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Tornado History

Des Moines Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Des Moines, Iowa. The records below identify 24 tornadoes from 1954 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $4.8M, with 0 deaths and 28 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes24
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries28
Property Damage$4.8M
Avg Length7.2 mi
Avg Width114 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Des Moines, Iowa

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

Average 0.3 tornadoes per year (0.6/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 9 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F2 in Des Moines, Iowa with 0 deaths
2019 was the most active year with 4 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (7 events)
Longest tornado: 75.3 miles in Des Moines, Iowa
Widest tornado: 600.0 yards in Des Moines, Iowa
Most tornadoes in one day: 3 on Jul 5, 1980

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 9 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

4320

Summary: 2019 was the most active year with 4 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
Unknown
EFU

Summary: F1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 8 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 1983 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F3 August 25, 19651965F2 May 23, 19661966F2 May 13, 19741974F2 April 30, 19541954F2 May 4, 19771977EF2 June 15, 20192019EF2 June 15, 20192019EF2 March 31, 20232023EF2 April 16, 20242024F1 June 29, 19831983EF1 June 20, 20152015F1 April 18, 19631963F1 July 5, 19801980F1 May 8, 19881988EF1 May 25, 2011EF1 May 25, 2011F1 May 13, 1974F1 July 5, 1980F1 December 2, 1982F1 July 5, 1980F0 June 16, 1973EF0 May 27, 2019Unknown May 5, 1977EFU June 15, 2019© 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
August 25, 1965F3Des Moines, Iowa3 mi100 yd01$250K
May 23, 1966F2Des Moines, Iowa4.1 mi100 yd00$250K
May 13, 1974F2Des Moines, Iowa1 mi50 yd00$250K
April 30, 1954F2Des Moines, Iowa75.3 mi200 yd00$25K
May 4, 1977F2Des Moines, Iowa2 mi10 yd00$25K
June 15, 2019EF2Des Moines, Iowa1.82 mi260 yd00N/A
June 15, 2019EF2Des Moines, Iowa1.3 mi300 yd00N/A
March 31, 2023EF2Des Moines, Iowa0.95 mi150 yd00N/A
April 16, 2024EF2Des Moines, Iowa11.52 mi600 yd00N/A
June 29, 1983F1Des Moines, Iowa13 mi40 yd027$2.5M
June 20, 2015EF1Des Moines, Iowa2.92 mi50 yd00$300K
April 18, 1963F1Des Moines, Iowa14.4 mi300 yd00$250K

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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.