage to one home and some trees. This tornado caused $7,000 in property damage.
7 8 1999 1820-1830 CST Lewiston 1.5NW to Lewiston 2SE None 3.5 100 0 2 F2
  This tornado touched down just northwest of Lewiston, then moved into the middle of town and intensified. Numerous homes along Main Street had extensive damage with broken windows, damaged roofs, and downed trees. One home had the entire roof taken off, while at least 4 cars were demolished from debris landing on them. A farm on the southeast corner of the town had every building destroyed, except the house. Only two injuries were reported.
6 5 1997 1607-1612 CST Utica 1NW to Utica 1NE None 2 80 0 0 F0
  Reported by spotters in open fields.
7 27 1993 1544 CST Altura 4N None 0.1 16 0 0 F0
  There was a brief touchdown in a cornfield and cut a swath 1/8 mile by 50 feet wide near a farm home. The tornado ripped shingles and a large door from a building.
7 11 1987 1810 CST Rollingstone 2.5SE None 0.1 5 0 0 F0
  A brief touch down was reported in Hillsdale Township.
7 10 1984 1342 CST Lewiston 1.5W None 0.8 15 0 0 F0
  Touched down in a cornfield.
5 17 1982 1632-1715 CST Chatfield (MN) to Buffalo City Buffalo
Olmsted
Wabasha
29 800 0 3 F2
  This tornado originally touched down near Chatfield (Olmsted Co.) and moved northeast through sections of Winona (½ mile southwest of Nodine) and Wabasha Counties in southeast Minnesota before crossing into western Wisconsin. Eleven barns were destroyed, 12 homes were damaged, and three people were injured from flying glass. All 3 people injured were in Buffalo County.
5 17 1982 1632 CST ? None ? ? 0 0 F2
6 5 1980 1952 CST Lewiston 2SE None 4.5 100 0 0 F2
  All barns and outbuildings were destroyed on a farm. Witnesses reported three funnels that traveled a wide area.
6 20 1968 2310 CST ? None ? ? 0 0 F0
6 15 1967 0220 CST ? None ? ? 0 0 F1
5 5 1965 2000-2020 CST Money Creek 1NW to Mindoro 1W Houston
La Crosse
30 150 0 1 F3
  Moved east-northeast from northwest of Money Creek, crossing the Mississippi River near Dakota, MN, and passing between Mindoro and Stevenson, WI. Several barns and a brick schoolhouse were destroyed. A dozen Wisconsin farms lost buildings and 1 person (La Crosse County) was injured when a car was thrown 75 feet. 
5 5 1965 1900 CST Fremont 4S None ?? 100 0 0 F2
  Two farms were torn apart.
5 10 1953 1810-1820 CST St. Charles 2NW Olmsted 18 400 1 11 F4
  This tornado moved northeast and passed about 2 miles northwest of St.Charles (Winona Co.). Farms were torn up all along the track. An infant was killed (Olmsted County) and 4 other people were injured in a car that was thrown 100 feet, about 1.5 miles west of St.Charles. Four more injuries occurred in a barn, and three more in another car. Hundreds of trees were snapped at Whitewater State Park. Overall this tornado killed one person (Olmsted County) and injured 11 people (6 in Olmsted and 5 in Winona).
7 27 1935 1715 CST Chatfield 2S to Lewiston 3N Fillmore
Olmsted
20 ?? 0 8 F2
  This tornado moved northeast, accompanied by a five-mile-wide downburst. Every home was damaged at Utica (Winona Co.) and barns were swept away on at least 4 farms. Wind-related damage totaled $350,000, with flooding also causing damage.
8 8 1905 1900 CST Lanesboro 7NW Fillmore 12 ?? 1 4 F2
  Moved east-northeast, damaging or destroying 6 homes in Pilot Mound Township in Fillmore County. This tornado tracked into Winona County before dissipating.
10 3 1903 1350 CST Chatfield 3W to Independence (WI) Buffalo
Olmsted
Trempealeau
55 300 9 45 F4
  This tornado moved northeast from west of Chatfield (Olmsted County), passing through and devastating St.Charles (Winona County). Seven people were killed and 30 injured as 50 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. Homes were also swept away in Wisconsin, where two people died in Independence (Trempealeau Co.) and half of the town was torn apart. Damage for both states totaled $400,000.
6 17 1899 1700 CST 2NW Lewiston (MN) to Waumandee Valley in Wisconsin Buffalo (WI) 15 100 0 5 F3
  Moved north northeast from 2 miles northwest of Lewiston, crossing the Mississippi River 6 miles northwest of Winona, and cutting a path through the Waumandee Valley in Wisconsin.  There was little damage in Minnesota, but homes and barns were swept away in Wisconsin, and all injuries occurred there.  Over 50 hogs were killed on Wisconsin farms.
9 21 1894 2300 CST Homer (MN) to Marshland (WI) Trempealeau 5 ? 0 3 F2
  This tornado moved to the northeast from Homer, Minnesota to Marshland, Wisconsin.  The new town hall was destroyed at Homer as were two homes, a dry goods store, and three barns.  Another barn was destroyed near Marshland.
8 21 1883 2030 CST St Charles 2N to Lewiston 4N None 12 ? 1 19 F3
  This tornado moved east northeast from 2 miles north of St. Charles to 4 miles north of Lewiston.  One man was killed in the destruction of a farmhouse 4 miles northeast of St. Charles.  Seventeen people were injured in another farmhouse.  This was 3 hours after the Rochester Tornado which was a large factor in the subsequent development of the Mayo Clinic there. 
* The data in this table came from Storm Data and Significant Tornadoes--1680-1991 by Thomas P. Grazulis.
 ** Injuries and Deaths are for the entire tornado track.


Last Updated Saturday, Juky 18, 2020 - Jeff Boyne