Iowa, 1996

Winter Storm in Iowa, November 14 to 15, 1996

November 14 to 15, 1996 · NWS OAX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

An upper level disturbance moved east northeast from the central and southern Rockies into the central plains as surface low pressure strengthened over eastern Colorado. Freezing rain was widespread across the area causing several telephone outages, power outages, and auto accidents.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
8

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 OAX wrote it up.

An upper level disturbance moved east northeast from the central and southern Rockies into the central plains as surface low pressure strengthened over eastern Colorado. Freezing rain was widespread across the area causing several telephone outages, power outages, and auto accidents.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Monona

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Monona forecast zone
Coordinates
42.052, -95.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Harrison

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Harrison forecast zone
Coordinates
41.683, -95.817 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Shelby

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Shelby forecast zone
Coordinates
41.685, -95.310 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pottawattamie

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Pottawattamie forecast zone
Coordinates
41.337, -95.542 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Mills

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Mills forecast zone
Coordinates
41.034, -95.621 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Montgomery

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone
Coordinates
41.030, -95.156 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Fremont

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Fremont forecast zone
Coordinates
40.746, -95.605 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Page

When
November 14, 2:00 PM CST to November 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Page forecast zone
Coordinates
40.739, -95.150 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Iowa in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, November 1996

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5573220, 5573221, 5573222, 5573223, 5573224, 5573225, 5573226, 5573227.