Iowa tornadoes
Every recorded tornado since 1950 · 99 counties with a record
Iowa has recorded 3,099 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 58 a year since 2000, with 175 rated F3/EF3 or stronger (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). The deadliest was the May 15, 1968 Charles City tornado (13 deaths in Iowa). Iowa ranks 7th of 52 states and territories by count and 7th of 51 per square mile.
Tornadoes in Iowa, 1950 to 2025
Tornadoes per year (SPC; a tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1996: tornado reports rose with NEXRAD Doppler radar, mid-1990s (SPC)
- Tornadoes
- 3,0991950 to 2025
- A year since 2000
- 58average
- Deaths
- 982,338 injuries
- F3/EF3 or stronger
- 1756% of tornadoes
- Busiest year
- 2024126 tornadoes
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025 (state segments). SPC severe weather database.
Are tornadoes common in Iowa?
Iowa averages about 58 tornadoes a year since 2000, 7th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2024 (126). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Iowa records 555 tornadoes since 1950, 7th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA SPC, tornadoes 1950-2025, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Iowa have the most tornadoes?
Per square mile, Polk County leads Iowa: 53 days with a tornado record since 1950, 92.5 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Polk County has the most tornado records (68 since 1950); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1950 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is tornado season in Iowa?
49% of its tornadoes since 1950 fell in May and June. The busiest month is June (783 tornadoes).
The values, month by month
Jan 15 · Feb 2 · Mar 166 · Apr 402 · May 743 · Jun 783 · Jul 388 · Aug 268 · Sep 126 · Oct 71 · Nov 62 · Dec 73 (records).
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments by the month they began, 1950-2025.
What were the deadliest tornadoes in Iowa?
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-05-15 | Charles City · Franklin, Butler, Floyd, Chickasaw | F5 | 62.1 mi | 13 | 462 |
| 2008-05-25 | Parkersburg · Grundy, Butler, Black Hawk | EF5 | 40.97 mi | 9 | 70 |
| 1966-10-14 | Belmond · Wright | F5 | 9.7 mi | 6 | 172 |
| 1978-09-16 | Melbourne to Oakland Acres · Marshall, Jasper, Poweshiek | F3 | 31.8 mi | 6 | 45 |
| 2022-03-05 | Des Moines · Madison, Warren, Polk, Jasper | EF4 | 70.57 mi | 6 | 5 |
| 1968-05-15 | Maynard · Fayette | F5 | 13.1 mi | 5 | 156 |
| 2024-05-21 | Nodaway to Greenfield · Taylor, Adams, Adair | EF4 | 40.65 mi | 5 | 35 |
| 2008-06-11 | Little Sioux to Moorhead · Harrison, Monona | EF3 | 12.96 mi | 4 | 48 |
| 1979-06-28 | Manson · Pocahontas, Calhoun | F4 | 14.9 mi | 3 | 26 |
| 1984-06-07 | Eddyville · Decatur, Wayne, Lucas, MonroeWhole track: IA, MO; 3 deaths | F4 | 124 mi | 2 | 63 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (state segments: deaths and path inside Iowa), 1950-2025; counties are the first four the SPC lists for the segment. SPC severe weather database.
Where have the strongest tornadoes tracked in Iowa?
- F2/EF2
- F3/EF3
- F4/EF4
- F5/EF5
- no end point filed
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, start and end points of each track; county lines: Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (2017), via us-atlas. SPC severe weather database. Census cartographic boundary files.
The strongest tornadoes in Iowa
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-05-15 | Charles City · Franklin, Butler, Floyd, Chickasaw | F5 | 62.1 mi | 600 yd | 13 |
| 2008-05-25 | Parkersburg · Grundy, Butler, Black Hawk | EF5 | 40.97 mi | 2,100 yd | 9 |
| 1966-10-14 | Belmond · Wright | F5 | 9.7 mi | 1,000 yd | 6 |
| 1968-05-15 | Maynard · Fayette | F5 | 13.1 mi | 500 yd | 5 |
| 1953-06-27 | Adair · Adair | F5 | 0.1 mi | 100 yd | 1 |
| 1976-06-13 | Jordan · Boone, Story | F5 | 21.3 mi | 880 yd | 0 |
| 2022-03-05 | Des Moines · Madison, Warren, Polk, Jasper | EF4 | 70.57 mi | 900 yd | 6 |
| 2024-05-21 | Nodaway to Greenfield · Taylor, Adams, Adair | EF4 | 40.65 mi | 1,600 yd | 5 |
| 1979-06-28 | Manson · Pocahontas, Calhoun | F4 | 14.9 mi | 33 yd | 3 |
| 1984-06-07 | Eddyville · Decatur, Wayne, Lucas, Monroe | F4 | 124 mi | 250 yd | 2 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database; F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after.
The longest tornado paths in Iowa
| Date | Tornado and counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-06-07 | Eddyville · Decatur, Wayne, Lucas, Monroe | F4 | 124 mi | 250 yd | 2 |
| 1953-05-20 | Iowa Falls to Charles · Story, Hardin, Butler, Chickasaw | F3 | 116.1 mi | 400 yd | 1 |
| 1953-06-07 | Des Moines · Madison, Warren, Polk, Jasper | F2 | 116 mi | 200 yd | 0 |
| 1981-04-03 | Washington, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott | F0 | 103.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 |
| 1965-04-11 | Maquoketa · Cedar, Clinton, Jackson | F4 | 91.5 mi | 200 yd | 1 |
| 1961-04-23 | Marshalltown · Marshall, Tama, Benton, Linn | F3 | 87.7 mi | 800 yd | 1 |
| 1954-04-30 | New London to Wilton · Lee, Des Moines, Louisa, Muscatine | F2 | 85.2 mi | 200 yd | 0 |
| 1954-04-30 | Palo to Harpers Ferry · Linn, Delaware, Clayton, Allamakee | F4 | 80.4 mi | 200 yd | 0 |
| 1988-05-08 | Bloomfield to Fairfield · Davis, Wapello, Jefferson, Washington | F2 | 71 mi | 60 yd | 0 |
| 2022-03-05 | Des Moines · Madison, Warren, Polk, Jasper | EF4 | 70.57 mi | 900 yd | 6 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments: path length and width inside the state. SPC severe weather database.
Tornadoes in every Iowa county
All 99 counties: tornadoes whose track touched each, and the strongest
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database: whole tornadoes whose track touched the county (any state segment listing it). SPC severe weather database.
Is Iowa in Tornado Alley?
Tornado Alley has no official boundary; the Storm Prediction Center calls it a media nickname for the central U.S. area of relatively high tornado occurrence. By the record, Iowa ranks 8th of 50 states for tornadoes rated 1 or higher per square mile since 1950 (294 per 10,000 square miles).
Tornado Alley, measured: the states by density and maps of where tornadoes began in two eras.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database and Online Tornado FAQ. SPC's tornado FAQ.
The costliest tornadoes in Iowa
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-07-19 | TornadoMarietta, Marshall County This tornado developed northwest of Marshalltown west of the little hamlet of Marietta. The tornado traveled southeast on the western side of the Iowa River producing extensive crop and tree damage. The tornado strengthened quickly and took on a wedge appearance as it entered northwest Marshalltown. The tornado ... | EF3 8.41 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 23 | $235M |
| 2018-07-19 | TornadoPella, Marion County Tornado developed about 3 miles north of Pella and moved southeast for its entire length. The tornado initially remained in rural areas just north and northeast of the town producing crop, tree and minor structural damage to houses. The tornado began to intensify just northeast of town and shifted a house off of its ... | EF3 5.11 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 13 | $141M |
| 2008-05-25 | TornadoAplington, Butler County First EF5 tornado in Iowa since 13 June 1976. Nine deaths and 50 injuries occurred in Butler County. Tornado moved out of Butler County and continued in Black Hawk County. | EF5 15.64 mi x 1,235 yd | 9 | 50 | $103M |
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoAvon, Polk County This tornado passed from Warren county into Polk county near the intersection of Highway 69 and County Line Road. The tornado crossed E Pine Avenue removing the roof of a house and then clipped the north edge of Avon producing EF2 damage to a couple of houses. The tornado then crossed the Des Moines River and impacted ... | EF2 13.62 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $76M |
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoVandalia, Jasper County The tornado moved into Jasper county from Polk county. The tornado remained largely in rural areas for much of its path across Jasper county. Despite its rural venture, the tornado impacted several residences in western Jasper county producing several areas of EF2 damage. The tornado did pass not far from the ... | EF2 19.29 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $50M |
| 2008-05-25 | TornadoBenson, Black Hawk County Tornado moved in from Butler County and became very broad as it headed toward Fairbank. Tornado lifted on the Buchanan County border. | EF2 24.24 mi x 2,100 yd | 0 | 20 | $34M |
| 2024-05-21 | TornadoFisk, Adair County This large and violent tornado entered into south central Adair County from Adams County. The tornado remained a multi-vortex circulation as it moved into the county producing high end damage for much of its remaining path. The tornado encountered several houses in the vicinity of Fontanelle Road and 320th Street. ... | EF4 15.74 mi x 1,100 yd | 4 | 35 | $28M |
| 2007-06-01 | TornadoFruitland, Muscatine County A tornado entered into Muscatine County from Louisa County just south of Fruitland, IA. It progressed to the northeast through the center of Fruitland destroying the post office and city hall building, numerous homes, and overturning some railroad cars. The tornado weakened as it approached the southwest portions of ... | EF3 10.19 mi x 774 yd | 0 | 6 | $21M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250M, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 28, 1986 (tornado, Woodbury County); July 28, 1986 (tornado, Monona County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are tornadoes becoming more frequent in Iowa?
Iowa's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. The Storm Prediction Center notes that tornado reports rose especially around the installation of the NEXRAD Doppler radar network in the mid-1990s, so a rising count is partly better detection; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Iowa | United States | Iowa's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 126 | 4,837 | 2.6% |
| 1960s | 312 | 6,863 | 4.5% |
| 1970s | 304 | 8,633 | 3.5% |
| 1980s | 379 | 8,250 | 4.6% |
| 1990s | 474 | 12,205 | 3.9% |
| 2000s | 585 | 12,892 | 4.5% |
| 2010s | 500 | 12,232 | 4.1% |
| 2020-25 | 419 | 8,234 | 5.1% |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments.
The most recent tornadoes in Iowa
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-17 | TornadoElon, Allamakee County | EF2 14.52 mi x 320 yd | 0 | 0 | $678K |
| 2026-06-17 | TornadoPekin, Jefferson County | EF1 1.98 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | TornadoKeokuk, Lee County | EF1 0.28 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoVillisca, Page County | EF1 1.87 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoStanton, Montgomery County | EF1 5.16 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoNyman, Page County | EF1 7.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoTabor, Mills County | EF0 1.65 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoMc Paul, Fremont County | EF1 1.54 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoHaskins, Washington County | EFU 0.05 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-22 | TornadoOto, Woodbury County | EFU 0.58 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | TornadoBattle Creek, Ida County | EF0 0.45 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | TornadoSulphur Spgs, Buena Vista County | EFU 2.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for tornadoes in Iowa
FEMA has declared 26 disasters in Iowa for tornadoes, counting its incident type and declarations that name tornado in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 25 were major disasters, the latest on June 24, 2024.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-24 | DR-4796 | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes | 29 |
| 2024-05-24 | DR-4784 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 29 |
| 2024-05-14 | DR-4779 | Severe Storms and Tornadoes | 9 |
| 2022-02-23 | DR-4642 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes | 25 |
| 2018-09-12 | DR-4392 | Severe Storm and Tornadoes | 4 |
| 2018-08-20 | DR-4386 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 31 |
| 2017-08-27 | DR-4334 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 9 |
| 2015-07-31 | DR-4234 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 19 |
| 2014-08-05 | DR-4187 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 24 |
| 2014-07-24 | DR-4184 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 27 |
| 2014-07-14 | DR-4181 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | 9 |
| 2013-07-31 | DR-4135 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | 12 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Polk County: the county's whole recordThe Iowa county with the most tornadoes per square mile
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- Every natural hazard in IowaTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
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