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Tornado in Harrison County, Iowa
34 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 34 tornado events in Harrison County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 22 years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 4.9 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Harrison County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 34 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.9 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 23.2 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
11May
7Jun
11Jul
1Aug
0Sep
2Oct
0Nov
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 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $1.9M | — | 2 | 16 | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1967 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Harrison County had?
34 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 Harrison County?
23 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Harrison County?
The tornado of 16 Jun 1992, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Harrison County compare with Iowa for tornado?
4.9 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 34 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.