Hancock County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19081 · population 10,795 · 571 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 567 records for Hancock County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 414 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (119 records). The deadliest single record is the January 8, 2015 blizzard, filed for the forecast zone Hancock, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1991, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on May 24, 2024.
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
- 567on 414 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 131 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $237Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2024
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 Hancock County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 119 since 1956. 53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 119 | 80 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 17 | $2.8M | 78 of 99 |
| Hail | 114 | 65 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 82 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 107 | 105 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 1 | $2.1M | 38 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 47 | 46 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | $2.2M | 13 of 99 |
| Floods | 42 | 40 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $32M | 68 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 36 | 36 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | 19 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 30 | 17 | 2010-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 23 | 1951-2025 | 0 | 11 | $55M | 70 of 99 |
| Drought | 26 | 26 | 2001-2024 | 0 | 0 | $131M | 56 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 12 | 9 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 71 of 99 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1998-2006 | 0 | 0 | $53K | 57 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 Hancock County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Hancock County from 1951 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 11 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 29 tornadoes whose track touched Hancock County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-10 16:10, as SPC files it | Ventura to Fertile | F4 | 26.6 mi | 0 |
| 1994-06-18 17:01, as SPC files it | Garner | F3 | 6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Hancock County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-28 | Crystal Lake, Hancock County | EFU 1.21 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-12 | Kanawha, Hancock County | EF0 1.65 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2021-12-15 | Kanawha, Hancock County | EF0 4.61 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $545 |
| 2010-07-16 | Klemme, Hancock County | EF0 0.37 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2004-05-01 | Hayfield, Hancock County | F0 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-14 | Britt, Hancock County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2002-08-26 | Crystal Lake, Hancock County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $820 |
| 1999-06-08 | Kanawha, Hancock County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-06 | Garner, Hancock County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-15 | Britt, Hancock County | F1 19.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $101K |
| 1994-06-18 | Britt, Hancock County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1994-06-18 | Corwith, Hancock County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1994-06-18 | Britt To, Hancock County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1994-06-18 | Garner To, Hancock County | F3 6 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1990-04-23 | Hancock County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-07-14 | Hancock County | F1 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-06-07 | Hancock County | F2 5 mi x 127 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-06-07 | Hancock County | F2 14 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-05-17 | Hancock County | F2 2 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-09-20 | Hancock County | F2 19.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1980-06-27 | Hancock County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-09-26 | Hancock County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-09-26 | Hancock County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-04-30 | Hancock County | F2 4.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1963-05-09 | Hancock County | F2 13.1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-05-29 | Hancock County | F1 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1953-05-10 | Hancock County | F4 6.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1951-06-25 | Hancock County | F2 0.8 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
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 Hancock County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 28, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindMiller, Hancock County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindGarner, Hancock County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindHayfield, Hancock County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-28 | TornadoCrystal Lake, Hancock County | EFU 1.21 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindGarner, Hancock County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindBritt, Hancock County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindBritt, Hancock County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindKanawha, Hancock County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindCorwith, Hancock County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindKanawha, Hancock County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-11 | HailCorwith, Hancock County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-11 | HailHutchins, Hancock County | 0.88 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01-08 | BlizzardHancock County · forecast zone Hancock Low pressure passed to the north of Iowa. A trough of low pressure extended south from the low and swept across the state. The airmass was cold with Arctic air in place. Recent snowfall remained loose on the ground across the area with several inches of relatively fluffy snow present. As the trough moved through the ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1991-04-26 | Thunderstorm WindHancock County | 0 | 16 | – | |
| 1951-06-25 | TornadoHancock County | F2 0.8 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 1953-05-10 | TornadoHancock County | F4 6.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2001-04-07 | High WindHancock County · forecast zone Hancock A powerful storm system lifted northeast out of the Rockies during the night of the 6th into the morning of the 7th. The storm intensified rapidly as it moved across the central U.S. with the central pressure falling below 980 Mb during the day on the 7th. A very strong pressure gradient resulted. Winds increased ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $83K |
| 1999-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCorwith, Hancock County A cold front and dry line were approaching Iowa during the morning of the 6th. Overnight the preceding night, the dry line aloft moved into Iowa, however the dry line at the surface lagged behind by a few hundred miles. At sunrise, surface dew points were in the upper 60s to low 70s over western Iowa, while the dew ... | 0 | 1 | $44K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-15 | Frost/FreezeHancock County · forecast zone Hancock | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 1994-06-18 | TornadoGarner To, Hancock County | F3 6 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1999-07-19 | FloodHancock County · forecast zone Hancock | 0 | 0 | $443K | |
| 1997-06-15 | HailKanawha, Hancock County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $298K |
| 1997-06-22 | Flash FloodGarner, Hancock County | 0 | 0 | $276K | |
| 2014-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindMiller, Hancock County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $187K |
| 2017-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindKlemme, Hancock County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 2004-08-26 | HailKanawha, Hancock County | 5.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $172K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 30, 1967 (tornado, Hancock County); September 20, 1980 (tornado, Hancock County); June 7, 1984 (tornado, Hancock 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 Hancock 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 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 25 | 22 | 41 | 14 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 29 | 31 | 28 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 33 | 41 | 16 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 19 | 10 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 17 | 17 | 6 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 9 | 2 | 17 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 57 · Feb 33 · Mar 33 · Apr 62 · May 69 · Jun 86 · Jul 77 · Aug 43 · Sep 43 · Oct 15 · Nov 14 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hancock County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Hancock County: 12 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-24 | DR-4784 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2018-08-20 | DR-4386 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-07-24 | DR-4184 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1991-07-12 | DR-911 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Hancock County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 42 flood or flash flood records for Hancock County from 1997 to 2024, on 40 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hancock County ranks 2685th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7,979 on 3 claims filed in Hancock County; the most in one year was 2 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1981: 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 Hancock County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hancock County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.2 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 | $3.2M | 18 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $136K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $507K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $448K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $28K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $173 | once in about 15 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hancock 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 Hancock CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hancock County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis