Winter Storm, Cedar
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Cedar forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 41.772, -91.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm in Iowa, January 18, 1999
A vigorous storm system over Wisconsin produced very strong winds across Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois. Numerous schools and businesses closed early due to the storm, and many accidents were reported as gusty west winds around 45 mph, coupled with blowing snow produced near blizzard conditions.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
- 10
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 vigorous storm system over Wisconsin produced very strong winds across Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois. Numerous schools and businesses closed early due to the storm, and many accidents were reported as gusty west winds around 45 mph, coupled with blowing snow produced near blizzard conditions. Widespread blowing and drifting was reported along with snow and ice packed roads and visibilities less than one mile. In one location along Interstate-380 and Highway 30 near Cedar Rapids an estimated 40 cars slid into ditches between 7 AM and 9 AM. Other accidents also blocked traffic on U.S. 61 near Mediapolis and south of Burlington.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
10 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Clinton
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Clinton forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 41.898, -90.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Des Moines
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Des Moines forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 40.923, -91.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Henry
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Henry forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 40.988, -91.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Johnson
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Johnson forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 41.672, -91.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Lee
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Lee forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 40.642, -91.479 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Linn
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Linn forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 42.079, -91.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Louisa
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Louisa forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 41.219, -91.260 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Muscatine
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Muscatine forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Scott
- When
- January 18, 4:05 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Scott forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 41.637, -90.623 (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
- Avalanche in Washington, January 18, 1999
- Tornado in Pennsylvania, January 18, 1999
- High Wind in New Jersey, January 18 to 19, 1999
- Damaging Winds and Waterspout in Maryland, January 18, 1999
- High Wind in New Jersey, January 18, 1999
- High Wind in Pennsylvania, January 18, 1999
- Tornado in Pennsylvania, January 18, 1999
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in Massachusetts, January 18, 1999
- High Wind in West Virginia, January 18, 1999
- Damaging Wind in New Jersey, January 18, 1999
- Winter Weather in Maine, January 18 to 19, 1999
- Hail in Alabama, January 18, 1999
More
Every storm in Iowa in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5684704, 5684705, 5684797, 5684798, 5684799, 5684800, 5684801, 5684802, 5684803, 5684804.