The most powerful tornado to ever hit Iowa was the EF5-rated Charles City and Oelwein tornado on May 15, 1968. It was part of a significant outbreak that produced several destructive tornadoes across the Midwest.
Key Details:
- Rating: EF5 (previously F5 under the old Fujita Scale)
- Wind Speed: Estimated over 200 mph
- Path Length: Around 65 miles
- Damage: Extreme devastation in Charles City and Oelwein; entire neighborhoods were flattened.
- Fatalities: 18 people killed
- Injuries: Over 600
Since then, Iowa has experienced other powerful tornadoes, including EF4 and EF5 storms, such as the Parkersburg EF5 tornado on May 25, 2008, which killed 9 people and destroyed much of the town.
Iowa has experienced several powerful and deadly tornadoes throughout history. Here are some of the most significant ones:
1. Charles City & Oelwein Tornado (May 15, 1968) – EF5
- Path: 65 miles across northeastern Iowa
- Wind Speed: Estimated over 200 mph
- Fatalities: 18
- Injuries: Over 600
- Damage: Destroyed large portions of Charles City and Oelwein. Hundreds of homes and businesses were flattened.
2. Parkersburg-New Hartford Tornado (May 25, 2008) – EF5
- Path: 43 miles through Butler and Black Hawk Counties
- Wind Speed: 205 mph
- Fatalities: 9
- Injuries: 70+
- Damage: Roughly one-third of Parkersburg was completely destroyed. It was the first EF5 tornado in Iowa since 1976.
3. Jordan Tornado (June 13, 1976) – EF5
- Path: 35 miles through Boone and Story Counties
- Wind Speed: Estimated over 200 mph
- Fatalities: None (amazingly)
- Injuries: Several
- Damage: Extreme destruction in rural areas, but missed major towns, preventing mass casualties.
4. Cyclone of 1882 (August 21, 1882) – Estimated F5
- Path: Across eastern Iowa
- Fatalities: 100+ (exact number uncertain)
- Damage: One of the deadliest tornadoes in Iowa history, but details are scarce due to the time period.
5. Iowa City Tornado (April 13, 2006) – EF2
- Path: Moved through downtown Iowa City
- Fatalities: 1
- Injuries: 30+
- Damage: Unusual because it struck a heavily populated area, damaging parts of the University of Iowa and multiple historic buildings.
6. Belmond Tornado (October 14, 1966) – EF4
- Path: Wright County
- Fatalities: 6
- Injuries: 172
- Damage: Half of Belmond’s business district was destroyed. Uncommon for such a strong tornado to strike so late in the season.
7. The Comanche Tornado (June 3, 1860) – Estimated F5
- Path: Eastern Iowa (near the town of Comanche)
- Fatalities: 92
- Damage: One of the deadliest tornadoes of the 19th century, devastating multiple towns along the Mississippi River.
