An upper level disturbance that lifted across the central plains caused a weak area of low pressure to lift across the area. The disturbance brought slightly milder and moister air aloft which produced freezing rain with pockets of substantial glazing.
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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 OAX wrote it up.
An upper level disturbance that lifted across the central plains caused a weak area of low pressure to lift across the area. The disturbance brought slightly milder and moister air aloft which produced freezing rain with pockets of substantial glazing. The hardest hit area was north through east of Omaha with some areas northeast of Omaha, especially around the Harlan area, picking up between 1/2 and 1 inch of ice. The weight of the ice caused tree damage and power outages. Some schools in the area were closed for 2 days because of lack of power and/or slick roads. Thousands of customers lost power, some for at least several days, with the hardest hit area from around Sioux City southeast through Harlan.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Freezing rain accumulated between 1/2 inch and 1 inch over much of the county. Although winds weren't particularly strong, the weight of the ice caused substantial tree damage and also power outages.
Freezing rain accumulated around 1/2 inch over much of the county. Although winds weren't particularly strong, the weight of the ice caused scattered tree damage and power outages.
Freezing rain accumulated between 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch over much of the county. Although winds weren't particularly strong, the weight of the ice caused areas of tree damage and scattered power outages.
Freezing rain accumulated between 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch over much of the county. Although winds weren't particularly strong, the weight of the ice caused areas of tree damage and scattered power outages.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, January 2010
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 202910, 202911, 202912, 202913.