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Tornado in Clinton County, Iowa
52 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.
Clinton County, Iowa, has 52 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 30 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 25 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 7.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Clinton County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 52 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.5 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.2 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
1Mar
10Apr
12May
8Jun
2Jul
7Aug
7Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
1
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 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 9 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | $150K | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 May 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 20 | County |
| 1 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | 3 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Clinton County had?
52 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 Clinton County?
2 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Clinton County?
The tornado of 8 May 1988, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Clinton County compare with Iowa for tornado?
7.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 52 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.