Ice Storm in Iowa

Events

957

Deaths

2

Injuries

3

Damage

$50 million

• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Iowa, November 9 to 10, 20202 deaths · 3 injured · $40,000 · 11 eventsUnusual warmth with a week of temperatures mainly in the 70s (even 50s and 60s on November 9 less than a day before this storm) was brought to an abrupt end as a deep trough of low pressure moved out of Rockies and into the Plains.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Iowa, December 10 to 11, 20071 death · $200,000 · 20 eventsA large area of freezing rain fell across the region on December 10-11, 2007. This precipitation occurred on the cold side of a stationary frontal boundary that extended from the southern Plains to the lower Ohio Valley.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 20, 20101 injured · $13 million · 45 eventsA strong push of warm air aloft took place over the central U.S. with 850 mb temperatures warming well above zero C over much of the state. During the day on the 19th a relatively strong high moved southeast to the east of Iowa.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, December 23 to 24, 2009$15 million · 18 eventsPart 1 of 2: A major winter storm system affected the central U.S. during Christmas week. There were two upper level systems involved with this storm. The southern stream low dove into the southern U.S. and then turned northeast.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Iowa, February 24 to 25, 2007$11 million · 21 eventsA widespread and crippling ice/snow storm affected eastern Iowa, northwest and western Illinois, and extreme northeast Missouri on February 24, 2007. This massive ice storm was the worst to affect the region since January 22-23, 1965.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, February 8 to 9, 2001$2.7 million · 36 eventsA very intense storm system moved into the wester U.S. during the first and middle part of the week. This system began to affect the central U.S. by the middle of the week as pieces of energy lifted northeast from the main system.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, December 10 to 11, 2007$3.1 million · 32 eventsA strong upper level weather feature moved into the southwest U.S. as upper level ridge took place over the southeast U.S. This placed Iowa in a strong southwest flow of air aloft.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 4, 1998$1.0 million · 51 eventsIowa was caught in the battle zone between very warm and moist air to the southeast and shallow Arctic air to the north. An Arctic cold front slipped south across the state the previous day.
• Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Iowa, December 1, 2007$925,000 · 49 eventsThe seasons first major winter storm moved into Iowa on the 1st. The system developed in the east Pacific off the California and Mexico coasts and lifted northeast into the central U.S. A very strong push of warm air moved into the central U.S. ahead of the storm.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, March 17, 1998$300,000 · 51 eventsFollowing the heavy snow from about 10 days earlier, Arctic air held its grip on Iowa for much of the week or so following. With the shallow Arctic air in place, the stage was set for an ice storm.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, February 11, 1999$230,000 · 46 eventsA very vigorous storm system moved through the central U.S. during the morning of the 11th. Very warm and moist air was drawn north ahead of the system with record high temperatures in the 60s reported. Dew point temperatures soared into the mid to upper 50s as well.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, November 14 to 15, 1996$150,000 · 49 eventsIowa had been under the dominance of a large Arctic air mass for several days prior to this event. Temperatures failed to reach the freezing point for many days. As a result, surfaces were cold and the ground began freezing.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 27, 2013$550,000 · 14 eventsA cold airmass was in place over Iowa as arctic high pressure slipped east of the state during the early morning hours of the 27th.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, February 17 to 18, 2000$550,000 · 11 eventsThe seasons first winter storm moved across the Rockies during the day on the 17th. By evening a strong low pressure moved into Kansas. Very strong winds in the low levels of 40 to 55 knots drew moisture north from the Gulf of Mexico.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, March 8 to 9, 2002$375,000 · 15 eventsA spring storm system developed during the afternoon of the 8th. A strong frontal boundary extended from low pressure in southwest Kansas, northeast across southeast Iowa, into southern Wisconsin.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, December 27, 2008$220,000 · 26 eventsA strong cold front moved through the state during the early morning hours of the 27th. Temperatures fell from the 50s into the upper 20s to low 30s within an hour or two. The cold air was very shallow with warm air continuing to stream into the state.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, December 21 to 22, 1997$88,000 · 44 eventsAn upper level low pressure system moved into the southern Rockies and advanced northeast into the midwest. As is often the case during an El Nino winter, there was little cold air in place over Iowa.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 3, 2005$300,000 · 12 eventsAnother round of freezing rain moved into Iowa during the early morninghours of the 3rd. Warm air remained in place aloft with 850 mbtemperatures in the +5 to +7 C. range.
• 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.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, April 10 to 11, 2019$371,000 · 4 eventsA historic late-season, multi-day winter storm developed rapidly across the central Plains on Wednesday, April 10. This system spiraled several periods of precipitation through the region.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 29, 2001$225,000 · 9 eventsA strong low pressure system formed over the southwest U.S. and moved northeast into Iowa. Though there was not a great deal of cold air in the environment, there was a shallow layer of sub-freezing air over Iowa.
• Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Iowa, January 20, 2010$200,000 · 11 eventsFreezing rain produced ice accumulations of a quarter inch or a little more in the Sioux City to Storm lake areas of northwest Iowa.Travel and walking were made extremely hazardous, and power lines and trees were damaged.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, January 17 to 18, 1996$230,000 · 6 eventsFreezing rain caused severe icing of roads and damage to trees and power lines. Indirect damage occurred because of power failures, including broken pipes. Strong winds following the freezing rain added to the damage.
• Ice Storm and Lightning Strike in Iowa, February 20, 2011$202,000 · 7 eventsA strong low pressure system moved out of the southwest U.S. into Iowa during the overnight hours of the 19th through the day on the 20th. A strong push of warm air took place. The warm air was advected across cold air at the surface.
• Ice Storm in Iowa, April 4, 2003$100,000 · 20 eventsA polar cold front had moved south across Iowa during the afternoon of the 3rd and early morning of the 4th. A shallow layer of cold air was in place over Iowa.

Ice Storm 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.