Winter Storm, Mitchell
- When
- March 12, 9:00 PM CST to March 14, 2:00 AM CST
- Where
- Mitchell forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.356, -92.789 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm in Iowa, March 12 to 14, 1997
A mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain created havoc causing ice covered roads and nearly impossible traveling conditions. Snow accumlations of 6 to 10 inches combined with strong winds produced 2 to 4 foot drifts.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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 ARX wrote it up.
A mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain created havoc causing ice covered roads and nearly impossible traveling conditions. Snow accumlations of 6 to 10 inches combined with strong winds produced 2 to 4 foot drifts.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Howard
- When
- March 12, 9:00 PM CST to March 14, 2:00 AM CST
- Where
- Howard forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.357, -92.317 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Winneshiek
- When
- March 12, 9:00 PM CST to March 14, 2:00 AM CST
- Where
- Winneshiek forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.291, -91.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Allamakee
- When
- March 12, 9:00 PM CST to March 14, 2:00 AM CST
- Where
- Allamakee forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.284, -91.378 (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
- Winter Weather in Vermont, March 12, 1997
- Flood in Oklahoma, March 12, 1997
- Winter Storm in North Dakota, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Flash Flood in Texas, March 12, 1997
- Flooding in South Dakota, March 12 to 31, 1997
- Winter Storm in South Dakota, March 12 to 14, 1997
- Winter Storm in South Dakota, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Flooding in Iowa, March 12 to 31, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Winter Storm in Montana, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 12 to 14, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Montana, March 12 to 13, 1997
More
Every storm in Iowa in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, March 1997
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: 5597163, 5597164, 5597165, 5597166.