States › Iowa › Davis County › Tornado
Tornado in Davis County, Iowa
20 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.
Davis County, Iowa, has 20 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 16 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 4 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 4.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 4 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Davis County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 20 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.0 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 21.9 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
1Apr
7May
5Jun
4Jul
0Aug
0Sep
1Oct
0Nov
1Dec
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 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Nov 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $550K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F4 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Davis County had?
20 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 Davis County?
5 Nov 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Davis County?
The tornado of 8 May 1988, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Davis County compare with Iowa for tornado?
4.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 20 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.