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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Iola, KS

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 Iola, Kansas since records began in 1851. Since 1950, 83 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
0

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
83

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
4

3 deaths in all

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Iola

By decade

  • 2020s8
  • 2010s2
  • 2000s26(2 EF3+)
  • 1990s3
  • 1980s12
  • 1970s8
  • 1960s11(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s13(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Iola, Kansas
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Apr 12, 1964F414 mi19.4 mi3 / 9
Feb 28, 2007EF421 mi28.01 mi0 / 0
May 8, 2003F38 mi23 mi0 / 3
Jul 20, 1956F38 mi69.5 mi0 / 0
Apr 26, 2024EF222 mi6.71 mi0 / 0
May 8, 2003F221 mi7 mi0 / 0
May 8, 2003F28 mi15 mi0 / 3
Mar 26, 1991F24 mi8 mi0 / 1
Apr 7, 1986F218 mi22.6 mi0 / 0
Mar 15, 1982F26 mi30 mi0 / 0
Sep 27, 1973F221 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Sep 24, 1973F219 mi7.2 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 83, 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 Iola 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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