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Tornado in Cass County, Iowa
40 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 40 tornado events in Cass County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
June is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 8 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 7.1 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 14 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Cass County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 40 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.1 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 30.7 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
5May
8Jun
13Jul
6Aug
1Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
2
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 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | $700 | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | $500 | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $186K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 8 | County |
| 23 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cass County had?
40 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 Cass County?
28 Jun 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cass County?
The tornado of 7 Jun 1984, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Cass County compare with Iowa for tornado?
7.1 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 40 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.