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Tornado in Clay County, Iowa
42 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.
Clay County, Iowa, has 42 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 19 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 7.4 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 6 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 | Clay County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.4 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 25.5 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
5May
11Jun
17Jul
3Aug
2Sep
2Oct
1Nov
0Dec
0
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F3 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $230K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1957 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Clay County had?
42 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 Clay County?
17 May 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Clay County?
The tornado of 11 Jun 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Clay County compare with Iowa for tornado?
7.4 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 42 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.