Tornadoes in Iowa
The Storm Prediction Center records 3,135 tornadoes that touched Iowa between 1950 and 2025, and 3,079 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 101 people and injured 2,402. The busiest month is June, with 797 tornadoes. Iowa ranks number 7 among states for the number of tornadoes recorded.
- 3,135tornadoes
- 101deaths
- 2,402injuries
- 561per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 99counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Iowa's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 1,323 | 42% |
| F1 / EF1 | 981 | 31% |
| F2 / EF2 | 505 | 16% |
| F3 / EF3 | 125 | 4% |
| F4 / EF4 | 49 | 2% |
| F5 / EF5 | 6 | <1% |
| Unknown rating | 146 | 5% |
Iowa tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 130 |
| 1960s | 323 |
| 1970s | 308 |
| 1980s | 382 |
| 1990s | 481 |
| 2000s | 591 |
| 2010s | 501 |
| 2020s | 419 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Iowa was 2024, with 126.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 15 |
| Feb | 3 |
| Mar | 166 |
| Apr | 407 |
| May | 751 |
| Jun | 797 |
| Jul | 392 |
| Aug | 270 |
| Sep | 127 |
| Oct | 71 |
| Nov | 63 |
| Dec | 73 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Iowa
- Hansell, Iowa tornado15 May 1968, F5, 13 deaths, 462 injuries, 62.1 miles long
- Cedar Falls, Iowa tornado25 May 2008, EF5, 9 deaths, 70 injuries, 41 miles long
- Belmond, Iowa tornado14 October 1966, F5, 6 deaths, 172 injuries, 9.7 miles long
- Newton, Iowa tornado5 March 2022, EF4, 6 deaths, 5 injuries, 70.6 miles long
- Rhodes, Iowa tornado16 September 1978, F3, 6 deaths, 45 injuries, 31.8 miles long
- Oelwein, Iowa tornado15 May 1968, F5, 5 deaths, 156 injuries, 13.1 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Iowa
- Hansell, Iowa tornado15 May 1968, F5, 13 deaths, 462 injuries, 62.1 miles long
- Cedar Falls, Iowa tornado25 May 2008, EF5, 9 deaths, 70 injuries, 41 miles long
- Belmond, Iowa tornado14 October 1966, F5, 6 deaths, 172 injuries, 9.7 miles long
- Oelwein, Iowa tornado15 May 1968, F5, 5 deaths, 156 injuries, 13.1 miles long
- Anita, Iowa tornado27 June 1953, F5, 1 death, 2 injuries, 0.1 miles long
- Ames, Iowa tornado13 June 1976, F5, 9 injuries, 21.3 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Iowa
- Iowa tornado18 August 2025, Unknown rating, 4.5 miles long
- Iowa tornado18 August 2025, Unknown rating, 0.6 miles long
- Iowa tornado18 August 2025, Unknown rating, 1.4 miles long
- Iowa tornado17 August 2025, Unknown rating, 0.4 miles long
- Iowa tornado11 August 2025, Unknown rating, 2.2 miles long
Notable Iowa tornadoes with their own pages
- Hansell, Iowa tornado15 May 1968, F5, 13 deaths, 462 injuries, 62.1 miles long
- Cedar Falls, Iowa tornado25 May 2008, EF5, 9 deaths, 70 injuries, 41 miles long
- Belmond, Iowa tornado14 October 1966, F5, 6 deaths, 172 injuries, 9.7 miles long
- Newton, Iowa tornado5 March 2022, EF4, 6 deaths, 5 injuries, 70.6 miles long
- Rhodes, Iowa tornado16 September 1978, F3, 6 deaths, 45 injuries, 31.8 miles long
- Oelwein, Iowa tornado15 May 1968, F5, 5 deaths, 156 injuries, 13.1 miles long
- Nodaway, Iowa tornado21 May 2024, EF4, 5 deaths, 35 injuries, 40.7 miles long
- Little Sioux, Iowa tornado11 June 2008, EF3, 4 deaths, 48 injuries, 13 miles long
- Eagleville, Missouri tornado7 June 1984, F4, 3 deaths, 64 injuries, 134 miles long
- Palmer, Iowa tornado28 June 1979, F4, 3 deaths, 26 injuries, 14.9 miles long
- Chester, Iowa tornado10 May 1953, F4, 2 deaths, 24 injuries, 162 miles long
- Des Moines, Iowa tornado18 June 1974, F4, 2 deaths, 50 injuries, 15.3 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Iowa counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 99 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.