3,475
Recorded events
99
Counties affected
99
Direct deaths
$2.9B
Property damage
Iowa tornado history: 3,475 recorded events across 99 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Iowa tornado history by decade
The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 633 reported tornado events across Iowa. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most tornado events in Iowa
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Polk County | 68 | 2 | $131.8M | 1958–2024 |
| #2 | Scott County | 67 | 0 | $36.2M | 1954–2025 |
| #3 | Webster County | 65 | 0 | $4.7M | 1953–2024 |
| #4 | Story County | 64 | 1 | $37.2M | 1950–2025 |
| #5 | Linn County | 64 | 0 | $32.6M | 1953–2025 |
| #6 | Dallas County | 58 | 0 | $4.5M | 1955–2024 |
| #7 | Pottawattamie County | 57 | 1 | $85.1M | 1970–2024 |
| #8 | Woodbury County | 57 | 2 | $258.3M | 1953–2022 |
| #9 | Hamilton County | 56 | 1 | $41.5M | 1963–2024 |
| #10 | Boone County | 53 | 0 | $30.8M | 1953–2025 |
| #11 | Clinton County | 52 | 1 | $38.3M | 1965–2026 |
| #12 | Plymouth County | 52 | 0 | $14.4M | 1951–2024 |
| #13 | Buchanan County | 50 | 0 | $7.4M | 1950–2026 |
| #14 | Hardin County | 49 | 0 | $34.5M | 1953–2022 |
| #15 | Warren County | 48 | 0 | $24.3M | 1953–2024 |
| #16 | Tama County | 48 | 1 | $33.7M | 1953–2022 |
| #17 | Sioux County | 47 | 0 | $12.6M | 1963–2024 |
| #18 | Marion County | 47 | 0 | $122.8M | 1962–2024 |
| #19 | Johnson County | 46 | 1 | $30.0M | 1962–2026 |
| #20 | Benton County | 46 | 1 | $4.0M | 1965–2025 |
| #21 | Jones County | 46 | 0 | $35.5M | 1953–2026 |
| #22 | Pocahontas County | 45 | 0 | $24.0M | 1953–2024 |
| #23 | Cedar County | 45 | 1 | $8.8M | 1957–2025 |
| #24 | Jasper County | 45 | 2 | $56.6M | 1965–2024 |
| #25 | Howard County | 44 | 0 | $7.4M | 1953–2026 |
Significant events
Deadliest tornado events in Iowa
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1968 | Floyd County | F5 | 13 | 450 |
| May 25, 2008 | Butler County | EF5 | 9 | 50 |
| Oct 14, 1966 | Wright County | F5 | 6 | 172 |
| Mar 5, 2022 | Madison County | EF4 | 6 | 5 |
| May 15, 1968 | Fayette County | F5 | 5 | 156 |
| May 21, 2024 | Adair County | EF4 | 4 | 35 |
| Sep 17, 1978 | Poweshiek County | F3 | 4 | 43 |
| Jun 11, 2008 | Monona County | EF3 | 4 | 48 |
| Jun 29, 1979 | Calhoun County | F4 | 3 | 26 |
| Apr 11, 2001 | Wapello County | F2 | 2 | 3 |