Severe Weather History


Iowa Heavy Rain History: 3,554 Recorded Events

3,529

Recorded events

96

Counties affected

0

Direct deaths

$1.6M

Property damage

Iowa heavy rain history: 3,529 recorded events across 96 counties between 1998 and 2025.

Decade by decade

Iowa heavy rain history by decade

Iowa heavy rain history: recorded events per decade
Iowa heavy rain history: recorded events per decade

The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 2,556 reported heavy rain events across Iowa. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.

County ranking

Counties with the most heavy rain events in Iowa

RankCountyEventsDeathsDamageSpan
#1Polk County3480$170K2007–2024
#2Story County1740$21K2008–2024
#3Dallas County1400$20K2007–2024
#4Warren County1220$12K2001–2025
#5Webster County1100$100K2007–2025
#6Marion County1070$02009–2025
#7Appanoose County940$02007–2025
#8Black Hawk County920$105K2008–2022
#9Cass County820$02008–2024
#10Clarke County810$02008–2025
#11Cerro Gordo County760$02007–2024
#12Wapello County760$45K2007–2024
#13Boone County720$50K2007–2023
#14Jasper County700$02009–2024
#15Taylor County670$02008–2025
#16Butler County660$02008–2024
#17Poweshiek County630$02009–2025
#18Kossuth County610$02008–2024
#19Wayne County600$150K2007–2021
#20Union County590$5K2008–2025
#21Tama County560$02008–2024
#22Ringgold County540$02008–2025
#23Davis County510$10K2008–2022
#24Grundy County500$02009–2025
#25Marshall County500$02007–2025
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · ranked by recorded event count

All hazards in Iowa · Heavy Rain across the U.S.