A widespread and crippling ice/snow storm affected eastern Iowa, northwest and western Illinois, and extreme northeast Missouri on February 24, 2007. This massive ice storm was the worst to affect the region since January 22-23, 1965.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS DVN wrote it up.
A widespread and crippling ice/snow storm affected eastern Iowa, northwest and western Illinois, and extreme northeast Missouri on February 24, 2007. This massive ice storm was the worst to affect the region since January 22-23, 1965. Ice accumulations of around one inch were common, with some reports to near two inches! To make matters worse, east winds gusting over 50 mph, combined with the heavy ice accumulation, brought down numerous tree branches and power lines, along with several thousand power poles. There were even whole trees crashing down from the weight of the ice. Widespread power outages occurred, affecting over 180,000 people, which lasted more than a week in some of the rural areas. Many shelters were opened to accommodate those without power. The governor of Iowa declared much of the state a disaster area, and requested President Bush to declare much of eastern Iowa a federal disaster area. In the northern portions of the region in the colder air, snow was the problem. Accumulations of up to 7 inches occurred, with strong winds combining to create blizzard conditions. Considering the magnitude of the storm, remarkably no direct deaths were reported.
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 Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 3:15 AM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 315 AM CST SAT FEB 24 2007 .DISCUSSION... ...INTENSE AND EXTREME WINTER STORM TO IMPACT AREA NEXT 24-36 HOURS... WILL TEND TO BE CONCISE DUE TO STRENGTH AND COMPLEXITY OF SYSTEM. KEY IS HIGH CONFIDENCE ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH ONLY QUESTION TRANSITION ZONES FROM SNOW...SLEET...FREEZING RAIN...RAIN...ROUGHLY 20-30 NM EITHER WAY AS SYSTEM DEVELOPS. FOR MORE SPECIFICS ON METEOROLOGY ISSUES PLEASE REVIEW LAST NIGHT/S FORECAST DISCUSSION...CHIAFDDVN AS ALL STILL APPLY. EVAPORATIVE COOLING WILL TRANSITION INTENSE FORCING OF RAIN TO SLEET AND THEN SNOW NORTH OF HIGHWAY 34. VERY STRONG EAST WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH ISOLATED GUSTS TO 50+ MPH TODAY INTO THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF I-80. STILL MOST AREAS TO RECEIVE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION TO KEEP FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT GOING. ONE ITEM NOT INCLUDED IN FORECAST IS ISOLATED THUNDER DUE TO INTENSE UVVS. REASON LEFT OUT IS MAKES FORECAST TOO COMPLEX AND SECONDARY TO WINTER WEATHER SITUATION. HIGHWAY 20 CORRIDOR...WENT 12 TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS BY PM WITH WINDS. THUS WENT WITH BLIZZARD WARNING. COULD SEE INITIALLY A TENTH OF AN INCH OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET BEFORE TRANSITION. HIGHWAY 30 CORRIDOR...ICE UP TO A QUARTER INCH WITH SNOW AMOUNTS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES WITH AGAIN NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS LATE PM. WENT WINTER STORM WARNING EXCEPT NEAR CID WHERE INCLUDED IN BLIZZARD WARNING. THIS ENTIRE AREA MAY NEED UPGRADING TO BLIZZARD WARNING LATER TODAY. ALONG I-80...MAJOR ICE OF QUARTER TO HALF INCH OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET CHANGING TO SNOW LATE PM INTO EVENING HOURS. SNOW AMOUNTS TO VARY FROM 3 TO 8 INCHES DUE TO CONVECTIVE NATURE...MAINLY HIGHER NORTH OF I-80 AND LOWER SOUTH OF I-80. STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT POWER OUTAGES. WENT WITH WINTER STORM WARNING. HIGHWAY 92...SIGOURNEY TO MONMOUTH...MAJOR ICE EVENT WITH HALF INCH OR MORE OF FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WITH PERIODS OF SNOW MIXED IN. SNOW AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES. STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT POWER OUTAGES. WENT WITH WINTER STORM WARNING. ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 34...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET TODAY INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. FIVE SEGMENTS...FOUR WARNINGS...BLIZZARD WARNING ALONG HIGHWAY 20... THREE WINTER STORM WARNINGS TIERED BASED ON SNOW/ICE DISTRIBUTION AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FAR SOUTH. WILL EMPHASIZE GRAVITY AND STRENGTH OF WINTER WEATHER IN WSW PRODUCTS. MINOR CHANGES MADE BEYOND SUNDAY NIGHT DUE TO STRENGTH OF SYSTEM. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT ALONG HIGHWAY 20 UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY. WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR HIGHWAY 30 TO HIGHWAY 34 UNTIL 6 PM SUNDAY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 34 UNTIL MIDNIGHT. IL...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT ALONG HIGHWAY 20 UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY. WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR HIGHWAY 30 TO HIGHWAY 34 UNTIL 6 PM SUNDAY. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 34 UNTIL MIDNIGHT. MO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 34 UNTIL MIDNIGHT. && NICHOLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 520 AM CST SAT FEB 24 2007 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007-009 -015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-251100- BENTON IA-BUCHANAN IA-BUREAU IL-CARROLL IL-CEDAR IA-CLARK MO-CLINTON IA-DELAWARE IA-DES MOINES IA-DUBUQUE IA-HANCOCK IL-HENDERSON IL-HENRY IA-HENRY IL-IOWA IA-JACKSON IA-JEFFERSON IA-JO DAVIESS IL-JOHNSON IA- JONES IA-KEOKUK IA-LEE IA-LINN IA-LOUISA IA-MCDONOUGH IL-MERCER IL- MUSCATINE IA-PUTNAM IL-ROCK ISLAND IL-SCOTLAND MO-SCOTT IA- STEPHENSON IL-VAN BUREN IA-WARREN IL-WASHINGTON IA-WHITESIDE IL- 525 AM CST SAT FEB 24 2007 ...POWERFUL...POTENTIALLY CRIPPLING AND DANGEROUS WINTER STORM TODAY INTO SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTHWEST ILLINOIS...WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL IOWA...NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST IOWA AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A VERY INTENSE STORM SYSTEM IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS KANSAS...MISSOURI INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS TODAY AND TONIGHT...SEVERELY IMPACTING THE AREA WITH VERY HIGH SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS. FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA AS THE DAY PROGRESSES...WITH THIS WINTRY MIXTURE SWITCHING OVER TO SNOW THIS AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY TONIGHT. SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF A QUARTER INCH...UP TO A HALF INCH ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TODAY FROM A CEDAR RAPIDS...TO STERLING LINE...DOWN TO THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR. A HALF INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION OR MORE IS EXPECTED FROM JUST SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR...DOWN TO A FAIRFIELD TO MONMOUTH LINE. SOME SLEET ACCUMULATION WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THIS EXTENT OF ICING...COMBINED WITH STRONG EAST WINDS FROM 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH...WILL LIKELY RESULT IN DOWNED TREE BRANCHES AND POWER LINES. THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...THE FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET TURNS TO HEAVY SNOW...STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF THE ROUTE 30 CORRIDOR. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CREATE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS WITH POOR VISIBILITIES OF ONE-QUARTER MILE OR LESS. THESE VERY HAZARDOUS AND LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS WILL LAST WELL INTO SATURDAY NIGHT ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA AND INTO FAR NORTHWEST ILLINOIS. THE ROUTE 20 CORRIDOR CAN EXPECT 10 TO 16 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SOME WHITEOUT AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR DOWN TO THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR BY TONIGHT. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ARE EXPECTED BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON ALONG AN AXIS FROM IOWA CITY...TO CLINTON AND STERLING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 7 INCHES ARE EXPECTED BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR...DOWN TO A FAIRFIELD TO MONMOUTH LINE. SOUTH OF A FAIRFIELD...TO MONMOUTH LINE...FREEZING RAIN WITH ICE ACCUMULATION UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH TODAY MAY CAUSE SOME SLICK SPOTS AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL. FAR SOUTHEAST IOWA...NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS MAY RECEIVE UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW TONIGHT. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS FOR TODAY FOR THE FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS. A BLIZZARD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE HIGHWAY 20 CORRIDOR TODAY AND TONIGHT. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS...ROUGHLY FROM MARENGO TO STERLING...THEN EXTENDING SOUTHWARD TO A FAIRFIELD TO MONMOUTH LINE. SEE LOCAL WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. WIDESPREAD ONE TO TWO INCH LIQUID AMOUNTS FALLING ON PARTIALLY FROZEN GROUND PLUS THICK ICE ON AREA RIVERS WILL CREATE A SITUATION FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING AND POSSIBLY FLASH FLOODING. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM JUST NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR...THEN EXTENDING SOUTH ACROSS THE REST OF SOUTHEAST IOWA...NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD MONITOR THIS SITUATION FOR FURTHER UPDATES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT. ANY ICE AND SNOW REPORTS THIS WEEKEND DURING THE EVENT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. 12/NICHOLS
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
18 ice storm, 3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A spotter in Keosauqua reported 4 inch tree branches down around town. At Farmington, power was out with numerous large trees down blocking roads.
An observer in Stanley measured ice accumulations of 0.8 inches, followed by 4 inches of snow.
The emergency manager at Fairfield reported county wide power outages. Whole trees 3 feet in diameter down, and many 4 to 6 inch branches down.
A trained spotter in What Cheer reported 4 inch diameter tree branches down, with ice accumulations of one inch.
A spotter measured 0.6 inches of ice accumulation.
According to the Mt. Pleasant News, a direct injury from hypothermia occurred in the city of Winfield. An unidentified young woman was found semi-unconscious on February 25, with a low body temperature and transported to a hospital. She was treated and eventually recovered. With the power out due to the ice storm, the temperature in the house dropped into the mid 40s.
A spotter in Burlington reported trees, limbs and power lines down, some blocking roads and on top of cars. Transformers also on fire. Most of city without power. A spotter 3N Burlington reported over 1 1/2 inch thick ice accumulation, with major tree damage to farm. Most trees had at least half their branches broken off. One tree was 100 years old.
A spotter reported one inch accumulation of ice in Tipton. Numerous trees and power lines down in Tipton and throughout the county.
In Eldridge, 2 miles of power poles down on 1st street north of Leclaire road. An NWS employee in Walcott reported tree limbs 4 to 6 inches in diameter broken and one tree down. Power poles also down between Walcott and Blue Grass with power out.
The observer at the Dubuque Regional Airport measured 6.5 inches of snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, February 2007
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: 15957, 15938, 15939, 15946, 15948, 15951, 15953, 15952, 15945, 15943, 15958, 15954, 15949, 15940, 15955, 15950, 15956, 15941, 15942, 15947, 15944.