National Storms

Ames, IA tornado history

46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Ames, IA from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 6th of 139 Iowa cities with a tornado on record. 5 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger by the National Weather Service. The most recent was on July 18, 2025 (EFU, 4.5-mile path); the strongest, on June 13, 1976, was rated F5. The deadliest, on May 20, 1953, killed 1 along its path. SPC also logged 1 preliminary tornado report within 10 miles of the center of Ames, IA in 2026.

46tornadoes since 1950
92016–2025
F5/EF5strongest rating
1deaths
29injuries
Jul 18, 2025most recent
Rating: 012345 unknown or preliminaryLines run from the start to the end point of each path; dots mark where each tornado touched down.

Dashed circle: 10 miles from the city's Census center point. A tornado counts when its recorded path passes inside the circle. Paths run straight from start to end point, as SPC records them.

1950s: 41960s: 41970s: 101980s: 11990s: 82000s: 72010s: 72020s: 51950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020smax 10
Tornadoes within 10 miles of the center of Ames, IA, by decade

Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.

Every tornado within 10 miles of the center of Ames, IA

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted inClosest to center
Apr 23, 2026Prelim. report––Story County, IA9.6 mi
Jul 18, 2025EFU4.5 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA6.1 mi
May 23, 2024EF010.7 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA8.2 mi
May 21, 2024EF240.8 mi0 / 4Polk County, IA9.6 mi
Apr 23, 2022EFU3.9 mi0 / 0Polk County, IA9.9 mi
Apr 23, 2022EF19.1 mi0 / 0Polk County, IA6.5 mi
May 29, 2018EF00.3 mi0 / 0Story County, IA4.0 mi
Aug 21, 2017EF01.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA6.1 mi
Aug 21, 2017EF03.3 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA7.4 mi
Mar 6, 2017EF017.9 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA5.5 mi
Jun 6, 2015EF10.9 mi0 / 0Story County, IA1.8 mi
May 11, 2014EF01.7 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA7.5 mi
Jun 8, 2010EF00.4 mi0 / 0Story County, IA8.9 mi
Jun 21, 2007EF00.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA5.6 mi
Nov 12, 2005F01.6 mi0 / 0Story County, IA9.9 mi
Nov 12, 2005F212.0 mi0 / 1Boone County, IA3.1 mi
Nov 12, 2005F00.2 mi0 / 0Story County, IA0.3 mi
Nov 12, 2005F16.0 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA8.2 mi
Sep 8, 2005F10.7 mi0 / 8Story County, IA0.3 mi
May 10, 2001F00.3 mi0 / 0Story County, IA8.4 mi
Jun 6, 1999F10.7 mi0 / 0Story County, IA8.7 mi
May 16, 1999F00.2 mi0 / 0Story County, IA0.3 mi
Apr 8, 1999F12.0 mi0 / 2Story County, IA8.8 mi
May 30, 1998F122.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA6.5 mi
Jun 5, 1995F05.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA6.9 mi
Apr 25, 1994F11.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA0.3 mi
Mar 22, 1991F00.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA6.1 mi
Mar 22, 1991F343.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA4.7 mi
Jun 22, 1984F00.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA0.3 mi
Aug 28, 1979F01.3 mi0 / 0Story County, IA8.9 mi
Jun 13, 1976F21.3 mi0 / 0Story County, IA6.6 mi
Jun 13, 1976F30.1 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA5.5 mi
Jun 13, 1976F24.5 mi0 / 0Boone County, IA8.2 mi
Jun 13, 1976F521.3 mi0 / 9Boone County, IA5.8 mi
Jun 18, 1974F22.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA6.1 mi
Jul 1, 1973F10.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA3.2 mi
May 7, 1973F00.5 mi0 / 0Story County, IA8.8 mi
May 12, 1970F10.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA8.8 mi
May 10, 1970F00.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA1.2 mi
Jun 29, 1969F10.1 mi0 / 0Story County, IA3.2 mi
Jun 8, 1967F214.4 mi0 / 0Story County, IA2.1 mi
Jun 7, 1967F21.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA1.6 mi
Sep 16, 1965F20.5 mi0 / 0Story County, IA6.6 mi
Jun 27, 1959F02.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA10.0 mi
May 30, 1959F217.0 mi0 / 0Story County, IA9.9 mi
May 20, 1953F3116.1 mi1 / 0Story County, IA9.4 mi
Jun 15, 1950F35.6 mi0 / 5Story County, IA3.4 mi

More: Story County tornadoes · Iowa tornado history · Ames hail history · Iowa damaging wind

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.

NWS Damage Survey Paths Near Ames

The National Weather Service mapped the path of 10 tornadoes within 10 miles of Ames in damage surveys (1 EF2, 2 EF1, 6 EF0, 1 EFU). On the map, those paths follow the survey, colored by the EF rating of each stretch, instead of a straight line from start to end.

DateRatingPeak windPath lengthMax widthDeaths / injuriesOn the groundSurveyed by
May 23, 2024EF085 mph10.9 mi180 yd0 / 009:42–09:54 UTCNWS Des Moines
May 21, 2024EF2135 mph41.2 mi1,000 yd0 / 421:30–22:05 UTCNWS Des Moines
Apr 23, 2022EFU–3.9 mi60 yd0 / 023:23–23:28 UTCNWS Des Moines
Apr 23, 2022EF1–9.1 mi80 yd0 / 023:21–23:32 UTCNWS Des Moines
May 29, 2018EF075 mph0.3 mi30 yd0 / 020:58–21:01 UTCNWS Des Moines
Aug 21, 2017EF070 mph1.1 mi10 yd0 / 022:58–22:59 UTCNWS Des Moines
Mar 6, 2017EF084 mph18.1 mi85 yd0 / 000:27–00:44 UTCNWS Des Moines
Jul 16, 2015EF0–1.2 mi20 yd0 / 022:10–22:19 UTCNWS Des Moines
Jun 6, 2015EF1105 mph1.0 mi35 yd0 / 006:41–06:43 UTCNWS Des Moines
May 11, 2014EF085 mph1.7 mi100 yd0 / 003:44–03:46 UTCNWS Des Moines

Source: NOAA National Weather Service Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT): the tornado paths and EF-rating zones NWS survey teams mapped after each storm. Survey data are preliminary and can be revised; NOAA's official record is Storm Data (NCEI). Paths are simplified to about 30 m. Times are when the tornado was on the ground, in UTC.