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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Denison, IA

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

No tropical storm or hurricane has passed within 75 miles of Denison, Iowa since records began in 1851. Since 1950, 89 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 7 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
0

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
89

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
7

1 deaths in all

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Denison

By decade

  • 2020s13(1 EF3+)
  • 2010s10(2 EF3+)
  • 2000s12
  • 1990s22(3 EF3+)
  • 1980s11
  • 1970s8
  • 1960s6(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s7
Strongest tornadoes near Denison, Iowa
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
May 27, 1995F424 mi36 mi0 / 0
Apr 26, 2024EF311 mi40.27 mi1 / 3
Apr 9, 2011EF325 mi3.38 mi0 / 14
Apr 9, 2011EF323 mi10.14 mi0 / 0
Jun 16, 1992F38 mi26 mi0 / 3
Apr 26, 1991F3in town7.7 mi0 / 0
Jul 26, 1969F34 mi22.5 mi0 / 0
Apr 26, 2024EF26 mi9.26 mi0 / 0
Dec 15, 2021EF219 mi17.6 mi0 / 0
Apr 9, 2011EF221 mi4.13 mi0 / 0
May 16, 1999F27 mi22.5 mi0 / 0
Jun 29, 1998F26 mi11 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 89, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Denison while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

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