Butler County tornado history

30 tornadoes touched Butler County, Iowa between 1950 and 2025 — about 0.4 a year. The strongest was rated F5 (May 15, 1968). Tornadoes here killed 23 and injured 539 people.

30tornadoes since 1950

F5strongest rating

23killed · 539 injured

116.1 milongest path · 1953

(E)F0(E)F1(E)F2(E)F3(E)F4(E)F5· dots = start point only

By rating

(E)F012

(E)F16

(E)F27

(E)F31

(E)F41

(E)F52

unrated1

By month

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak month: June.

By decade

’50’60’70’80’90’00’10’20

Strongest tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured	Killed
May 15, 1968	F5	62.1 mi	600 yd	462	13
May 25, 2008	EF5	41 mi	2,100 yd	70	9
Sep 1, 1961	F4	26.6 mi	27 yd	7	0
May 20, 1953	F3	116.1 mi	400 yd	0	1
Jun 27, 1998	F2	25.5 mi	80 yd	0	0
Jul 14, 2021	EF2	12.9 mi	630 yd	0	0
Sep 6, 2001	F2	11.5 mi	100 yd	0	0
Jul 2, 1999	F2	8.5 mi	50 yd	0	0
Sep 9, 1970	F2	1.9 mi	200 yd	0	0
May 23, 1952	F2	0.1 mi	17 yd	0	0
Jun 4, 1975	F2	0.1 mi	10 yd	0	0
Jun 22, 1984	F1	15 mi	77 yd	0	0

Most recent tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured	Killed
Dec 15, 2021	EF1	4.2 mi	200 yd	0	0
Jul 14, 2021	unrated	1.2 mi	50 yd	0	0
Jul 14, 2021	EF2	12.9 mi	630 yd	0	0
Nov 28, 2016	EF0	5.7 mi	50 yd	0	0
Aug 31, 2014	EF0	1.1 mi	40 yd	0	0
Jul 6, 2014	EF0	0.4 mi	15 yd	0	0
Jun 16, 2014	EF1	4.7 mi	100 yd	0	0
Jun 16, 2014	EF0	1.7 mi	150 yd	0	0
Jun 16, 2014	EF1	2.1 mi	120 yd	0	0
May 25, 2008	EF5	41 mi	2,100 yd	70	9
Jun 21, 2007	EF0	0.1 mi	25 yd	0	0
Jun 21, 2007	EF0	0.1 mi	30 yd	0	0

Deadliest: May 15, 1968, F5, 13 killed.

Nearby counties

Floyd County, IA27 Grundy County, IA39 Bremer County, IA29 Franklin County, IA29 Black Hawk County, IA40 Chickasaw County, IA30 Hardin County, IA47 Cerro Gordo County, IA40

Questions

How many tornadoes has Butler County, Iowa had?

30 tornadoes touched Butler County, Iowa between 1950 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database — about 0.4 per year.

What was the strongest tornado in Butler County?

The strongest rating recorded was F5 on May 15, 1968, with a 62.1-mile path and 13 deaths.

When is tornado season in Butler County?

Most of its tornadoes happened in June (12 of 30). Tornadoes can occur in any month, so keep alerts on year-round.

Right now: live tornado warnings map · alerts for your location. Dates link to that day’s full storm reports where available (2004 onward).