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Tornado in Taylor County, Iowa
39 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.
Taylor County, Iowa, has 39 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,501 tornado events recorded in Iowa; its 7.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Taylor County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 39 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.3 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 66.5 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
11May
12Jun
8Jul
2Aug
0Sep
1Oct
2Nov
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 39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 29 Mar 1979 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1971 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 12 | County |
| 5 May 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Oct 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Oct 1966 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Taylor County had?
39 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 Taylor County?
21 May 2024 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Taylor County?
The tornado of 11 May 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10M.
How does Taylor County compare with Iowa for tornado?
7.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 39 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.