SPC Stats
Path length: 7.8 miles
Width: 647 yards
Fatalities: 1
Injuries: 0
Rating: F4
County: Yankton, Turner
In the Storm Prediction Center Database, there are ten tornadoes listed for June 7, 1965. 9 of those were in South Dakota. 4 occurred in parts of Turner County. 3 were rated F2 and 1 was rated F4.
The Storm Data entry for the date states that approximately 20 funnel clouds were reported in this area and 8 “touched down”. There is a chance that more than 9 South Dakota tornadoes developed on this day but knowing where they began and ended can’t be determined.
A farmer near Viborg was hit by debris and died 2 days after this event.
Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes has a slightly longer path for this tornado at 15 miles. He notes 18 farms were damaged or destroyed. The tornado passed over Swan Lake. Six cottages on a knoll were swept into the lake.
Tornado Path

Click Map To Enlarge
SPC coordinates: Start: 43.17 / -97.23 End: 43.23 / -97.07
Note: Exact tornado path may not be straight and/or continuous.
Newspaper Clippings
Discrepancies:
We gathered information for this event from the SPC & NCDC Databases, the June 1965 Storm Data Publication and Thomas Grazulis in Significant Tornadoes and found the following differences:
Path Length:
- SPC/NCDC have a 7.8 mile path length. NCDC has that length all in Turner County.
- Grazulis has a path length of 15 miles.
- Storm Data lists no path length.
Max Width:
- SPC/NCDC have a width of 647 yards.
- Grazulis lists a width of 500 yards.
Sources:
June 1965 Storm Data Publication
Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Page 1077.
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