Iowa, 2024

Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 12 to 14, 2024

January 12 to 14, 2024 · NWS ARX · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

A second heavy snowfall event concluded a multi-day winter event in northeast Iowa on January 12th. An initial narrow band of snowfall with up to 1 per hour rates bifurcated northeast Iowa during the morning hours.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
$2,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 ARX wrote it up.

A second heavy snowfall event concluded a multi-day winter event in northeast Iowa on January 12th. An initial narrow band of snowfall with up to 1 per hour rates bifurcated northeast Iowa during the morning hours. Widespread increased winds of 30 to 45 mph exacerbated travel impacts with limited visibilities seen on roadside cameras in parts of northeast Iowa. Narrow bands of increased snowfall rates above 1 per hour with wind gusts of 45 mph resulted in localized, short-lived whiteout conditions and rapidly deteriorating, hazardous road conditions. The limited visibilities resulted in the Iowa Department of Transportation immobilizing snow removal equipment in Clayton and Chickasaw Counties during the overnight hours. This narrow corridor of increased snowfall resulted in highly variable storm total accumulations, highest in far northeast Iowa towards the Mississippi River. Higher accumulations of 5 to 8 were reported in far northeast Iowa with maximum values of 10.0 in Stanley (Fayette County) and Monona (Clayton County). Iowa State Patrol reported frequent spin offs and automobile accidents across northeast Iowa.

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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 11, 10:05 PM CST, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 10:05 PM CST, 4 hours 10 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 11, 3:01 PM CST, 11 hours 14 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

5 winter storm, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Clayton

When
January 12, 2:15 AM CST to 2:30 PM CST
Where
Clayton forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
42.845, -91.341 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A volunteer observer reported 10.0 of snowfall in Monona.

Winter Storm, Fayette

When
January 12, 3:15 AM CST to 11:30 AM CST
Where
Fayette forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
42.863, -91.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A volunteer observer reported 7.5 of snowfall in Randalia.

Winter Storm, Winneshiek

When
January 12, 3:15 AM CST to 3:45 PM CST
Where
Winneshiek forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.291, -91.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A volunteer observer reported 6.0 of snowfall in Decorah.

Winter Storm, Allamakee

When
January 12, 4:45 AM CST to 10:30 PM CST
Where
Allamakee forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.284, -91.378 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A volunteer observer reported 7.5 of snowfall in Harpers Ferry.

Winter Storm, Chickasaw

When
January 12, 7:30 AM CST to 3:30 PM CST
Where
Chickasaw forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.060, -92.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A volunteer observer reported 7.6 of snowfall in New Hampton.

Winter Weather, Fayette

When
January 14, 12:00 AM CST to 3:00 AM CST
Where
Fayette forecast zone
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
42.863, -91.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Fayette County Sheriff's Office reported a vehicle in a roadside ditch and a large snow drift in the roadway.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
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 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, January 2024

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: 1158114, 1158116, 1158118, 1158111, 1158112, 1158221.