Iowa Tornado History — 4,559 Tornadoes (Aggregate) Since 1950

How many tornadoes does Iowa get per year?

Iowa has had 4,559 tornadoes on record since 1950, including 264 violent (EF3+) tornadoes — averaging about 60.0 per year across 30 cities covered here. Aggregate counts sum across overlapping city radii, so unique-event totals are lower; see the per-city pages for non-overlapping figures.

When was the most recent tornado in Iowa?

The most recent tornado in our Iowa dataset was an Unrated on August 18, 2025 near Waterloo.

When is tornado season in Iowa?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes in Iowa, with 1,285 aggregate on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most US states.