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Tornado in Dubuque County, Iowa
33 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.
Dubuque County, Iowa, has 33 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 23 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 1 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 | Dubuque County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 33 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.3 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
2May
6Jun
7Jul
6Aug
4Sep
2Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $200 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1969 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Dubuque County had?
33 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 Dubuque County?
14 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Dubuque County?
The tornado of 13 Mar 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Dubuque County compare with Iowa for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 33 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.