Blizzard in Iowa, December 18, 2000

Name: Blizzard in Iowa, December 18, 2000
Start: 2000-12-18T09:00
End: 2000-12-18T16:00
Location: Iowa

December 18, 2000 · NWS DMX · 37 events in 37 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 37 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $925,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 37

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 DMX wrote it up.

A weather feature dropped out of southern Alberta, through eastern Montana, then eventually southeast into Missouri. Though not a classic clipper type storm, the storm did produce many of the characteristic. The snow began to become convective during the early morning hours with heavy snow reported over a large part of the northwest half of Iowa. Snow fell at the rate of one to two inches per hour for a two to three hour period. A large area of five to eight inch snowfall was reported from southwest Iowa toward the Waterloo area. Some of the heavier amounts were in Hamilton County, where eight inches was report in Jewell. There were numerous reports of six to seven inches of snow. Gusty northwest winds moved in behind the low during the morning and continued through much of the afternoon. The snow was fluffy in nature and was easy to blow. Whiteout conditions were reported in rural areas of winds of 30 to 45 MPH picked up the snow. Many roads were drifted shut, businesses, and schools closed for the day. Conditions began to improve during the evening, though drifting continued to be a problem through much of the night.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

37 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Adair

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Adair forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.331, -94.471 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Adams

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.029, -94.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Audubon

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Audubon forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.685, -94.906 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Black Hawk

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Black Hawk forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.470, -92.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Boone

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.037, -93.932 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Bremer

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Bremer forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.775, -92.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Butler

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Butler forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.732, -92.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Calhoun

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Calhoun forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.385, -94.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Carroll

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Carroll forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.036, -94.861 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Cass

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.332, -94.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Cerro Gordo

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Cerro Gordo forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.082, -93.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Crawford

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Crawford forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.037, -95.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Dallas

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Dallas forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.685, -94.040 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Emmet

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Emmet forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.378, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Franklin

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.733, -93.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Greene

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Greene forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.036, -94.397 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Grundy

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Grundy forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.402, -92.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Guthrie

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Guthrie forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.684, -94.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hamilton

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.384, -93.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hancock

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hancock forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.082, -93.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hardin

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hardin forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.384, -93.240 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Humboldt

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Humboldt forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.777, -94.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Kossuth

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Kossuth forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.204, -94.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Madison

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.331, -94.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Marshall

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.036, -92.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Palo Alto

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Palo Alto forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Pocahontas

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Pocahontas forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.734, -94.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Polk

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.686, -93.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Sac

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Sac forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.386, -95.105 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Story

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Story forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.036, -93.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Taylor

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.737, -94.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Union

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.028, -94.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Warren

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.334, -93.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Webster

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.428, -94.182 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Winnebago

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Winnebago forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.378, -93.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Worth

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Worth forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.377, -93.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Wright

When: December 18, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Wright forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.733, -93.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, December 2000

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: 5166153, 5166154, 5166155, 5166156, 5166157, 5166158, 5166159, 5166160, 5166161, 5166162, 5166163, 5166297, 5166298, 5166299, 5166300, 5166301, 5166302, 5166303, 5166304, 5166305, 5166306, 5166307, 5166308, 5166309, 5166310, 5166311, 5166312, 5166313, 5166314, 5166315, 5166316, 5166317, 5166318, 5166319, 5166320, 5166321, 5166686.