Wapello County, Iowa
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1956 and 2025, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
27
Tornado reports
125
Hail reports
119
Floods since 1996
770
All events
2
Deaths
$61.1M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Wapello County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 26 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Quick moving tornado, touchdown with strongest part in Agency. Nine buildings with major damage, 43 with minor. Two buildings destroyed. Two dead, three injured.
Thunderstorm wind damage was reported in the 1000 block of west Mary St. in Ottumwa. Two foot diameter trees blown over, flag poles were bent in half and a grain bin roof was removed and blown 200 yards.
Long track tornado began in Wapello County northeast of Ottumwa then tracked northeast into Keokuk County. The primary damage in Wapello County consisted of three homes and one hog confinement facility. The first home lost the entire roof and one external wall. The first failure …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 62 mph gust measured at the Ottumwa airport.
Wapello County EM and City of Eldon reported tree damage and power outages due to thunderstorm winds in the town of Eldon. Downed trees were reported to be blocking roadways and the City of Eldon spent the next few days cleaning up tree damage. One tree fell on and injured a moto…
High Wind High Wind
Gust recorded at Ottumwa ASOS.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
High Wind High Wind
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Ice Storm Ice Storm
Reports of 0.25 inches line ice accumulation on trees, 0.35 inches flat ice accumulation on the ground, and 0.82 total rainfall with significant runoff at 7:30 AM. Ice accumulation of 0.40 inches by end of the event.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Report of 3.11 inches of rain.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Report of 3.25 inches of rain.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Report of 3.38 inches of rain.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
A personal weather station reported 3.19 inches of rain since midnight.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Monroe County EM reported a gauge with 6.13 inches of rain for the day as of 7:30 pm. An additional round of rain was moving towards the location at the time of report.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Drought Drought
Rainfall in late March and early April led to a decrease in the drought conditions across Wapello County with severe drought ending.
Drought Drought
Precipitation during the month of March did increase across Wapello county with amounts near normal. There was some minor improvement in drought conditions but severe drought continued through the end of the month.
Drought Drought
Above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation allowed severe drought conditions to persist across much of Wapello county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Blizzard Blizzard
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Drought Drought
Severe drought persisted in western Wapello county during January with near normal temperatures and above normal precipitation. Extreme drought was no longer observed in the county by the end of January. Longer term dryness kept from any further improvements.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought conditions remained across Wapello county in December with above normal temperatures. Rainfall was above normal but did little to alleviate drought conditions, particularly longer term deficits.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought conditions persisted across Wapello county for the duration of November given lack of rain and above normal temperatures.
Drought Drought
Severe to extreme drought conditons maintained a presence in Wapello county during the month of October. Temperatures remained above normal during the month with below normal rainfall.
Drought Drought
Severe to extreme drought persisted in Wapello county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Drought Drought
Severe to Extreme drought affected Wapello County as above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall occurred during August.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A six inch hollow tree felled by storm. Delayed report.
Hail Hail
Report via mping.
Drought Drought
Despite a few different periods of rain during the month, severe to extreme drought conditions persisted in Wapello County during July.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public reported large branches and limbs down and power out for a bit. Time estimated from radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter reported estimated 50 to 60 mph wind gusts, and part of a tree down on a power line on the south side of Ottumwa.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public relayed pictures of a tree that fell on and damaged part of a home. Time estimated from radar.
Hail Hail
Public reported penny sized hail via mPing app.
Hail Hail
Public reported quarter sized hail via mPing app.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter reported at least quarter sized hail. Also noted flag pole snapped in front yard.
Hail Hail
Public reported quarter sized hail.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 20 | 0 |
| 2023 | 29 | 1 |
| 2022 | 21 | 0 |
| 2021 | 24 | 0 |
| 2020 | 8 | 0 |
| 2019 | 33 | 0 |
| 2018 | 38 | 1 |
| 2017 | 15 | 0 |
| 2016 | 14 | 0 |
| 2015 | 43 | 1 |
| 2014 | 33 | 1 |
| 2013 | 23 | 0 |
| 2012 | 17 | 0 |
| 2011 | 20 | 0 |
| 2010 | 47 | 0 |
| 2009 | 18 | 0 |
| 2008 | 35 | 1 |
| 2007 | 22 | 0 |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 |
| 2005 | 10 | 0 |
| 2004 | 15 | 0 |
| 2003 | 21 | 2 |
| 2002 | 12 | 0 |
| 2001 | 26 | 1 |
| 2000 | 22 | 1 |
| 1999 | 10 | 1 |
| 1998 | 29 | 2 |
| 1997 | 16 | 0 |
| 1996 | 25 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991 | 2 | 0 |
| 1990 | 5 | 3 |
| 1989 | 8 | 0 |
| 1988 | 4 | 3 |
| 1987 | 4 | 2 |
| 1986 | 4 | 0 |
| 1985 | 4 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 3 | 0 |
| 1982 | 6 | 1 |
| 1981 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | 3 | 0 |
| 1977 | 3 | 1 |
| 1976 | 5 | 1 |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 3 | 0 |
| 1973 | 4 | 0 |
| 1972 | 3 | 1 |
| 1971 | 6 | 1 |
| 1970 | 3 | 0 |
| 1969 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966 | 5 | 0 |
| 1965 | 2 | 0 |
| 1964 | 4 | 0 |
| 1963 | 2 | 0 |
| 1962 | 2 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 3 | 1 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Wapello County, measured to its path.
We couldn’t get your location. Check that location access is allowed for this site, or type an address.