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Tornado in Calhoun County, Iowa
37 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 37 tornado events in Calhoun County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
May is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 6.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 4 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 7 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Calhoun County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 37 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.5 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 37.3 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 4 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
4May
14Jun
9Jul
4Aug
2Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
3
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 37 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF3 | $2.5M | $5K | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $40K | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | $500 | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | $500 | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | $200 | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 3 | 26 | County |
| 25 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1977 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Calhoun County had?
37 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Calhoun County?
16 Apr 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Calhoun County?
The tornado of 28 Jun 1979, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 3 deaths recorded.
How does Calhoun County compare with Iowa for tornado?
6.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 37 of the state's 3,501 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.