States › Iowa › Marion County › Tornado
Tornado in Marion County, Iowa
47 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 47 tornado events in Marion County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 25 events against 10 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 8.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 21 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Marion County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 47 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.5 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.1 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
3Apr
4May
19Jun
12Jul
4Aug
2Sep
1Oct
1Nov
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 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | $200 | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF3 | $120M | $5K | — | 13 | County |
| 3 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $750K | $25K | — | 10 | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Oct 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1969 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Marion County had?
47 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 Marion County?
7 May 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Marion County?
The tornado of 19 Jul 2018, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $120M and crop damage at $5K.
How does Marion County compare with Iowa for tornado?
8.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 47 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.