Clinton, IA tornado history
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Clinton, IA from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 55th of 139 Iowa cities with a tornado on record. 3 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger by the National Weather Service. The most recent was on May 24, 2024 (EFU, 0.3-mile path); the strongest, on March 13, 1990, was rated F3. The deadliest, on June 20, 1974, killed 1 along its path.
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.
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 Clinton, IA
| Date | Rating | Path length | Deaths / injuries | Started in | Closest to center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2024 | EFU | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 5.7 mi |
| Jul 28, 2023 | EF0 | 1.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA → IL | 2.8 mi |
| Nov 10, 2020 | EF1 | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Whiteside County, IL | 6.6 mi |
| Jul 21, 2017 | EF1 | 3.7 mi | 0 / 0 | Whiteside County, IL | 4.4 mi |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF0 | 4.4 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 5.4 mi |
| Feb 28, 2017 | EF0 | 0.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 8.6 mi |
| May 31, 2016 | EF0 | 0.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 4.9 mi |
| Mar 15, 2016 | EF1 | 3.4 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 5.6 mi |
| Mar 15, 2016 | EF1 | 1.4 mi | 0 / 3 | Clinton County, IA | 3.3 mi |
| Apr 9, 2015 | EF1 | 12.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA → IL | 0.0 mi |
| Aug 4, 2008 | EF0 | 8.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 8.3 mi |
| Sep 12, 2003 | F0 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Whiteside County, IL → IA | 4.2 mi |
| Apr 30, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 2.4 mi |
| Apr 30, 1997 | F0 | 2.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 9.9 mi |
| May 9, 1996 | F1 | 2.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Whiteside County, IL → IA | 4.2 mi |
| May 9, 1996 | F1 | 5.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 2.4 mi |
| Jul 27, 1995 | F2 | 20.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA → IL | 3.8 mi |
| Mar 13, 1990 | F3 | 15.5 mi | 0 / 1 | Rock Island County, IA → IL | 5.5 mi |
| Aug 8, 1988 | F0 | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 2.9 mi |
| May 8, 1988 | F1 | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Rock Island County, IL | 6.4 mi |
| May 8, 1988 | F3 | 32.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Scott County, IA | 1.2 mi |
| Jul 29, 1987 | F1 | 2.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 4.7 mi |
| Aug 5, 1979 | F1 | 1.3 mi | 0 / 1 | Clinton County, IA | 5.6 mi |
| Jun 20, 1974 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Whiteside County, IL | 3.8 mi |
| Jun 20, 1974 | F3 | 10.6 mi | 1 / 20 | Clinton County, IA | 1.8 mi |
| Jan 24, 1967 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 8.7 mi |
| Jan 24, 1967 | F2 | 1.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Clinton County, IA | 6.8 mi |
More: Clinton County tornadoes · Iowa tornado history · Clinton 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 Clinton
The National Weather Service mapped the path of 10 tornadoes within 10 miles of Clinton in damage surveys (7 EF1, 3 EF0). 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.
| Date | Rating | Peak wind | Path length | Max width | Deaths / injuries | On the ground | Surveyed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 2023 | EF0 | 75 mph | 1.4 mi | 20 yd | 0 / 0 | 02:16–02:19 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Jul 28, 2023 | EF0 | 75 mph | 1.4 mi | 20 yd | 0 / 0 | 02:16–02:18 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Nov 10, 2020 | EF1 | 90 mph | 0.3 mi | – | 0 / 0 | 14:38–14:39 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Jul 21, 2017 | EF1 | 105 mph | 3.7 mi | 150 yd | 0 / 0 | 00:19–00:26 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF1 | 110 mph | 4.4 mi | 50 yd | 0 / 0 | 04:40–04:45 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Feb 28, 2017 | EF0 | 70 mph | – | 25 yd | 0 / 0 | 21:53–21:54 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Mar 15, 2016 | EF1 | 95 mph | 3.4 mi | 300 yd | 0 / 0 | 00:56–01:04 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Mar 15, 2016 | EF1 | 90 mph | 1.4 mi | 75 yd | 0 / 3 | 00:49–00:51 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Apr 9, 2015 | EF1 | 90 mph | 8.3 mi | 50 yd | 0 / 0 | 23:02–23:15 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
| Apr 9, 2015 | EF1 | – | 12.4 mi | 75 yd | 0 / 0 | 22:40–23:00 UTC | NWS Quad Cities |
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.