Tornado History
Benton Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Benton, Iowa. The records below identify 46 tornadoes from 1965 through 2025, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $4.0M, with 1 deaths and 22 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Benton, Iowa
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.8 tornadoes per year (2.0/yr in last decade)
July is the peak tornado month with 13 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in Benton, Iowa with 1 deaths
2004 was the most active year with 5 tornadoes
The 2020s had the most tornado activity (13 events)
Longest tornado: 13.98 miles in Benton, Iowa
Widest tornado: 560.0 yards in Benton, Iowa
Most tornadoes in one day: 5 on Jul 14, 2021
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Benton, Iowa, July is the most active month with 13 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 2004 was the most active year with 5 recorded tornadoes.
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.
Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1965 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Benton, Iowa.
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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.
| Date | Rating | Area | Length | Width | Deaths | Injuries | Min. property damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 26, 1965 | F4 | Benton, Iowa | 4.7 mi | 200 yd | 1 | 17 | $2.5M |
| April 19, 1966 | F3 | Benton, Iowa | 3 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| May 18, 1971 | F3 | Benton, Iowa | 4.3 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| May 18, 1971 | F3 | Benton, Iowa | 4.3 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| July 17, 2016 | EF2 | Benton, Iowa | 1.59 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 5 | N/A |
| March 31, 2023 | EF2 | Benton, Iowa | 1.7 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| March 31, 2023 | EF2 | Benton, Iowa | 2.64 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| July 14, 1970 | F1 | Benton, Iowa | 11.3 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| August 5, 1972 | F1 | Benton, Iowa | 11.7 mi | 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| July 20, 2003 | F1 | Benton, Iowa | 6.8 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $200K |
| July 2, 2008 | EF1 | Benton, Iowa | 1.54 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| May 21, 2004 | F1 | Benton, Iowa | 1.7 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
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Source And Limits
Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.