Heat in Iowa

Events

373

Deaths

4

Injuries

22

Damage

$500

• Tornado and Heat in Iowa, July 17, 20061 death · $1.2 million · F0 · 15 eventsA very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa during the afternoon of the 17th, though it was also quite capped. The 700 mb temperature was in the 14 to 15 C. range, making it difficult for thunderstorm activity to initiate.
• Flash Flood and Heat in Iowa, June 10 to 11, 20161 death · $96,000 · 1 in hail · 21 eventsA sagging cold front in central and southern Minnesota initiated a number of storms on the afternoon of the 10th. While the boundary did not continue its march southward into Iowa, the storms continued to progress southeastward, eventually entering Iowa.
• Heat in Iowa, August 5, 20011 death · 51 eventsVery warm and humid conditions that began in the last part of July continued into August. Temperatures during the day warmed into the 90s, with overnight lows remaining in the 70s. Dew point temperatures held in the mid 70s to low 80s through most of the time.
• Heat in Iowa, June 30, 20191 death · 11 eventsWith temperatures peaking in the mid to upper 90's and dew points in the lower to mid 70's, heat index values ranged from 100 to 108 during the afternoon and early evening hours.
• Flash Flood and Flooding in Iowa, June 24 to 30, 2024$2.4 million · 2.5 in hail · 23 eventsA series of shortwave troughs traversing the northern CONUS brought unsettled weather to the area for the end of June. On the 21st, a stationary front was draped across northeast Nebraska into Iowa.
• Heat in Iowa, July 25 to 27, 199712 injured · $500 · 22 eventsHeat and high humidity teamed together produced excessive heat index values reaching 105 to 110 during the day.
• Heat in Iowa, July 28 to 29, 199910 injured · 11 eventsExcessive heat occurred with heat indices above 120 degrees. Several cattle were reported lost, and several people were treated for heat exhaustion.
• Heat in Iowa, July 19 to 31, 199922 eventsA strong ridge of high pressure over the central U.S. produced very hot and humid conditions over the midwest from mid to late July. Heat advisories and warnings were issued for portions of eastern Iowa during the period.
• Heat in Iowa, August 26 to 30, 201321 eventsA large, nearly stationary upper level high centered over eastern Kansas and Missouri and a dome of unseasonably warm air aloft dominated the weather picture from August 26 through August 30, 2013. This was the hottest weather of the entire summer.
• Heat in Iowa, August 31, 200011 eventsA frontal boundary stalled to the south of the region. Southerly winds ahead of the front pumped hot and humid air northward into the region. Temperatures topped out in the lower to middle 90s.
• Heat in Iowa, July 11 to 12, 201811 eventsSignificant evapotranspiration along with very warm temperatures within a strong ridge of high pressure aloft produced dangerous heat index values from 100 to 105 over a two-day period.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, June 29, 201911 eventsOppressive temperatures in the mid 90's to around 100 degrees along with dew point readings in the mid to upper 70's produced very dangerous heat conditions with heat index readings in excess of 105 degrees for much of the afternoon and early evening.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, July 31, 202411 eventsPooling moisture ahead of a frontal boundary pushed dew point readings into the upper 70s and lower 80s, and temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s produced heat index values from 100 to 113 degrees.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, August 5, 202411 eventsAreas ahead of a weak frontal boundary exhibited pooling of moisture with dew point readings into the upper 70s to lower 80s.
• Heat in Iowa, August 2 to 3, 202411 eventsStagnant conditions south of a stalled frontal boundary across North Dakota and central Minnesota led to high dew points and very warm conditions across the region. Afternoon and early evening heat index values varied from 100 to 110 degrees each afternoon.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, August 15 to 17, 202511 eventsHeat and moisture pooled near and south of a nearly stationary frontal boundary across eastern South Dakota and southern Minnesota.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, July 21 to 23, 202511 eventsMoisture pooled in the vicinity of a nearly stationary boundary early on July 21, which slowly worked northward as a warm front over the next two days while a large upper level ridge expanded across the Northern Plains.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, June 29, 202611 eventsA large high pressure system parked over the Mississippi River Valley, bringing several days of hot, southerly flow across the region.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, August 8 to 12, 20109 eventsA ridge of high pressure aloft over the plains allowed a prolonged period of hot and very humid conditions to persist across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa for a large part of the second week of August.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Iowa, August 8, 20259 eventsHigh levels of moisture pooled along and ahead of an outflow boundary across eastern South Dakota and southwest Minnesota with dew point readings into the the upper 70s to lower 80s.
• Heat in Iowa, July 4 to 5, 19998 eventsHigh humidity combined with afternoon temperatures of 95 to 100 to produce heat indices of 105 to 115.There were no deaths directly related to the excessive heat and humidity.
• Heat in Iowa, July 23 to 25, 19998 eventsExcessive heat and humidity affected northeast Iowa for three consecutive days. Afternoon highs reached into the 90s, producing afternoon heat indices of 105 to 115 . No deaths directly related to the heat were reported.
• Heat in Iowa, July 19 to 30, 19998 eventsFrom July 19th through the 30th high temperatures over eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa reached 90 degrees or better for all but a day or two, and even then highs were well into the 80s. In addition...overnight lows stayed mostly above 70 degrees.
• Heat in Iowa, July 28 to 30, 19998 eventsYet another period of excessive heat and humidity affected northeast Iowa. Afternoon highs reached the middle 90s to 100, while heat indices of 110 to 120 were common. No deaths directly related to the oppressive heat and humidity were reported.
• Heat in Iowa, July 31, 20018 eventsHigh humidity combined with temperatures in the middle to upper 90s produced heat indices of 105 to 115. The dangerous heat continued to affect northeast Iowa during the first week and a half of August.

Heat everywhereEvery kind of event in Iowa

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.