Tornado in Iowa, May 22, 2026

Name: Tornado in Iowa, May 22, 2026
Start: 2026-05-22T16:16
End: 2026-05-22T16:17
Location: Iowa

May 22, 2026 · NWS FSD · 1 event in 1 county or zone

As a strong wave sheared northward through the Dakotas, the right entrance region of an upper level jet interacted with a slow moving surface boundary to increase late day backing of wind fields and convergence. While overall thermodynamic parameters were lacking, favorable overlap of near-surface vorticity and acceleration of near-surface parcels resulted in low-level rotating storms.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS FSD wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 22, 1:39 PM CST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Showers are moving off to the northeast this afternoon. Lingering light showers are possible through this evening.
Periodic chances for rain remain in the forecast for much of the upcoming week. However, details are uncertain at this time.
Below normal temperatures will continue through Saturday before warmer conditions return from Sunday onwards.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 1:39 PM CST, 2 hours 37 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
239 PM CDT Fri May 22 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Showers are moving off to the northeast this afternoon.
  Lingering light showers are possible through this evening.

- Periodic chances for rain remain in the forecast for much of
  the upcoming week. However, details are uncertain at this
  time.

- Below normal temperatures will continue through Saturday
  before warmer conditions return from Sunday onwards.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 238 PM CDT Fri May 22 2026

Rain is tapering off this afternoon from the southwest to the
northeast. The remaining areas of precipitation along and north of I-
90 will continue to taper off and move northeast over the next few
hours. An additional line of weak showers is forming along the
leading edge of an occluding front just west of the James River
Valley. No severe weather is expected from this line. However, the
southern portion as it passes through areas south of Highway 18 may
produce some thunder and gusty winds to 45 mph. As far as rainfall
totals are concerned, an additional tenth or two is possible along
and north of I-90.

Early Saturday morning patchy fog is possible as low temperatures
approach dew points in the 40s. Fog is expected to burn off by mid-
morning. Clouds will scatter out through the day becoming mostly
sunny by afternoon. Winds will be light out of the west and highs
are expected to climb into the upper 60s and 70s. Modest mid-level
moisture advection and weak elevated instability may result in
isolated to scattered light showers and thunderstorms Sunday. Sunday
will be warm with highs in the upper 70s and 80s. Late Sunday night
into early Monday morning better dynamic parameters may allow for a
few isolated strong to severe thunderstorms for areas along and
south of Highway 18. This area is currently under an SPC Day 3
Marginal outlook (level 1 of 5). Monday is expected to be even
warmer with highs in the mid 80s to low 90s, with the warmest
temperatures expected along and west of the James River Valley.
Monday will also be on the muggy side with dewpoints in the mid 50s
to low 60s.

Periodic rain chances remain in the forecast for the remainder of
next week. The next best chance for stronger thunderstorms looks to
be Thursday, however details at this time are lacking. Highs for
Tuesday will once again be in the mid 80s to low 90s. The rest of
the week highs will generally be in the 80s.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 1247 PM CDT Fri May 22 2026

Showers and thunderstorms have begun to wane this afternoon. Areas
to the east of I-29 will continue to see more organized showers and
possibly a thunderstorm or two for the next couple hours.
Precipitation should be fully clear of the area by early evening
tonight. A mix of MVFR down to LIFR ceilings and visibilities will
improve in concert with the showers as they move to the northeast.
VFR conditions should be widespread once again around midnight.

Afternoon winds are southeasterly ahead of the surface front,
becoming westerly behind. Breezy gusts of 15-25 kts will taper off
after sunset becoming light. As they do so patchy dense fog may
develop early Saturday morning. Any fog should burn off by mid-
morning.

&&

.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...None.
MN...None.
IA...None.
NE...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...AJP
AVIATION...AJP

Hazardous weather outlook, May 22, 1:41 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
241 PM CDT Fri May 22 2026

IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-
098-NEZ013-014-SDZ038>040-050-052>071-231945-
Lyon-Osceola-Dickinson-Sioux-O'Brien-Clay-Plymouth-Cherokee-
Buena Vista-Woodbury-Ida-Lincoln-Murray-Cottonwood-Nobles-Jackson-
Pipestone-Rock-Dixon-Dakota-Beadle-Kingsbury-Brookings-Gregory-
Jerauld-Sanborn-Miner-Lake-Moody-Brule-Aurora-Davison-Hanson-McCook-
Minnehaha-Charles Mix-Douglas-Hutchinson-Turner-Bon Homme-Yankton-
Union-
241 PM CDT Fri May 22 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Iowa, west central
Iowa, southwest Minnesota, northeast Nebraska, central South
Dakota, east central South Dakota, south central South Dakota and
southeast South Dakota.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Showers are moving off to the northeast. A few lingering light
showers may persist through this evening.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Chances for periodic rain chances continue into next week.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Woodbury

When: May 22, 4:16 PM CST to 4:17 PM CST
Where: Woodbury County, 2.48 mi NNE of Oto to 3.06 mi NNE of Oto
Rating: EFU
Path length: 0.58 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.313, -95.882

A very brief tornado touchdown was documented by two independent photos. The tornado spun up briefly in open areas between the Little Sioux River and Morgan Trail to the north of Oto. After traveling north for less than a minute, the tornado lifted just prior to crossing Morgan Trail. The average path width was estimated at 30 yards.

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Iowa, 2026 Warnings in Iowa, May 2026

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1343992.