Winter Storm in Iowa, February 12 to 13, 2007

Name: Winter Storm in Iowa, February 12 to 13, 2007
Start: 2007-02-12T22:30
End: 2007-02-13T17:30
Location: Iowa

February 12 to 13, 2007 · NWS DMX · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

Low pressure formed over the Texas Panhandle during the afternoon of the 12th. This was one of the few systems that formed in the southern stream during this winter season.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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.

Low pressure formed over the Texas Panhandle during the afternoon of the 12th. This was one of the few systems that formed in the southern stream during this winter season. The low drew moisture north from the Gulf of Mexico overnight with dew points in the 40s and 50s feeding the system. A large cloud shield formed with Iowa located in the deformation zone of the storm. Snow broke out over the state during the late evening hours and picked up overnight. A strong feed of Arctic air fed into the system from the north. The drier air from the north, combined with strong convection to the south, resulted in a limitation of snowfall amounts. As the low moved east overnight it intensified over Arkansas, then continued moving northeast into eastern Kentucky by the afternoon of the 13th. The pressure gradient increased over the state with northeast to north winds of 20 to 25 mph, gusting to 35 mph, common over the state by the early morning hours of the 13th. The snow was quite dry and accumulated to 3 to 6 inches across much of the southeast half of the state. Heaviest snow was along the Missouri border with Centerville and Corydon both reporting about 6 inches of accumulation. The gusty winds produced considerable drifting of the snow and areas of blowing snow developed. Travel was not recommended over areas south of Interstate 80 and east of Interstate 35 by daybreak on the 13th. Car wrecks were numerous with some roads drifting shut. The combination of the fluffy snow, gusty winds, and temperatures falling into the teens resulted in a very hazardous situation.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 12, 9:15 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 12, 9:15 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
915 PM CST MON FEB 12 2007

.DISCUSSION...

WILL CONTINUE CURRENT HEADLINES...THOUGH SOME INDICATION THAT
DEF ZONE WILL JUST BRUSH ACROSS NORTHERN MISSOURI AND UP TO ABOUT
INTERSTATE 80 WHICH WOULD LESSEN AMOUNTS NORTH OF THAT LINE. ALSO
HAVE TO FACTOR IN PERSISTENT NORTHEAST FLOW WHICH HAS RESULTED IN
SLOWER ONSET OF PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER...WINDS STILL EXPECTED TO
REMAIN STRONG AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS SO BLOWING
SNOW SHOULD STILL BE A PROBLEM THROUGH 18Z WITH LIGHT SNOW
CONTINUING THROUGH MORNING AS EXTENDED PERIOD OF LIFT REMAINS. FEEL
THAT THE TALLY WILL BE CLOSER TO 4 TO 7 ACROSS THE WARNING AREA WITH
THE HEAVIER TOTALS IN THE FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES./REV

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...

FIRST S/WV HAS MOVED OUT OF THE STATE AND MAIN SYS IS NOW LIFTING
OUT OF THE SWRN U.S.  GOING FORECASTS HAVE THINGS PRETTY WELL IN
HAND, HOWEVER THERE ARE A COUPLE AREAS OF CONCERN.  ONE IS THE
CONVECTION OVER THE S CNTRL STATES.  THIS WILL CONSOLIDATE MOISTURE,
CUTTING OFF SOME OF THE INFLOW INTO THE SYSTEM.  THE SECOND CONCERN
IS THE DRY SLOT THAT HAS BEEN PUSHING NEWD ACRS THE TX AND OK PNHDL
AREA AT 35 TO 40 KTS.  THIS WOULD PUSH THROUGH THE THE SERN CWA
SOMETIME AROUND 09Z.  STILL FEEL SCNDRY DEF ZONE WILL FORM AND
THEREFORE WILL CONT WITH THE WARNING.  THINKING ATTM IS THE WESTERN
AND NORTHERN TIER OF COUNTIES MAY FALL A LITTLE SHORT OF WARNING
CRITERIA.  SERN ZONES LOOK SOLID HOWEVER, ESPECIALLY SW OF A
MONTEZUMA TO CORYDON LINE.  MOST OF THE SNOW WILL FALL IN THE
04Z-12Z TIME FRAME ACROSS THE CWA.  OVER THE REST OF THE STATE, WILL
CONT THE ADVY AND FEEL BLSN WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN OPEN
AREAS.  GOOD GRAD WEST OF THE LOW WILL PRODUCE PLENTY OF BLSN LATER
TNGT INTO TUE WITH ARCTIC AIR SPILLING INTO THE STATE.  TEMPS
EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY FALL THRU TNGT INTO TUE.

.LONG TERM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...
ARCTIC AIRMASS WILL MOVE INTO CENTRAL IOWA WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE
STORM SYSTEM LATE TUESDAY.  CLOUD COVER WILL PREVENT TEMPS FROM
FALLING OFF THE CHART TUESDAY NIGHT BUT CLOUDS CLEAR ON WEDNESDAY
AND THE RIDGE AXIS REMAINS TO OUR WEST KEEPING A NORTHERLY FLOW OVER
CENTRAL IOWA.  TEMPS SHOULD FALL INTO THE 5 TO 10 BELOW RANGE FOR
THIS PERIOD. BY THURSDAY WE BEGIN TO GET INTO RETURN FLOW SO AFTER A
COLD START TEMPS SHOULD REBOUND INTO THE TEENS AND 20S.  BY FRIDAY
STRONG WAA TAKES HOLD AHEAD OF ANOTHER SYSTEM PUSHING OUT OF THE
NORTHERN PLAINS.  THIS SYSTEM DOES GET SOME UPPER SUPPORT FROM A
SHORTWAVE SWINGING ACROSS DURING THE DAY.  ECMWF AND GFS ARE ALL
FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN PRODUCING SOME SNOW AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES.
WE GET BACK INTO THE COOLER AIR FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY BEFORE A
REALLY STRONG SURGE OF WARM AIR SUNDAY AND MONDAY.  I PLAYED TEMPS
LOWER KEY FOR NOW GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY OF HOW MUCH SNOW WELL SEE
AND WHERE BUT HIGH TEMPS TEMPS IN THE 30S AND 40S COULD BE A REALITY
LATE IN THE WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST TUESDAY FOR
APPANOOSE-CLARKE-DAVIS-DECATUR-JASPER-LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION-MA
RSHALL-MONROE-POLK-POWESHIEK-RINGGOLD-STORY-TAMA-UNION-WAPELLO-WARREN
-WAYNE.

SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY CONTINUES THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST
TUESDAY FOR ADAIR-ADAMS-AUDUBON-BLACK
HAWK-BOONE-BREMER-BUTLER-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CASS-CERRO
GORDO-CRAWFORD-DALLAS-EMMET-FRANKLIN-GREENE-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-HAMILTON-H
ANCOCK-HARDIN-HUMBOLDT-KOSSUTH-PALO
ALTO-POCAHONTAS-SAC-TAYLOR-WEBSTER-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT.

&&

MS/FAB

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 12, 5:10 PM CST, 5 hours 20 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...OUTDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
510 PM CST MON FEB 12 2007

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-047-131145-
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-
255 PM CST MON FEB 12 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
IOWA MAINLY NORTH OF HIGHWAY 30.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SNOW WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. SEVERAL INCHES OF
ACCUMULATION ARE EXPECTED. IN ADDITION...INCREASING NORTHEAST
WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL PRODUCE CONSIDERABLE
BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA TONIGHT.
PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

ACCUMULATING SNOW ALONG WITH BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. TOTAL SNOW FALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5
INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED FROM TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.

DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS AROUND 20 TO 25 BELOW ZERO ARE POSSIBLE
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA
TUESDAY MORNING. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THOUGH SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE
ALWAYS APPRECIATED.

IAZ048>050-059>062-072>075-082>086-093>097-131145-
STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-MADISON-WARREN-
MARION-MAHASKA-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-
WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-
255 PM CST MON FEB 12 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST OF A MOUNT AYR TO AMES TO
TAMA LINE.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SNOW WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES.
SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION ARE EXPECTED. LIGHT FREEZING RAIN
WILL BE MIXED WITH THE SNOW FROM U.S. HIGHWAY 34 SOUTH THIS
EVENING.  IN ADDITION...INCREASING NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH
WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL PRODUCE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF
SNOW. VISIBILITIES WILL DROP AT OR BELOW ONE QUARTER OF A MILE AT
TIMES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. TOTAL
SNOW FALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 7 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS CAN BE EXPECTED FROM TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.

DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS AROUND 20 TO 25 BELOW ZERO ARE POSSIBLE
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THOUGH SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE
ALWAYS APPRECIATED.

IAZ044>046-057-058-070-071-081-092-131145-
CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-ADAIR-ADAMS-TAYLOR-
255 PM CST MON FEB 12 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND
WEST CENTRAL IOWA MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF A BEDFORD TO JEFFERSON
LINE.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SNOW WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. SEVERAL INCHES OF
ACCUMULATION ARE EXPECTED. SOME FREEZING RAIN WILL BE MIXED WITH THE
SNOW EARLY THIS EVENING.  IN ADDITION...INCREASING NORTHEAST WINDS
OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL PRODUCE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING
AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE
REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

ACCUMULATING SNOW ALONG WITH BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. TOTAL SNOW FALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5
INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED FROM TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.

DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS AROUND 20 TO 25 BELOW ZERO ARE POSSIBLE
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA TUESDAY
MORNING. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THOUGH SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE
ALWAYS APPRECIATED.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Polk

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.686, -93.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jasper

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Jasper forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.686, -93.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Poweshiek

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Poweshiek forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.686, -92.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Madison

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.331, -94.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Warren

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.334, -93.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Marion

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Marion forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.334, -93.099 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Mahaska

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Mahaska forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.335, -92.641 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Union

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.028, -94.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clarke

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Clarke forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lucas

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Lucas forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.328 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Monroe

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Monroe forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.030, -92.869 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wapello

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Wapello forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.031, -92.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Ringgold

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Ringgold forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.735, -94.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Decatur

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Decatur forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.738, -93.786 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wayne

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.740, -93.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Appanoose

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Appanoose forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.743, -92.869 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Davis

When: February 12, 10:30 PM CST to February 13, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Davis forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.748, -92.410 (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

Every storm in Iowa in 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, February 2007

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: 7938, 7939, 7940, 7941, 7942, 7943, 7944, 7945, 7946, 7947, 7948, 7949, 7950, 7951, 7952, 7953, 7954.