Blizzard in Iowa
Every blizzard event the National Weather Service has filed in Iowa, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
The most significant on the map
The most significant blizzard episodes in Iowa.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 1,703
- Deaths
- 9
- Injuries
- 29
- Damage
- $25 million
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 20, 2012Part 2 of 2: The seasons first major winter storm moved into Iowa during the late afternoon and evening of the 19th and continued into the day on the 20th and became a blizzard for much of the Des Moines CWA.
- Blizzard in Iowa, January 25 to 26, 2010After a warm weekend, cold air pushed southeast across Iowa on the 24th into the 25th. A strong upper level low pressure system rotated south around the primary closed low centered over the Great Lakes during the day on the 25th.
- Blizzard in Iowa, January 18, 1996
- Blizzard in Iowa, January 8, 2015Low pressure passed to the north of Iowa. A trough of low pressure extended south from the low and swept across the state. The airmass was cold with Arctic air in place.
- Blizzard in Iowa, February 1 to 2, 2011A tremendous blizzard, one of the worst in memory, impacted much of the region on February 1-2, 2011, as deep low pressure tracked from Texas to southern Indiana. Snowfall totals ranged from 10 to 20 inches with drifts as high as 7 feet.
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 8 to 9, 2009Snowfall of 4 to 10 inches over all of northwest Iowa was accompanied by north to northwest winds sustained at 30 to 40 mph, with some gusts over 50 mph. The combination of snow and strong winds created widespread blizzard conditions with visibilities near zero.
- Blizzard in Iowa, January 14 to 15, 2021A strong northwesterly jet streak digging through the central Rockies produced intense and deep cyclogenesis across Iowa on January 14 and 15.
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 11 to 12, 2010The seasons first widespread major storm struck the state on the 11th, and continued into the early morning hours of the 12th. A strong upper level system intensified over the central U.S. from the 10th into the 11th.
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 8 to 9, 2009An intense low pressure system moved into southern California during the afternoon and evening of the 7th, then tracked northeast across the central U.S.
- Blizzard and Lightning Strike in Iowa, March 1 to 2, 2007A major winter storm developed over the central U.S. as a strong upper level system move in on the southern jet stream. The system came through as a bowling ball type event as the upper low first became negatively tilted, then closed off over Iowa.
- Blizzard in Iowa, March 25, 1996A 35 year old woman died in the blizzard west of Algona. She left Algona by car and became stuck in the snow. In an attempt to find help, she froze to death about 2 1/2 miles west of town.
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 18, 2000A weather feature dropped out of southern Alberta, through eastern Montana, then eventually southeast into Missouri. Though not a classic clipper type storm, the storm did produce many of the characteristic.
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 16, 2000A powerful storm system moved through the central U.S. during the day on the 16th. Low pressure tracked southeast into northern Missouri, then tracked northeast into the Great Lakes. Behind the low was a strong Arctic high pressure area.
- Blizzard in Iowa, February 1 to 2, 2011A powerful storm system moved into the southwest U.S. on January 31st into the 1st The system moved east-northeast across the southern U.S. on the 1st into early the 2nd. Surface low pressure developed over west Texas.
- Blizzard in Iowa, December 21, 2000Deep snow cover was in place over Iowa. Though no new snow fell during the day on the 21st, a strong push of cold air moved into the state during the afternoon.
- Blizzard in Iowa, February 20 to 21, 2014Low pressure developed over southwest Kansas during the night of the 19th into the day on the 20th. The low turned northeast through Missouri into east central Iowa by the afternoon of the 20th.
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Iowa, January 11 to 13, 2024A Colorado low lifted out of the Rockies and into the midwest beginning January 11th. Effects of the system would last for several days with heavy snow, strong winds and blizzard conditions, followed by bitter cold.
- Blizzard and High Wind in Iowa, March 4 to 5, 2025An intense low pressure system brought strong winds and blizzard conditions to much of Iowa from late on March 4th into March 5th. Once rain transitioned to snowfall overnight, wind gusts of up to 68 mph created whiteout conditions in many areas.
- Blizzard in Iowa, January 28 to 29, 1996A strong Arctic cold front dropped southeast across Iowa during the late afternoon and evening hours. At the same time, low pressure intensified to the northeast of Iowa producing a strong pressure gradient.
- Blizzard in Iowa, January 26 to 27, 1996
- Blizzard in Iowa, March 24 to 25, 1996Snow, preceeded by freezing rain, accumulated 3 to 6 inches and was accompanied by winds over 60 mph. Several accidents occurred, mostly due to the slippery conditions near the start of the storm. Many people in vehicles were stranded.
- Blizzard in Iowa, February 25, 2001A powerful late winter storm moved through the central u.s. on the 24th and 25. Low pressure formed over eastern Colorado and tracked into southwest Iowa by the evening of the 24th.
- Blizzard in Iowa, January 9 to 11, 1997Strong winds gusting as high as 60 mph combined with loose snow cover and 1 to 3 inches of new snow to produce widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions.
- Blizzard in Iowa, November 10, 1998Snow accumulating 2 to 12 inches combined with winds stronger than 60 mph caused damage to trees and power lines with resultant power outages. Because of blowing and drifting snow with zero visibilities, many roads were closed and people were stranded in vehicles.
- Blizzard and Extreme Cold in Iowa, December 22 to 24, 2022A large winter system impacted Iowa and much of the Midwest in the days leading up to Christmas 2022. Snow began to fall across Iowa on the 21st and lasted through the morning of the 22nd, blanketing most of the state in a widespread depth of two to four inches.
More
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.