Iowa, 2023

Winter Storm in Iowa, January 28, 2023

January 28, 2023 · NWS DMX · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A low underwent lee cyclogenesis east of the Rockies, lifting towards Iowa and bringing a band of snow across central to northern Iowa. Snow amounts were in the four to six inch range, but were accompanied by wind gusts of 40 to 47 mph throughout the event thanks to a tight pressure gradient across the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 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
16

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.

A low underwent lee cyclogenesis east of the Rockies, lifting towards Iowa and bringing a band of snow across central to northern Iowa. Snow amounts were in the four to six inch range, but were accompanied by wind gusts of 40 to 47 mph throughout the event thanks to a tight pressure gradient across the area.

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 Jan 27, 5:23 PM CST, 9 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 27, 5:23 PM CST, 9 hours 37 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 27, 2:59 PM CST, 12 hours 1 minute 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

16 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Kossuth

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Kossuth forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
43.204, -94.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Palo Alto

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Palo Alto forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Pocahontas

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Pocahontas forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.734, -94.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Sac

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Sac forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.386, -95.105 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Calhoun

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Calhoun forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.385, -94.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Webster

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Webster forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.428, -94.182 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Humboldt

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Humboldt forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.777, -94.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Hancock

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hancock forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
43.082, -93.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Cerro Gordo

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Cerro Gordo forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
43.082, -93.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Wright

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Wright forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.733, -93.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Hamilton

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hamilton forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.384, -93.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Hardin

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hardin forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.384, -93.240 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Franklin

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.733, -93.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Butler

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Butler forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.732, -92.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Grundy

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Grundy forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.402, -92.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

Winter Storm, Black Hawk

When
January 28, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Black Hawk forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.470, -92.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.

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

More

Every storm in Iowa in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, January 2023

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1075290, 1075292, 1075293, 1075294, 1075295, 1075296, 1075297, 1075298, 1075299, 1075300, 1075301, 1075302, 1075303, 1075304, 1075305, 1075307.