National Storms

Iowa damaging wind history

From 2016 to 2025, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center logged 4,581 damaging thunderstorm wind reports in Iowa, 4,486 of them 58 mph or more and 627 of 75 mph or more (measured or estimated), on 398 storm days. The day with the most reports since 1955 was December 15, 2021 (186 reports in Iowa). The highest wind on record is 145 mph, on August 10, 2020. 2026 so far: 476 preliminary reports.

4,581wind reports 2016–2025
4,48658 mph or more
62775 mph or more
145 mphhighest on record
4762026 preliminary reports

Iowa's biggest wind day since 2016: December 15, 2021

75 mph or more58–74 mphbelow 58 mph or no speed given

186 damaging wind reports in Iowa, 62 of 75 mph or more. All storm reports that day →

1990: 1891991: 2261992: 1481993: 3111994: 2461995: 1621996: 1271997: 2271998: 5291999: 2402000: 4142001: 4572002: 3822003: 3262004: 4862005: 4002006: 4082007: 5852008: 8452009: 5452010: 6212011: 5822012: 4692013: 4382014: 6062015: 3422016: 4122017: 6332018: 4732019: 4142020: 4292021: 3812022: 3222023: 2942024: 6592025: 564199019931996199920022005200820112014201720202023max 845
Damaging wind reports per year in Iowa, 1990–2025

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

Days with the most damaging wind reports in Iowa

Storm dayWind reports75 mph+Highest
December 15, 202118662100 mph
May 17, 20171521389 mph
August 10, 202014059145 mph
June 16, 201413312105 mph
June 23, 20091261586 mph
May 21, 202412537100 mph
June 30, 201412227105 mph
March 6, 2017118890 mph
May 15, 19981093691 mph
July 20, 200810328100 mph
July 10, 201110230120 mph
May 19, 2013981881 mph
June 18, 2010981281 mph
August 31, 201495682 mph
June 20, 19979339100 mph

Highest wind speeds reported in Iowa

Storm dayWind reports75 mph+Highest
August 10, 202014059145 mph
August 19, 200941125 mph
June 29, 19987841123 mph
July 10, 201110230120 mph
March 31, 2023294119 mph
June 18, 19987014115 mph
June 28, 196031115 mph
July 13, 1992133110 mph
June 3, 20143919109 mph
June 23, 2000201109 mph

Iowa damaging wind reports by year

YearDamaging wind reports58 mph+75 mph+HighestDays with reports
2026*47623328107 mph48
2025564562114100 mph49
2024659652107107 mph47
202329429143119 mph30
20223223153590 mph42
202138136880100 mph30
202042941488145 mph28
201941440053100 mph40
20184734604090 mph46
20176336204190 mph42
201641240426107 mph44
20153423407496 mph33
201460657493109 mph36
20134384384790 mph38
20124694673297 mph38
201158258267120 mph43
201062162187105 mph45
200954554578125 mph30
2008845843109100 mph47
200758558356100 mph43
20064084083098 mph41
200540040023104 mph37
200448648645106 mph45
20033263262392 mph34
200238238136100 mph35
20014574507298 mph40
200041436132109 mph42
199924020727108 mph33
1998529493135123 mph36
199722722152100 mph31
199612712723104 mph30
19951621281894 mph35
19942461294698 mph37
19933112256696 mph39
199214814623110 mph28
199122618725100 mph38
199018918719105 mph34
19892162122498 mph31
198899971192 mph24
1987120981090 mph37
1986211181579 mph29
198512725796 mph29
1984148477104 mph24
198314335392 mph31
19828430778 mph28
19818637181 mph24
1980143849105 mph34
1979100411190 mph29
19787335792 mph22
19774015481 mph22
197641153100 mph12
197513313281 mph27
197419020590 mph29
1973108241078 mph32
1972136071 mph9
19719913279 mph19
197010521394 mph24
19699026590 mph24
19687315281 mph29
19674015176 mph19
1966338186 mph16
19655211181 mph22
196456259104 mph23
1963248386 mph14
19623517792 mph15
196126134100 mph17
19602854115 mph19
1959254392 mph15
1958186581 mph13
1957215383 mph13
19562786106 mph20
1955102185 mph9

* 2026: preliminary SPC reports; many have no wind speed yet.

More for Iowa: tornado history and paths · hail history · all states · derechos

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) damaging-wind reports, 1955–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Wind speeds are measured or estimated by spotters, the public and NWS staff; SPC records them in knots and we show mph. 58 mph is the National Weather Service's severe-thunderstorm wind threshold.

Guide: Hail vs wind damage