Tornado History
Cedar Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Cedar, Iowa. The records below identify 44 tornadoes from 1957 through 2025, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $8.7M, with 1 deaths and 22 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Cedar, Iowa
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.6 tornadoes per year (1.3/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 15 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in Cedar, Iowa with 1 deaths
1982 was the most active year with 4 tornadoes
The 1990s had the most tornado activity (14 events)
Longest tornado: 70.2 miles in Cedar, Iowa
Widest tornado: 440.0 yards in Cedar, Iowa
Most tornadoes in one day: 4 on May 20, 1982
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Cedar, Iowa, May is the most active month with 15 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 1982 was the most active year with 4 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 1988 with at least $2.8M 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 Cedar, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 11, 1965 | F4 | Cedar, Iowa | 70.2 mi | 200 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.5M |
| May 15, 1998 | F3 | Cedar, Iowa | 15 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $2K |
| May 8, 1988 | F2 | Cedar, Iowa | 7 mi | 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| May 9, 1995 | F2 | Cedar, Iowa | 7 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| July 27, 1995 | F2 | Cedar, Iowa | 7.5 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| May 21, 1957 | F2 | Cedar, Iowa | 8.9 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| April 28, 1974 | F2 | Cedar, Iowa | 2.3 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 16 | $250K |
| March 22, 1991 | F2 | Cedar, Iowa | 10 mi | 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| June 7, 1961 | F2 | Cedar, Iowa | 5.1 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K |
| March 31, 2023 | EF2 | Cedar, Iowa | 16.42 mi | 250 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| March 31, 2023 | EF2 | Cedar, Iowa | 16.05 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| July 20, 2003 | F1 | Cedar, Iowa | 2.4 mi | 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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Related Location Pages
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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.