Iowa Tornadoes
Iowa sees strong tornado activity throughout the warm season, with peak intensity in May and June. Home to two rare double-F5 outbreaks in the past 60 years.
Notable Iowa Tornadoes with Full Details
Parkersburg-New Hartford 2008 EF5
- May 25, 2008
Second-ever tornado rated EF5. 9 killed on Memorial Day weekend. Read the full story ->
Other Historic Iowa Tornadoes
- Charles City, IA (May 15, 1968) - F5, 13 killed
- Oelwein, IA (May 15, 1968) - F5, same outbreak as Charles City, 5 killed
- Belmond, IA (October 14, 1966) - F5
- Chandler, MN / Iowa border area (June 16, 1992) - F5
- Iowa City (April 13, 2006) - F2 through the university
- Marshalltown, IA (July 19, 2018) - EF3
Key Facts About Iowa Tornado Activity
- Iowa is one of only ~10 US states to have had multiple F5/EF5 tornadoes since 1950
- The 1968 Charles City-Oelwein outbreak produced two F5s in a single afternoon
- Peak tornado month for Iowa is June, later than Great Plains states
Iowa Tornado Season
Peak: May-August. See our tornado season guide -> and tornado safety guide ->.
-> Simulate a tornado in Iowa on our map
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