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Tornado in Johnson County, Iowa
46 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.
Johnson County, Iowa, has 46 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 23 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% 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: 15 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 11 at (E)F2, 1 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 | Johnson County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 46 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.5 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.0 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
7Apr
15May
14Jun
3Jul
2Aug
2Sep
2Oct
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 46 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 | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $12M | — | — | 30 | County |
| 11 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F3 | $6.0M | — | — | 17 | County |
| 12 Sep 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1977 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1977 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 21 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Johnson County had?
46 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 Johnson County?
2 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Johnson County?
The tornado of 13 Apr 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $12M.
How does Johnson County compare with Iowa for tornado?
7.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 46 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.