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Tornado in Sioux 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 Sioux County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
May is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 15 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 6.1 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Sioux County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 47 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.1 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.1 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
4May
15Jun
9Jul
5Aug
5Sep
4Oct
3Nov
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1968 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1963 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sioux 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 Sioux County?
31 May 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sioux County?
The tornado of 11 May 2014, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Sioux County compare with Iowa for tornado?
6.1 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.