Iowa, 2020

Winter Weather in Iowa, January 15, 2020

January 15, 2020 · NWS FSD · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A weak system traversed the area in the early morning hours of January 15. Lacking deep saturation, most precipitation fell as light freezing rain or freezing drizzle, intermixed with a variety of solid types at times.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
$10,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

A weak system traversed the area in the early morning hours of January 15. Lacking deep saturation, most precipitation fell as light freezing rain or freezing drizzle, intermixed with a variety of solid types at times.

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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 15, 2:54 AM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 15, 2:54 AM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, O'Brien

When
January 15, 4:30 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where
O'Brien forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
43.084, -95.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wintry mix of precipitation fell prior to and during the morning commute time. Roads quickly became ice-covered. Shortly after precipitation ended, around 1040CST, a northbound semi-truck lost control and crossed the center line on U.S. Highway 59 about a mile south of Primghar. A southbound vehicle attempted to avoid a collision, but was hit by the semi, which spun and rolled the vehicle in the west ditch, fortunately without injury to the driver. Property damage costs are rough estimates.

Winter Weather, Dickinson

When
January 15, 5:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where
Dickinson forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
43.378, -95.151 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wintry mix fell prior to and during the morning commute. Roads quickly became ice-covered and dangerous with several accidents reported.

Winter Weather, Clay

When
January 15, 5:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
43.083, -95.151 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wintry mix fell prior to and during the morning commute. Roads quickly became ice-covered and dangerous.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Iowa in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, January 2020

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 873999, 874000, 874001.