Clayton County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19043 · population 17,028 · 778 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 716 records for Clayton County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 455 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (185 records). The deadliest single record is the May 30, 1985 tornado: 2 deaths and 25 injuries. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1965, 25 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding” on August 25, 2023.
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
- 716on 455 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 636 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $189Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 2023
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 Clayton County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 185 since 1997. 41% of its floods and flash floods since 1997 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 185 | 127 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $94M | 16 of 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 167 | 104 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | 85 of 99 |
| Hail | 142 | 71 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 95 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 100 | 100 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $96K | 80 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 23 | 18 | 2007-2022 | 0 | 0 | $320K | 53 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 22 | 22 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 96 of 99 |
| Drought | 21 | 21 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 81 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 16 | 1953-2026 | 3 | 28 | $76M | 98 of 99 |
| Heat | 15 | 15 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $33K | 25 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 12 | 10 | 1999-2020 | 1 | 6 | $113K | 51 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 11 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 1 | $677K | 98 of 99 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 88 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 Clayton County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Clayton County from 1953 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 3 deaths and 28 injuries 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Clayton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 3 of them in Clayton County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-30 21:22, as SPC files it | Elkader to GarnavilloCrossed IA, WI | F3 | 34 mi | 2 |
| 1954-04-30 19:00, as SPC files it | Palo to Harpers Ferry | F4 | 80.4 mi | 0 |
| 1953-05-10 18:00, as SPC files it | Farmersburg to Marquette | F3 | 6.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Clayton County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-17 | Hardin, Clayton County | EFU 0.57 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-31 | Garber, Clayton County | EF0 1.21 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-09-12 | Gunder, Clayton County | EF0 4.22 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 2017-07-19 | Giard, Clayton County | EF1 5.78 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 2 | $1.0M |
| 2013-05-29 | Garnavillo, Clayton County | EF0 4.82 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2007-03-31 | Edgewood, Clayton County | EF1 4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2001-05-10 | Edgewood, Clayton County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 1994-05-25 | Clayton County | F1 6.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 1992-06-19 | Clayton County | F1 1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1992-06-19 | Clayton County | F0 0.2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-06-13 | Clayton County | F2 8 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1989-06-26 | Clayton County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1989-05-24 | Clayton County | F0 0.3 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-11-15 | Clayton County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-05-30 | Clayton County | F3 20 mi x 500 yd | 2 | 25 | $25M step |
| 1965-08-25 | Clayton County | F2 4.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1953-05-10 | Clayton County | F3 6.6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Clayton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 14, 2026 hail ($225,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The public reported tennis ball sized hail near Monona.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1333614)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatClayton County · forecast zone Clayton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindOsborne, Clayton County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindWatson, Clayton County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoHardin, Clayton County | EFU 0.57 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | HailMonona, Clayton County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $225K |
| 2026-03-15 | Winter WeatherClayton County · forecast zone Clayton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Winter StormClayton County · forecast zone Clayton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillClayton County · forecast zone Clayton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-28 | Winter StormClayton County · forecast zone Clayton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-19 | FloodElkader, Clayton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-10 | Flash FloodGuttenberg Airport, Clayton County | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindGarber, Clayton County | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-30 | TornadoClayton County | F3 20 mi x 500 yd | 2 | 25 | $25M step |
| 2017-07-19 | TornadoGiard, Clayton County An EF-1 tornado touched down about 5 miles west of McGregor and then moved through McGregor before dissipating just east of town over the Mississippi River. The most damage occurred in McGregor with two buildings downtown completely destroyed while numerous others were damaged. Two people sustained minor injuries due ... | EF1 5.78 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 2 | $1.0M |
| 2020-03-19 | Dense FogClayton County · forecast zone Clayton One person was killed and another injured when two semi's collided at the intersection of U.S. Highway 52 and State Highway 13 southeast of Monona. The driver of one semi failed to stop at the intersection and collided with the second semi. Lead-acid batteries were strewn across the roads as a result of the accident. ... | 1 | 1 | $97K | |
| 2021-01-16 | Winter WeatherClayton County · forecast zone Clayton A northeast Iowa man was killed in a single vehicle accident during the evening of January 16th northwest of North Buena Vista. Light freezing drizzle had coated the roads with a layer of ice. The man lost control of his pickup truck on a curve, slid off the road and hit a rock bluff head-on. He was pronounced dead at ... | 1 | 0 | $33K | |
| 2011-11-09 | Winter WeatherClayton County · forecast zone Clayton Accumulating light snow created icy roadways and caused a fatal accident on State Highway 13 approximately four miles west of Edgewood. | 1 | 0 | $7K | |
| 2011-02-16 | Dense FogClayton County · forecast zone Clayton A school bus and three other vehicles were involved in accident that occurred in dense fog. A total of five people were injured. The accident occurred around 730 a.m. on February 16th at the intersection of U.S. Highway 18 and Echo Avenue near Monona. The automated weather observing equipment at the Prairie du Chien ... | 0 | 5 | $16K | |
| 2010-10-26 | High WindClayton County · forecast zone Clayton A new sixty by thirty foot building was blown over near Monona and a twenty by twenty-four foot metal shed was blown over near Guttenberg. A section of the roof was blown off a business west of Monona and a building under construction was flattened east of Monona. In addition, a Freightliner truck was blown over ... | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $24K |
| 1998-01-04 | Ice StormClayton County · forecast zone Clayton A glaze of ice 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch thick coated northeast Iowa, causing slick roads and numerous accidents. Only minor injuries were reported and since winds were light, only a few power outages occurred due to falling tree limbs. | 0 | 1 | $7K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-07 | FloodStrawberry Pt, Clayton County | 0 | 0 | $34M | |
| 2017-07-21 | Flash FloodClayton County | 0 | 0 | $15M | |
| 2008-06-08 | FloodElkader, Clayton County | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | |
| 2008-06-08 | FloodGarber, Clayton County | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | |
| 2001-05-01 | FloodClayton County · forecast zone Clayton | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | |
| 1999-05-17 | FloodClayton County · forecast zone Clayton | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | |
| 2009-07-24 | HailEdgewood, Clayton County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.3M |
| 2009-07-24 | HailEdgewood, Clayton County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.3M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 30, 1985 (tornado, Clayton County, 2 killed).
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 Clayton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 31 | 129 | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 30 | 36 | 60 | 17 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 60 | 36 | 15 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 36 | 33 | 19 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 19 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% of its floods and flash floods since 1997 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 33 · Mar 45 · Apr 66 · May 108 · Jun 128 · Jul 132 · Aug 39 · Sep 46 · Oct 25 · Nov 11 · Dec 40 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Clayton County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Clayton County: 25 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (14) and severe storm (10).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-25 | DR-4732 | Flood | Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2017-08-27 | DR-4334 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-10-31 | DR-4289 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2016-09-29 | DR-4281 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-07-31 | DR-4234 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-07-31 | DR-4135 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2013-07-02 | DR-4126 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-07-29 | DR-1930 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2008-05-27 | DR-1763 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3239 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-05-25 | DR-1518 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1420 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-05-02 | DR-1367 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1999-07-22 | DR-1282 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1999-05-21 | DR-1277 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1998-07-02 | DR-1230 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-996 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1991-07-12 | DR-911 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1990-09-06 | DR-879 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-06-24 | DR-443 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-09-26 | DR-354 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-04-25 | DR-259 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1968-08-04 | DR-248 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Clayton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 185 flood or flash flood records for Clayton County from 1997 to 2025, on 127 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Clayton County ranks 907th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.4 million on 212 claims filed in Clayton County; the most in one year was 37 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 3 · 1986: 6 · 1991: 21 · 1993: 14 · 1997: 8 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 17 · 2001: 20 · 2004: 24 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 37 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 15 · 2013: 5 · 2014: 1 · 2016: 12 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 6 · 2021: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 2; 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 Clayton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Clayton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $71K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $414K | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $9.2M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.2M | 7.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.6M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $284K | 4.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $472K | 4.6 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 Clayton 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
- Floods in IowaThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 Clayton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Clayton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis