Audubon County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19009 · population 5,674 · 443 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 447 records for Audubon County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 311 days; the most frequent are hail reports (117 records). The most damaging was the July 10, 2002 thunderstorm wind ($5.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1965, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes” on February 23, 2022.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 447on 311 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $216Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 2022
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Audubon County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 117 since 1964. 63% of its hail reports since 1964 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Iowa's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 117 | 62 | 1964-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 51 of 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 97 | 70 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $6.4M | 55 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 68 | 65 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 62 of 99 |
| Floods | 34 | 27 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $32M | 82 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 34 | 34 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 18 of 99 |
| Drought | 30 | 30 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $156M | 18 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 26 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 23 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 23 | 14 | 2009-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 11 | 1959-2024 | 0 | 1 | $649K | 96 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 46 of 99 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Audubon County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Audubon County from 1959 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 16 tornadoes whose track touched Audubon County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Audubon County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-21 | Brayton, Audubon County | EF0 7.24 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2021-12-15 | Brayton, Audubon County | EF1 10.15 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $82K |
| 2021-12-15 | Brayton, Audubon County | EF1 13.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
| 2006-04-15 | Audubon County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-10 | Audubon County | F0 2.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2005-05-10 | Kimballton, Audubon County | F0 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2005-05-10 | Kimballton, Audubon County | F0 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1999-07-02 | Hamlin, Audubon County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1999-05-16 | Audubon County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-06-21 | Audubon County | F0 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-09-23 | Audubon County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1976-06-13 | Audubon County | F2 11.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-05-15 | Audubon County | F1 2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1959-05-04 | Audubon County | F2 4.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Audubon County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 10, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-19 | Heavy SnowAudubon County · forecast zone Audubon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindExira, Audubon County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-04-23 | HailExira, Audubon County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindExira, Audubon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindExira, Audubon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindBrayton, Audubon County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | High WindAudubon County · forecast zone Audubon | 37 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | HailExira, Audubon County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | HailBrayton, Audubon County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | High WindAudubon County · forecast zone Audubon | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-04 | BlizzardAudubon County · forecast zone Audubon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-20 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillAudubon County · forecast zone Audubon | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-05-15 | TornadoAudubon County | F1 2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindGray, Audubon County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
| 2010-01-20 | Ice StormAudubon County and Shelby County · forecast zone Audubon | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1998-06-14 | FloodAudubon County and Shelby County · forecast zone Audubon | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2004-05-22 | FloodAudubon County and Shelby County · forecast zone Audubon | 0 | 0 | $622K | |
| 2013-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindSharon, Audubon County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $380K |
| 2004-05-22 | Flash FloodCountywide, Audubon County | 0 | 0 | $312K | |
| 2011-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindAudubon County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2002-10-04 | Thunderstorm WindHamlin, Audubon County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $98K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 15, 1968 (tornado, Audubon County); June 13, 1976 (tornado, Audubon County); September 23, 1977 (tornado, Audubon County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Audubon County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 46 | 45 | 7 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 27 | 17 | 17 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 23 | 18 | 10 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 14 | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 5 | 20 z |
Drought in the 2020-26: 20 records against 5 in the decade before, 20 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Audubon County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
63% of its hail reports since 1964 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 37 · Feb 26 · Mar 21 · Apr 36 · May 97 · Jun 63 · Jul 46 · Aug 48 · Sep 18 · Oct 20 · Nov 8 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Audubon County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Audubon County: 19 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-23 | DR-4642 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-03-23 | DR-4483 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3480 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-03-23 | DR-4421 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2014-08-05 | DR-4187 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-07-31 | DR-4135 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-07-29 | DR-1930 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1880 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-02-25 | DR-1877 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm |
| 2008-05-27 | DR-1763 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-05-25 | DR-1705 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2007-03-30 | EM-3275 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3239 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-05-25 | DR-1518 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1998-07-02 | DR-1230 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1996-08-21 | DR-1133 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-996 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-928 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 1990-05-26 | DR-868 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-09-26 | DR-354 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-04-25 | DR-259 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965-04-22 | DR-193 | Flood | Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Audubon County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 34 flood or flash flood records for Audubon County from 1996 to 2019, on 27 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Audubon County ranks 2245th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $127,000 on 14 claims filed in Audubon County; the most in one year was 6 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 3 · 1993: 3 · 1998: 1 · 2004: 6 · 2007: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Audubon County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Audubon County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.5 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $4.2M | 8.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 6 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $140K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $590K | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $5K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $458K | 6.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $34K | 14 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Audubon County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in IowaEvery Iowa tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in IowaThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Iowa recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Audubon CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Audubon County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis