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Tornado History

Palo Alto Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Palo Alto, Iowa. The records below identify 19 tornadoes from 1953 through 2021, including a highest listed rating of F2 (Considerable damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $5.7M, with 0 deaths and 1 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes19
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries1
Property Damage$5.7M
Avg Length8.4 mi
Avg Width128 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Palo Alto, Iowa

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

Average 0.3 tornadoes per year (0.1/yr in last decade)
June is the peak tornado month with 8 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F2 in Palo Alto, Iowa with 0 deaths
1978 was the most active year with 2 tornadoes
The 1970s had the most tornado activity (6 events)
Longest tornado: 24.4 miles in Palo Alto, Iowa
Widest tornado: 500.0 yards in Palo Alto, Iowa
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Jul 14, 1978

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 Palo Alto, Iowa, June is the most active month with 8 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

20

Summary: 1978 was the most active year with 2 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
Unknown

Summary: F2 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 6 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 1980 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F2 July 19, 19801980F2 June 7, 19841984F2 April 30, 19671967F2 May 28, 19591959F2 June 14, 19761976F2 June 7, 19531953F1 July 26, 19971997EF1 December 15, 20212021F1 October 13, 20002000F1 July 14, 19781978F1 July 14, 19781978F1 June 11, 20042004F0 August 3, 19611961F0 June 28, 19791979F0 June 21, 1975F0 September 13, 2000EF0 June 16, 2014Unknown June 10, 1977Unknown April 5, 1958© 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
July 19, 1980F2Palo Alto, Iowa24.4 mi80 yd00$2.5M
June 7, 1984F2Palo Alto, Iowa15 mi100 yd01$2.5M
April 30, 1967F2Palo Alto, Iowa14 mi300 yd00$250K
May 28, 1959F2Palo Alto, Iowa2.3 mi100 yd00$25K
June 14, 1976F2Palo Alto, Iowa8.6 mi33 yd00$2K
June 7, 1953F2Palo Alto, Iowa15.2 mi500 yd00N/A
July 26, 1997F1Palo Alto, Iowa1 mi40 yd00$220K
December 15, 2021EF1Palo Alto, Iowa11.16 mi90 yd00$60K
October 13, 2000F1Palo Alto, Iowa6 mi50 yd00$30K
July 14, 1978F1Palo Alto, Iowa7.7 mi100 yd00$25K
July 14, 1978F1Palo Alto, Iowa7.7 mi100 yd00$25K
June 11, 2004F1Palo Alto, Iowa9 mi450 yd00$10K

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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.