Iowa, 2020

Ice Storm in Iowa, November 10, 2020

November 10, 2020 · NWS OAX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An ice storm began late Nov 9 and continued into Nov 10. It led to power outages and tree damage across 11 counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 OAX wrote it up.

An ice storm began late Nov 9 and continued into Nov 10. It led to power outages and tree damage across 11 counties. The maximum ice measurement was 1.06 inches. Counties in colder air received less and significantly more snow with a maximum of 10 inches record.

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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 9, 11:28 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 9, 11:28 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 9, 9:26 PM CST, 3 hours 34 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

1 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Monona

When
November 10, 1:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Monona forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.052, -95.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Emergency Manager reported ice and power outages across the county.

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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, November 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 928174.