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Tornado History

Buena Vista Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Buena Vista, Iowa. The records below identify 27 tornadoes from 1958 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F2 (Considerable damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $5.9M, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes27
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries3
Property Damage$5.9M
Avg Length3.0 mi
Avg Width180 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Buena Vista, Iowa

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

Average 0.4 tornadoes per year (0.9/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 7 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F2 in Buena Vista, Iowa with 0 deaths
2011 was the most active year with 6 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (8 events)
Longest tornado: 27.1 miles in Buena Vista, Iowa
Widest tornado: 1,500.0 yards in Buena Vista, Iowa
Most tornadoes in one day: 6 on Apr 9, 2011

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 Buena Vista, Iowa, May is the most active month with 7 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

6420

Summary: 2011 was the most active year with 6 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
Unknown
EFU

Summary: F1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 5 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.

$2.5M$250K$25K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1984 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F2 June 7, 19841984EF2 April 9, 20112011EF2 December 15, 20212021EF2 April 9, 20112011F2 August 5, 19581958EF1 October 4, 20132013F1 July 11, 19601960F1 June 16, 19901990EF1 December 15, 20212021EF1 December 15, 20212021F1 June 5, 19941994F1 June 11, 19641964F1 May 29, 19801980EF1 April 9, 20112011EF1 May 21, 2024F0 May 28, 1998F0 May 28, 1998F0 June 11, 2004EF0 April 9, 2011EF0 April 9, 2011EF0 April 9, 2011EF0 August 5, 2018EF0 May 13, 2023Unknown July 5, 1978EFU August 8, 2021EFU May 13, 2023EFU May 13, 2023© 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 7, 1984F2Buena Vista, Iowa4 mi100 yd03$2.5M
April 9, 2011EF2Buena Vista, Iowa3.78 mi1320 yd00$1.0M
December 15, 2021EF2Buena Vista, Iowa4.77 mi100 yd00$250K
April 9, 2011EF2Buena Vista, Iowa0.35 mi220 yd00$10K
August 5, 1958F2Buena Vista, Iowa27.1 mi60 yd00$2K
October 4, 2013EF1Buena Vista, Iowa5.45 mi200 yd00$1.2M
July 11, 1960F1Buena Vista, Iowa4.9 mi1500 yd00$250K
June 16, 1990F1Buena Vista, Iowa0.4 mi30 yd00$250K
December 15, 2021EF1Buena Vista, Iowa6.37 mi75 yd00$200K
December 15, 2021EF1Buena Vista, Iowa6.94 mi150 yd00$100K
June 5, 1994F1Buena Vista, Iowa3.5 mi50 yd00$50K
June 11, 1964F1Buena Vista, Iowa2 mi100 yd00$25K

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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.