Carroll County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19027 · population 20,756 · 569 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 691 records for Carroll County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 431 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (201 records). The most damaging was the July 10, 2002 thunderstorm wind ($32.9 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1965, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on March 23, 2019.
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
- 691on 431 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 089 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $254Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 34strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2020
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 Carroll County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 201 since 1969. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 201 | 99 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 0 | $41M | 46 of 99 |
| Hail | 143 | 80 | 1960-2024 | 0 | 88 | $1.8M | 49 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 80 | 77 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7.3M | 75 of 99 |
| Floods | 61 | 51 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $34M | 48 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 48 | 48 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 10 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 42 | 23 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | $14K | 38 of 99 |
| Drought | 37 | 37 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | $148M | 21 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 27 | 1957-2023 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 48 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 27 | 27 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 50 of 99 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1996-2010 | 0 | 1 | $698K | 12 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 7 | 6 | 2010-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 65 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 Carroll County had?
NOAA records 34 tornadoes in Carroll County from 1957 to 2023, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 48th of 99 Iowa counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 37 tornadoes whose track touched Carroll County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 34: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-05-27 18:22, as SPC files it | Carroll | F4 | 36 mi | 0 |
| 1995-05-27 18:56, as SPC files it | Scranton to Churdan | F4 | 30 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Carroll County (34)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-05 | Maple River, Carroll County | EFU 0.32 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-07-07 | Templeton, Carroll County | EFU 0.36 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Wiley, Carroll County | EF1 9.65 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $87K |
| 2021-12-15 | Breda, Carroll County | EFU 1.99 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-11-11 | Manning, Carroll County | EF0 1.49 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2015-10-23 | Halbur, Carroll County | EF0 3.52 mi x 45 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2015-05-10 | Mt Carmel, Carroll County | EF0 5.23 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2014-08-31 | Carroll County | EF0 3.34 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2014-08-31 | Halbur, Carroll County | EF0 2.71 mi x 140 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2014-08-31 | Halbur, Carroll County | EF0 4.96 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2014-08-31 | Glidden, Carroll County | EF0 3.05 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2011-06-26 | Halbur, Carroll County | EF1 2.37 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $144K |
| 2008-07-19 | Templeton, Carroll County | EF1 7.79 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $891K |
| 2008-05-29 | Templeton, Carroll County | EF1 4.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $288K |
| 2007-08-28 | Coon Rapids, Carroll County | EF0 3.19 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 2007-08-28 | Dedham, Carroll County | EF0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2002-04-17 | Dedham, Carroll County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2001-06-18 | Glidden, Carroll County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1998-07-06 | Coon Rapids, Carroll County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $543 |
| 1998-05-28 | Arcadia, Carroll County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $181 |
| 1996-07-16 | Coon Rapids, Carroll County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-27 | Carroll To, Carroll County | F4 37 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 1995-05-27 | Dedham To, Carroll County | F2 22.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $593K |
| 1993-08-18 | Breda, Carroll County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1983-05-27 | Carroll County | F1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-05-29 | Carroll County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-08-11 | Carroll County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-07-03 | Carroll County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-06-07 | Carroll County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-06-07 | Carroll County | F2 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1971-06-06 | Carroll County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-06-22 | Carroll County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-05-05 | Carroll County | F2 13.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-05-30 | Carroll County | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Carroll County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 9, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-19 | Heavy SnowCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindHalbur, Carroll County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindCarroll Neu Airport, Carroll County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindArcadia, Carroll County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindCarroll County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindMaple River, Carroll County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindHalbur, Carroll County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindGlidden, Carroll County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindBreda, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindCoon Rapids, Carroll County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindWiley, Carroll County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindWiley, Carroll County | 58 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-05-13 | HailBreda, Carroll County A strong surge of moisture, albeit narrow, pushed into Iowa during the afternoon hours of the 13th. A weak frontal system advanced across the plains into the state. Temperatures warmed in to the 70s with dew points approaching 60 near an approaching warm frontal boundary from the south. Lifted indices were in the -3 ... | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 88 | $3K |
| 2008-05-29 | LightningCarroll County A very unstable airmass moved into Iowa during the day on the 29th as a warm front lifted north into the state during the afternoon. Low pressure approached from the west, along with a cold front so that the triple point was near the western Iowa, eastern Nebraska area by late afternoon. Thunderstorms erupted quickly ... | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindGlidden, Carroll County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $33M |
| 2013-08-01 | DroughtCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | $27M | |
| 1995-05-27 | TornadoCarroll To, Carroll County | F4 37 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 2002-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindCarroll County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2009-12-23 | Ice StormCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1993-08-18 | TornadoBreda, Carroll County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2008-07-19 | TornadoTempleton, Carroll County | EF1 7.79 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $891K |
| 1996-06-21 | Flash FloodCarroll County | 0 | 0 | $611K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 5, 1960 (tornado, Carroll 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 Carroll 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 24 | 65 | 49 | 37 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 22 | 70 | 29 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 26 | 23 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 25 | 23 | 13 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 17 | 13 | 6 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 37 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 46 · Feb 32 · Mar 33 · Apr 57 · May 104 · Jun 121 · Jul 103 · Aug 96 · Sep 32 · Oct 21 · Nov 11 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Carroll County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Carroll County: 13 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2007-03-30 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1974-06-24 | DR-443 | 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 Carroll County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 61 flood or flash flood records for Carroll County from 1996 to 2019, on 51 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Carroll County ranks 2262nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $360,000 on 13 claims filed in Carroll County; the most in one year was 4 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1993: 2 · 1996: 4 · 1997: 2 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 2 · 2013: 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 Carroll County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Carroll County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $22.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively High | $4.7M | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.9M | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $6.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $189K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.6M | 7.5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $83K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.1M | 1.8 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 Carroll 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in IowaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Carroll CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Carroll County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis