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Tornado History

Des Moines Tornado History

This location page summarizes tornado records that list Des Moines, Iowa as a begin or end location. The dataset includes 6 matching records from 1998 through 2024. The strongest matching rating is F2 (Considerable damage), the latest matching tornado is July 15, 2024, and minimum reported property damage totals $10.7M.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes6
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries83
Property Damage$10.7M
Avg Length5.7 mi
Avg Width93 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Des Moines, Iowa

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 0.2 tornadoes per year (0.1/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 2 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F2 in Des Moines, Iowa with 0 deaths
2000 was the most active year with 2 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (3 events)
Longest tornado: 18.3 miles in Des Moines, Iowa
Widest tornado: 300.0 yards in Des Moines, Iowa
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on May 30, 2000

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Des Moines, Iowa, May is the most active month with 2 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

20

Summary: 2000 was the most active year with 2 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
F1
EF1
F2

Summary: F0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 2 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$10.0M$1.0M$100K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1998 with at least $10.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F2 June 29, 19981998EF1 July 15, 20242024F1 May 30, 20002000EF1 October 2, 20072007F0 April 8, 19991999F0 May 30, 20002000© OpenStreetMap contributors

Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
June 29, 1998F2Polk, Iowa18.3 mi150 yd083$10.0M
July 15, 2024EF1Polk, Iowa6.88 mi300 yd00$500K
May 30, 2000F1Polk, Iowa8 mi40 yd00$100K
October 2, 2007EF1Polk, Iowa0.44 mi20 yd00$75K
April 8, 1999F0Polk, Iowa0.2 mi30 yd00$43K
May 30, 2000F0Polk, Iowa0.1 mi20 yd00N/A

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Source And Limits

Data source: NOAA/NCEI. TornadoTrace summarizes historical records for screening and research. Coordinates, damage estimates, narratives, and event details can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. Do not use this page as legal, insurance, engineering, real estate, emergency management, or safety advice.