Heavy Snow in Iowa

Events

1,737

Deaths

3

Injuries

3

Damage

$112 million

• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 26, 19962 deaths · $600,000 · 53 events
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, March 7 to 8, 19981 death · $2.0 million · 41 eventsA powerful storm system developed over the southern Rockies and advanced into the southern Plains. The storm moved northeast across Missouri into Illinois leaving Iowa in the deformation zone for an extended period of time.
• Heavy Snow and Lightning Strike in Iowa, October 26, 1997$90 million · 27 eventsThe first major winter storm of the season developed over the central Rockies as a powerful upper level jet stream dove into the southern Rockies. Intense low pressure developed over northern Oklahoma, then drifted northeast on the early morning of the 26th.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, October 25 to 26, 1997$8.8 million · 6 eventsA major early season snowstorm struck portions of southwestern Iowa, blanketing the area with 6 to 9 inches of heavy wet snow. The snow fell on trees, many of which were still fully or partially leafed, and caused extensive damage and/or total destruction.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 4 to 6, 2005$510,000 · 51 eventsThe seasons first major winter storm hit Iowa from late in the afternoon of the 4th into the predawn hours of the 6th. The storm was a long and drawn out storm with a series of short waves lifting northeast across the area in a broad southwest flow aloft.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, December 7 to 9, 2009$430,000 · 44 eventsAn intense low pressure system moved into southern California during the afternoon and evening of the 7th, then tracked northeast across the central U.S.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, May 1 to 2, 2013$1.5 million · 14 eventsA strong cold front passed through the state and had become stationary over southeast Iowa during the day on the first. A band of precipitation developed behind the front and set up over northwest Iowa.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, April 10 to 11, 1997$1.6 million · 12 eventsA strong baroclinic frontal boundary formed to the south of Iowa during the night of the 9th and morning of the 10th. Warm air riding north on a southern flow in the low levels of the atmosphere over ran cold air at the surface.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, February 3 to 4, 1997$500,000 · 34 eventsA low pressure system developed over the southern Rockies during the afternoon of the 2nd and advanced into the southern Plains during the day on the 3rd. There were two centers of low pressure on the afternoon of the 3rd.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, May 2 to 3, 2013$1.3 million · 12 eventsThe system that affected the state the previous day continued to affect Iowa as a large upper level low pressure system intensified to the south of the state. Initially, cold air settled into the state during the evening of the 2nd.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, March 15 to 16, 2001$650,000 · 21 eventsA late winter storm took aim on Iowa on the 15th. Initially, a large amount of very warm air was drawn north into the state, sending temperatures into the 50s over the southern third of the state. This caused a considerable amount of snow melt during the day on the 14th.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, November 9, 2011$1.2 million · 6 eventsAn area of low pressure formed over Oklahoma during the day on the 8th and advanced northeast across Missouri. There was strong support in the upper levels of the atmosphere as a negatively tilted shortwave lifted northeast out of the southwest US.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, March 15 to 16, 2004$310,000 · 31 eventsA late winter storm moved into Iowa, leaving behind it one of the heaviest snowfalls on record in some areas, and a record March snowfall in several locations.
• Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Iowa, November 10, 2006$502,000 · 0.88 in hail · 10 eventsA cold front dropped southeast through Iowa during the day on the 9th and became stationary south of the state. During the night of the 9th into the early morning of the 10th, low pressure formed over Oklahoma. The low lifted northeast along the front during the day on the 10th.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 30 to 31, 2002$500,000 · 10 eventsA strong, but shallow, Arctic cold front slipped south across Iowa during the first part of the week. This front became stationary to the south of Iowa as a southwest flow of air prevailed aloft.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, November 12 to 13, 2010$525,000 · 6 eventsA strong low pressure developed over Oklahoma and southern Kansas during the day on the 12th. The low lifted north-northeast, passing through central Iowa during the evening of the 12th, reaching southeast Minnesota by the early afternoon of the 13th.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 20 to 21, 1998$230,000 · 23 eventsA very powerful storm system moved into the Rockies on the 19th and advanced into the Plains during the afternoon of the 20th. Though the moisture was limited with the system, strong dynamics made up for the lack in moisture.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, February 26 to 27, 2013$130,000 · 26 eventsA strong low pressure system, both surface and aloft, moved out of the southwest U.S. through the central states into the northeast U.S. during the 25th through 27th of February. The surface low moved out of Oklahoma into Missouri on the morning of the 26th.
• Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 4 to 6, 2005$190,000 · 18 eventsThe biggest winter storm of the season affected Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri from the evening of 4 January to the morning of 6 January.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 4, 2004$110,000 · 22 eventsThe seasons first push of Arctic air took place during the weekend of the 3rd and 4th. A strong high pressure was located over northwest Canada and nosed southeast into the central U.S. At the same time, a vigorous upper air system lifted northeast out of the southwest U.S.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, January 31, 2002$180,000 · 9 eventsSnow spread north across Iowa during the morning of the 31st. The synoptic situation was similar to the previous event, just that the cause was from another upper level system.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, March 1 to 2, 2002$80,000 · 16 eventsAn Arctic cold front dropped southeast across the state on the 28th and became stationary southeast of Iowa by the morning of the first. Iowa was under a dome of Arctic air for one of the few times during this nearly record warm winter.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, December 28, 2000$55,000 · 11 eventsA strong upper level low pressure dropped southeast out of the northern Rockies into Iowa. The surface low was very close to the upper low as it moved through eastern South Dakota, southeast into east central Iowa.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, December 24, 1997$56,000 · 10 eventsAn intense upper level low pressure swung northeast across the central U.S. on the 24, bringing a swath of heavy snow across Iowa. A band of five to eight inch snow fell from south central into southeast Iowa during the day Christmas Eve.
• Heavy Snow in Iowa, November 14 to 15, 1997$50,000 · 12 eventsCold air spilled south into Iowa as a cold polar vortex aloft dropped south into the state. Snow fell for an extended period of snow occurred, however much of it fell during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 14th into the early morning hours of the 15th.

Heavy Snow 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.