Tornado History
Palo Alto Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Palo Alto, Iowa. The records below identify 20 tornadoes from 1953 through 2021, including a highest listed rating of F2 (Considerable damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $6.0M, with 0 deaths and 1 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
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 9 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F2 in Palo Alto, Iowa with 0 deaths
1967 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.
Summary: In Palo Alto, Iowa, June 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.
Summary: 1967 was the most active year with 2 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 1980 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 Palo Alto, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 19, 1980 | F2 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 24.4 mi | 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| June 7, 1984 | F2 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 15 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M |
| April 30, 1967 | F2 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 14 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| May 28, 1959 | F2 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 2.3 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| June 14, 1976 | F2 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 8.6 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| June 7, 1953 | F2 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 15.2 mi | 500 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| July 26, 1997 | F1 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 1 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $220K |
| December 15, 2021 | EF1 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 11.16 mi | 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| October 13, 2000 | F1 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 6 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| July 14, 1978 | F1 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 7.7 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| July 14, 1978 | F1 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 7.7 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| June 11, 2004 | F1 | Palo Alto, Iowa | 9 mi | 450 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
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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.