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Tornado in Wright County, Iowa
38 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.
Wright County, Iowa, has 38 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 12 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 6.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Wright County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 3,501 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.5 | 6.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 29.7 | 11.0 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 100 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
2May
6Jun
17Jul
4Aug
2Sep
2Oct
1Nov
0Dec
3
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 38 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 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $500 | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $700 | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $100 | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | $7K | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF3 | $500K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | $50 | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Oct 1966 | Tornado | F5 | $25M | — | 6 | 172 | County |
| 26 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Wright County had?
38 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 Wright County?
7 Apr 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Wright County?
The tornado of 14 Oct 1966, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 6 deaths recorded.
How does Wright County compare with Iowa for tornado?
6.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 38 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.