Iowa tornado history

From 1950 through 2025, 3,134 tornadoes touched Iowa, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, the 7th most of the 48 contiguous states and DC. The National Weather Service rated 55 of them F4/EF4 or stronger (6 F5/EF5); along their paths they killed 101 people and injured 2,395. The deadliest, on May 15, 1968, was rated F5 and killed 13 (Franklin County). From 2016 to 2025, Iowa averaged 65 tornadoes a year. SPC has logged 81 preliminary tornado reports in Iowa in 2026 (latest August 19, 2026).

Map of every Iowa tornado path since 1950

All 3,134 paths plus 81 preliminary 2026 reports (gray dots). Zoom in to your county; click a path for its date and rating.

Most recent tornadoes in Iowa

2026 preliminary tornado reports in Iowa

Reports from SPC's daily logs. A tornado often draws several reports; NOAA publishes confirmed tornadoes, paths and ratings with its final data.

Deadliest tornadoes in Iowa

F4, EF4, F5 and EF5 tornadoes in Iowa

The 50 strongest Iowa tornadoes, ranked by rating, deaths and path length: Strongest tornadoes in Iowa history

Longest tornado paths in Iowa

For tornadoes that crossed into another state, the path length, deaths and injuries are for the whole path.

Tornadoes by county

Cities with 5 or more tornadoes within 10 miles

Adel Albia Algona Altoona Ames Anamosa Ankeny Asbury Atlantic Bettendorf Bloomfield Bondurant Boone Burlington Camanche Carlisle Carroll Carter Lake Cedar Falls Cedar Rapids Center Point Centerville Chariton Charles City Cherokee Clarinda Clarion Clear Lake Clinton Clive Coralville Council Bluffs Cresco Creston Davenport DeWitt Decorah Denison Des Moines Dubuque Dyersville Eagle Grove Eldora Eldridge Emmetsburg Estherville Evansdale Fairfax Fairfield Forest City Fort Dodge Fort Madison Garner Glenwood Grimes Grinnell Grundy Center Hampton Harlan Hawarden Hiawatha Hudson Humboldt Huxley Independence Indianola Iowa City Iowa Falls Jefferson Jesup Johnston Kalona Keokuk Knoxville Le Claire Le Mars Madrid Manchester Maquoketa Marion Marshalltown Mason City Milford Missouri Valley Mitchellville Monticello Mount Pleasant Mount Vernon Muscatine Nevada New Hampton Newton North Liberty Norwalk Oelwein Onawa Orange City Osage Osceola Oskaloosa Ottumwa Pella Perry Pleasant Hill Polk City Red Oak Robins Rock Rapids Rock Valley Sergeant Bluff Sheldon Shenandoah Sibley Sioux Center Sioux City Solon Spencer Spirit Lake Storm Lake Story City Tama Tiffin Tipton Urbandale Vinton Washington Waterloo Waukee Waukon Waverly Webster City West Branch West Burlington West Des Moines West Liberty Williamsburg Wilton Windsor Heights Winterset

Tornadoes in Iowa by year

More for Iowa: strongest tornadoes · damaging wind history · hail history · all states

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) tornado file, 1950–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Ratings are the ones the National Weather Service assigned: Fujita (F) scale before Feb 1, 2007, Enhanced Fujita (EF) after. Paths are drawn as straight lines from the start to the end point SPC records; real paths curve. City and county boundaries: US Census Bureau.