Iowa, 1999

Drought in Iowa, November 1 to 30, 1999

November 1 to 30, 1999 · NWS FSD · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

Generally dry weather that began in August continued through November. Dry surface and soil conditions became quite pronounced in November.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 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
11

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 FSD wrote it up.

Generally dry weather that began in August continued through November. Dry surface and soil conditions became quite pronounced in November. Water levels fell, especially in small streams and lakes. The area experienced the third driest fall (September through November) period on record. Unusually warm weather during the month contributed to the drying.One noticeable manifestation of the dry conditions was the large number of grass fires across the area. While damage was mainly limited to the grasslands, considerable manpower and expense was needed to fight the fires. Burning had to be restricted, causing some economic impact. Although most of the fires did not start naturally, the extremely dry conditions and in some cases strong winds exacerbated the fires.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Buena Vista

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Buena Vista forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.736, -95.151 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cherokee

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cherokee forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.736, -95.624 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Clay

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.083, -95.151 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dickinson

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Dickinson forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.378, -95.151 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Ida

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Ida forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.387, -95.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lyon

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lyon forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.381, -96.210 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, O'Brien

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
O'Brien forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.084, -95.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Osceola

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Osceola forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.379, -95.624 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Plymouth

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Plymouth forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.738, -96.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Sioux

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Sioux forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.083, -96.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Woodbury

When
November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Woodbury forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.390, -96.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

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, November 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: 5720911, 5720912, 5720913, 5720914, 5720915, 5720916, 5720917, 5720918, 5720919, 5720920, 5720921.