🌪️ Tornado Simulator

June Tornadoes

June averages 240 US tornadoes - the third-highest month after May and April. But June's geography is different: the peak shifts north from the Great Plains into the Upper Midwest as summer heating maximizes across northern latitudes.

June Tornado Statistics

• Average tornadoes: ~240/month
• Average deaths: ~15/month
• Peak states: Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota
• Notable outbreaks: Rare - June tends toward isolated supercells rather than large-scale outbreaks

Why June Shifts North

By June, the atmospheric setup that produced spring tornadoes in the Great Plains has shifted:

• Southern jet stream retreats poleward
• Northern states heat up rapidly
• Gulf moisture reaches deeper into the northern US
• Southern Plains become too capped (upper-level warm air) for widespread supercells

The result: tornado activity in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas drops, while activity in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and even Manitoba (Canada) surges.

Notable June Tornado Events

• Parkersburg, IA (June 25, 2008) - EF5, 9 killed. Wait, this was May 25 - Iowa's June events include the Charles City-Oelwein double F5 on June 12, 1968.
• Charles City-Oelwein, IA (June 15, 1968) - two F5 tornadoes in one afternoon in Iowa
• Beecher-Flint, MI (June 8, 1953) - F5, 116 killed. Full story →
• New Richmond, WI (June 12, 1899) - F5-caliber, 117 killed at a circus. Full story →
• Topeka, KS (June 8, 1966) - F5, costliest of its era. Full story →
• Grand Island, NE (June 3, 1980) - Night of the Twisters. Full story →
• Fargo, ND (June 20, 1957) - F5, inspired Fujita's research. Full story →

Storm Chasing in June

June is one of the most productive months for storm chasers. Northern Plains supercells often develop over relatively flat terrain with excellent visibility. Photogenic tornadoes are common. Many chasers plan multi-week June trips to the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Notable chase targets in June:

• Central and eastern Nebraska
• Southern South Dakota
• Southwest Minnesota
• Southern Iowa

Preparing for June

• Continue tornado preparedness practices established in April-May
• Northern residents: pay attention to warnings - your peak season is now
• Southeastern residents: peak has passed for spring but watch for July hurricane-spawned events
• Keep NOAA weather radio active

June's Notable Firsts

• First EF-scale tornado above 45°N latitude - occurred in Manitoba in June
• Ted Fujita's first major research event - the June 20, 1957 Fargo F5
• Grand Island multi-tornado outbreak - June 3, 1980, inspired "Night of the Twisters"

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