Tornado History
Howard Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Howard, Iowa. The records below identify 42 tornadoes from 1953 through 2026, including a highest listed rating of F5 (Incredible damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $6.4M, with 0 deaths and 27 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Howard, 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 12 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in Howard, Iowa with 0 deaths
2004 was the most active year with 5 tornadoes
The 1960s had the most tornado activity (8 events)
Longest tornado: 19.9 miles in Howard, Iowa
Widest tornado: 1,320.0 yards in Howard, Iowa
Most tornadoes in one day: 4 on Dec 15, 2021
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Howard, Iowa, May is the most active month with 12 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 1971 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 Howard, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1968 | F5 | Howard, Iowa | 18.6 mi | 600 yd | 0 | 12 | $2K |
| July 12, 1971 | F4 | Howard, Iowa | 2.3 mi | 1320 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M |
| May 5, 1965 | F4 | Howard, Iowa | 19.9 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $25K |
| May 5, 1965 | F4 | Howard, Iowa | 3.3 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| May 10, 1953 | F4 | Howard, Iowa | 1.9 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| June 11, 2004 | F3 | Howard, Iowa | 8 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $190K |
| May 22, 2011 | EF2 | Howard, Iowa | 13.88 mi | 250 yd | 0 | 3 | $525K |
| July 19, 1994 | F2 | Howard, Iowa | 8.5 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| September 2, 1961 | F2 | Howard, Iowa | 1 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| September 9, 1965 | F2 | Howard, Iowa | 1 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| March 30, 1967 | F2 | Howard, Iowa | 4.1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| May 15, 1968 | F2 | Howard, Iowa | 4.7 mi | 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
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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.