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Tornado in Lee County, Iowa
43 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 43 tornado events in Lee County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
May is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 8.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 8 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Lee County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.3 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 12.9 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
0Mar
7Apr
9May
11Jun
9Jul
1Aug
2Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Dec 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Oct 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1978 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 6 | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 29 Mar 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1958 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1957 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lee County had?
43 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 Lee County?
17 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lee County?
The tornado of 10 May 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Lee County compare with Iowa for tornado?
8.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 43 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.