Tornado damage west of Sioux Center in April 2024
Statewide Iowa — It’s shaping up to be a record-breaking year for tornadoes in Iowa.
New figures from the National Weather Service show Iowa has had 86 tornadoes so far this year, with 44 last month and 42 this month. The average in a year is about 50. The weather service says Iowa’s never seen this many tornadoes by this date, and it’s also among the five deadliest tornado seasons, with six dead and some three dozen hurt. We still have a month left in the tornado season, though twisters can strike during any month.
In 2021, Iowa had a record 63 tornadoes in a single day — in December. That was during the state’s second derecho in as many years, and that December outbreak set another record for most EF2 tornadoes in one day — at 21.
