DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI-TV] — Iowa saw its first tornadoes of 2026 Tuesday night. That’s according to National Weather Service damage surveys conducted Wednesday. NWS data shows two tornadoes formed from a severe storm in Lee County in far southeast Iowa. Both twisters have been rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

The first tornado touched down at 9:05 PM Tuesday just southwest of Donnellson. That’s about 10 miles west of Fort Madison. This tornado lasted just three minutes and traveled a mile and a half, damaging trees and some outbuildings, with peak winds estimated at 100 mph. The second tornado formed about 20 minutes later near a county park east of Donnellson. This tornado traveled two miles with winds of 90 mph. It mostly damaged trees and the exterior of a house.

Iowa’s first tornadoes of 2025 also occurred in the first half of March. Last year began with a brief tornado east of Iowa City near the town of Wilton on March 14. A total of 32 tornadoes eventually struck Iowa in 2025, down significantly from 2024 and below average