Iowa, 1999

Winter Storm in Iowa, December 15, 1999

December 15, 1999 · NWS DVN · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A storm system over Northern Missouri raced northeast to near Chicago, Illinois by late afternoon. Precipitation began as rain and changed over to snow between 7 and 9 am as north winds ushered in colder air.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
7

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 DVN wrote it up.

A storm system over Northern Missouri raced northeast to near Chicago, Illinois by late afternoon. Precipitation began as rain and changed over to snow between 7 and 9 am as north winds ushered in colder air. Accumulations were confined to Southeast Iowa along and south of Interstate 80 where amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Des Moines

When
December 15, 4:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Des Moines forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.923, -91.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Henry

When
December 15, 4:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Henry forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.988, -91.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jefferson

When
December 15, 4:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.032, -91.949 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lee

When
December 15, 4:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Lee forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.642, -91.479 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Scott

When
December 15, 4:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Scott forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.637, -90.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Van Buren

When
December 15, 4:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Van Buren forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.753, -91.950 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Washington

When
December 15, 4:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.336, -91.718 (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 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, December 1999

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: 5721752, 5721753, 5721754, 5721755, 5721756, 5721757, 5721758.