Cedar Rapids, IA Tornado History — 154 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Cedar Rapids, IA had?
Cedar Rapids has had 154 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 8 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Cedar Rapids?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Cedar Rapids was an EF1 on July 11, 2025.
When is tornado season in Cedar Rapids?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Cedar Rapids, with 37 on record. April through June account for 87 of the 154 tornadoes on record near Cedar Rapids.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Cedar Rapids
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 54 total, averaging 2.7 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Cedar Rapids since December 29, 2025
These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
A short lived EF1 tornado with max winds to 100 MPH hit a farmstead causing damage to an outbuilding. A piece of the roof of that building was shot through the wall of (DVN)
Long lived funnel cloud associated with a storm southwest of Cedar Rapids resulted in a brief touchdown just north of the Eastern Iowa Airport. This was an EFU tornado. (DVN)
Within 25 miles of Cedar Rapids. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near Cedar Rapids
3 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Cedar Rapids and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on July 11, 2025 and the most recent on July 11, 2025. They are already counted in the Cedar Rapids totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
This tornado developed just east of the Wapsipinicon River in Linn County and crossed into Jones County ending near U.S. Highway 151. Snapped large trees were found at (DVN)
This tornado intensified rapidly after development... and there was a visual from a farmstead to the north of the tornado developing. A dozen large trees at the first h (DVN)
EF1 tornado with peak winds of 105 mph hit a farm outbuilding around 320 PM. The path continued through corn hitting a house... snapping some trees and destroying a gar (DVN)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Cedar Rapids
4 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Cedar Rapids since 1950, across 3 events. 90 injuries have been reported across all events. 2014 was the deadliest year on record near Cedar Rapids.
The deadliest single event was an EF1 on April 27, 2014, which caused 2 fatalities along a 45.7-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Cedar Rapids
What the record shows near Cedar Rapids
The 2000s were the busiest decade near Cedar Rapids, with 32 of the 154 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 25 so far. The Cedar Rapids record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Cedar Rapids, 109 reached EF0 or EF1 and 33 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Cedar Rapids is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged. A further 12 near Cedar Rapids are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Cedar Rapids has averaged 2.7 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 54 in total. 2018 was the busiest of them with 8, and 5 of those years passed with none at all.