69,230
Recorded events
99
Counties covered
177
Direct deaths
$6.5B
Property damage
Iowa severe weather history covers 69,230 recorded events across 99 counties between 1950 and 2026.
The Iowa severe weather history record is dominated by thunderstorm wind, which accounts for 25.7% of everything logged statewide across 99 counties. Statewide, recorded events have caused 177 direct deaths since 1950.
By hazard type
Iowa severe weather history by hazard
| Hazard | Events | Counties | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 17,807 | 99 | 20 | $398.7M | 1955–2026 |
| Hail | 15,859 | 99 | 4 | $270.2M | 1955–2026 |
| Flood | 4,753 | 98 | 7 | $1.6B | 1996–2025 |
| Winter Storm | 3,848 | 0 | 7 | $88.1M | 1996–2026 |
| Heavy Rain | 3,529 | 96 | 0 | $1.6M | 1998–2025 |
| Tornado | 3,475 | 99 | 99 | $2.9B | 1950–2026 |
| High Wind | 2,700 | 0 | 2 | $72.4M | 1996–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 2,607 | 99 | 9 | $338.5M | 1996–2026 |
| Drought | 2,597 | 0 | 0 | $645.2M | 1999–2026 |
| Winter Weather | 2,490 | 6 | 0 | $770K | 1996–2026 |
| Heavy Snow | 1,737 | 0 | 3 | $46.5M | 1996–2026 |
| Blizzard | 1,703 | 0 | 7 | $25.0M | 1996–2026 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 1,153 | 0 | 5 | $0 | 2000–2026 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 991 | 0 | 2 | $750K | 1996–2025 |
| Ice Storm | 957 | 0 | 1 | $50.4M | 1996–2024 |
| Funnel Cloud | 753 | 95 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2026 |
| Frost/Freeze | 604 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 1996–2019 |
| Excessive Heat | 500 | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | 2009–2025 |
| Lightning | 366 | 88 | 7 | $25.7M | 1996–2025 |
| Heat | 361 | 0 | 3 | $500 | 1997–2025 |
| Dense Fog | 228 | 0 | 0 | $467K | 1996–2025 |
| Strong Wind | 168 | 1 | 1 | $185K | 2000–2026 |
| Wildfire | 22 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 2005–2026 |
| Sleet | 11 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2008–2009 |
| Freezing Fog | 9 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2014–2023 |
| Dust Devil | 2 | 1 | 0 | $10K | 2004–2014 |
County index
Most active counties
| County | Events | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 2,151 | 6 |
| Linn County | 1,170 | 6 |
| Story County | 1,100 | 1 |
| Scott County | 1,008 | 1 |
| Dallas County | 964 | 0 |
| Warren County | 883 | 1 |
| Black Hawk County | 861 | 2 |
| Woodbury County | 856 | 2 |
| Webster County | 758 | 0 |
| Benton County | 752 | 2 |
| Marion County | 710 | 0 |
| Dubuque County | 700 | 0 |
| Plymouth County | 692 | 0 |
| Sioux County | 690 | 2 |
| Clay County | 663 | 1 |
| Johnson County | 652 | 2 |
| Cerro Gordo County | 605 | 1 |
| Buchanan County | 598 | 1 |
| Wapello County | 594 | 2 |
| Boone County | 593 | 0 |
| Clinton County | 578 | 2 |
| Jasper County | 577 | 2 |
| Kossuth County | 568 | 2 |
| Pottawattamie County | 564 | 5 |
| Cass County | 550 | 0 |
Full index
Every county in Iowa
- Polk County
- Linn County
- Story County
- Scott County
- Dallas County
- Warren County
- Black Hawk County
- Woodbury County
- Webster County
- Benton County
- Marion County
- Dubuque County
- Plymouth County
- Sioux County
- Clay County
- Johnson County
- Cerro Gordo County
- Buchanan County
- Wapello County
- Boone County
- Clinton County
- Jasper County
- Kossuth County
- Pottawattamie County
- Cass County
- Clayton County
- Lee County
- Marshall County
- Guthrie County
- Butler County
- Cedar County
- Harrison County
- Muscatine County
- Des Moines County
- Jones County
- Dickinson County
- O'Brien County
- Hardin County
- Delaware County
- Carroll County
- Fayette County
- Crawford County
- Taylor County
- Winneshiek County
- Hamilton County
- Lyon County
- Tama County
- Adair County
- Mahaska County
- Floyd County
- Appanoose County
- Union County
- Madison County
- Bremer County
- Cherokee County
- Buena Vista County
- Emmet County
- Washington County
- Poweshiek County
- Calhoun County
- Iowa County
- Franklin County
- Fremont County
- Pocahontas County
- Clarke County
- Wright County
- Grundy County
- Page County
- Palo Alto County
- Monona County
- Greene County
- Wayne County
- Jackson County
- Mills County
- Van Buren County
- Hancock County
- Winnebago County
- Chickasaw County
- Humboldt County
- Ringgold County
- Decatur County
- Howard County
- Allamakee County
- Henry County
- Shelby County
- Worth County
- Lucas County
- Sac County
- Mitchell County
- Keokuk County
- Montgomery County
- Davis County
- Adams County
- Audubon County
- Osceola County
- Ida County
- Jefferson County
- Louisa County
- Monroe County
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events are recorded in Iowa?
69,230 events are on record across Iowa, covering 99 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Which county in Iowa has the most severe weather on record?
Polk County leads Iowa with 2,151 recorded events. Ranking reflects reported events, so densely populated counties tend to report more than sparsely populated ones.
Where does the Iowa severe weather history data come from?
Totals are aggregated from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of United States severe weather reports, with FEMA and U.S. Census records providing risk and population context. Dates are UTC and recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Iowa Severe Weather History.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/state/iowa/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.