Greene County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19073 · population 8,769 · 570 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 557 records for Greene County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 382 days; the most frequent are hail reports (123 records). The deadliest single record is the May 17, 1991 hail: 4 deaths. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1969, 17 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
- 557on 382 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 42 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $207Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 30strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Greene County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 123 since 1960. 50% of its hail reports since 1960 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 | 123 | 73 | 1960-2024 | 4 | 0 | $1.5M | 62 of 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 117 | 69 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 98 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 85 | 82 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | 66 of 99 |
| Floods | 63 | 54 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $33M | 42 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 37 | 23 | 2008-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 37 | 37 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 33 of 99 |
| Drought | 30 | 30 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | $148M | 40 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 30 | 17 | 1954-2023 | 0 | 2 | $11M | 90 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 28 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 43 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 66 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 2 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | – | 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 Greene County had?
NOAA records 30 tornadoes in Greene County from 1954 to 2023, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 2 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 35 tornadoes whose track touched Greene County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 30: 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 18:56, as SPC files it | Scranton to Churdan | F4 | 30 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Greene County (30)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-05-13 | Scranton, Greene County | EFU 0.42 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Paton, Greene County | EF2 4.64 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2021-12-15 | Grand Jct, Greene County | EFU 3.83 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Farlin, Greene County | EF2 2.74 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2021-12-15 | Scranton, Greene County | EF2 5.83 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $545K |
| 2021-12-15 | Scranton, Greene County | EF2 5.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2021-12-15 | Cooper, Greene County | EF2 21.73 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $871K |
| 2021-12-15 | Cooper, Greene County | EF2 21.65 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $381K |
| 2021-12-15 | Cooper, Greene County | EF2 5.43 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2018-06-20 | Scranton, Greene County | EF0 0.57 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $118 |
| 2014-08-31 | Churdan, Greene County | EF0 3.72 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2014-08-31 | Farlin, Greene County | EF0 4.49 mi x 45 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2014-08-31 | Ralston, Greene County | EF0 2.59 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2007-08-28 | Cooper, Greene County | EF0 13 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $85K |
| 2007-08-28 | Angus, Greene County | EF0 4.16 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $64K |
| 2005-11-12 | Scranton, Greene County | F1 1 mi x 45 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2004-09-05 | Jefferson, Greene County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2004-09-05 | Jefferson, Greene County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2001-05-10 | Grand Jct, Greene County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2001-04-11 | Jefferson, Greene County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-04-11 | Paton, Greene County | F0 1 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 1998-04-06 | Scranton, Greene County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $362 |
| 1998-04-06 | Churdan, Greene County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-29 | Cooper, Greene County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $941 |
| 1984-04-26 | Greene County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1971-06-06 | Greene County | F2 1.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1969-09-26 | Greene County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-07-16 | Greene County | F1 1.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-05-04 | Greene County | F2 14.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-04-05 | Greene County | F2 5.1 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 Greene County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 15, 2021 tornado ($27,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This tornado moved through both Greene and Webster Counties. The tornado developed southwest of Paton in Greene County and blew apart an old shed. It continued to strengthen and snapped several large utility poles along 110th Street west of U Avenue. The tornado then exited the county into Webster County north of Paton.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 993687)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-19 | Heavy SnowGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindJefferson, Greene County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-30 | Thunderstorm WindCooper, Greene County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | High WindGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 37 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | High WindGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | BlizzardGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-20 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-02 | Winter WeatherGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-05-13 | TornadoScranton, Greene County | EFU 0.42 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-11 | HailHope, Greene County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | TornadoPaton, Greene County | EF2 4.64 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2021-12-15 | TornadoGrand Jct, Greene County | EFU 3.83 mi x 50 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-05-17 | HailGreene County | 1.75 in hail | 4 | 0 | – |
| 1971-06-06 | TornadoGreene County | F2 1.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1954-04-05 | TornadoGreene County | F2 5.1 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-12-23 | Ice StormGreene County · forecast zone Greene | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2021-12-15 | TornadoScranton, Greene County | EF2 5.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2021-12-15 | TornadoCooper, Greene County | EF2 21.73 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $871K |
| 2021-12-15 | TornadoScranton, Greene County | EF2 5.83 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $545K |
| 2007-04-24 | FloodJefferson, Greene County | 0 | 0 | $356K | |
| 2008-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindGrand Jct, Greene County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $137K |
| 2018-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindJefferson, Greene County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 2004-09-05 | TornadoJefferson, Greene County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
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: April 5, 1954 (tornado, Greene County); June 6, 1971 (tornado, Greene County); July 16, 1969 (tornado, Greene 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 Greene 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 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 48 | 35 | 9 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 13 | 39 | 30 | 15 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 31 | 25 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 24 | 25 | 14 | 0 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 31 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 12 | 9 | 4 |
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 hail reports since 1960 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 46 · Feb 32 · Mar 28 · Apr 67 · May 68 · Jun 102 · Jul 50 · Aug 69 · Sep 29 · Oct 17 · Nov 14 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Greene County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Greene County: 16 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-23 | DR-4642 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-08-17 | DR-4557 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| 2013-07-02 | DR-4126 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1880 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-05-27 | DR-1763 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-03-30 | EM-3275 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2007-03-14 | DR-1688 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 |
| 1991-07-12 | DR-911 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 |
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 Greene County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 63 flood or flash flood records for Greene County from 1996 to 2019, on 54 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Greene County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6,005 on 4 claims filed in Greene County; the most in one year was 2 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1993: 1 · 1996: 2 · 2010: 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 Greene County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Greene County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.2 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 | $4.5M | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.1M | 7.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $502K | 6.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $65K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $61K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $481K | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $481 | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Greene 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 Greene CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Greene County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis