Henry County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19087 · population 20,465 · 434 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 502 records for Henry County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 366 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (148 records). The deadliest single record is the February 1, 2011 blizzard, filed for the forecast zone Henry, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1969, 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
- 502on 366 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 37 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $45Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest EF2
- 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 Henry County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 148 since 1965. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 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 | 148 | 103 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 3 | $2.5M | 16 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 136 | 134 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 0 | $209K | 11 of 99 |
| Hail | 106 | 55 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 0 | $639K | 66 of 99 |
| Floods | 27 | 23 | 1996-2019 | 1 | 0 | $1.8M | 85 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 18 | 18 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $748K | 68 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 16 | 1957-2024 | 0 | 4 | $6.3M | 79 of 99 |
| Drought | 17 | 17 | 2003-2013 | 0 | 0 | $33M | 66 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 12 | 12 | 1999-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 10 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $184K | 85 of 99 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 99 |
| Lightning | 3 | 2 | 1997-2009 | 0 | 0 | $103K | 47 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2003-2004 | 0 | 0 | $80K | 86 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 Henry County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Henry County from 1957 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 4 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 20 tornadoes whose track touched Henry County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-05-09 19:00, as SPC files it | Lockridge to Wayland | F3 | 17.8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Henry County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-16 | Salem, Henry County | EF2 13.25 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-09-25 | Winfield, Henry County | EF1 1.05 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2018-09-25 | Winfield, Henry County | EF0 0.27 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-10 | Hillsboro, Henry County | EF0 0.77 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-07-16 | Swedesburg, Henry County | EF0 1.51 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-06-20 | Mt Pleasant Municipal Arp, Henry County | EF1 3.45 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 2 | $137K |
| 2012-05-03 | Wayland, Henry County | EF2 3.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $643K |
| 2008-04-25 | Winfield, Henry County | EF1 1.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2003-05-10 | Mt Pleasant, Henry County | F1 16.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 1999-06-12 | Mt Pleasant, Henry County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-06-29 | Henry County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-07-05 | Henry County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-05-04 | Henry County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1977-05-04 | Henry County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1973-04-21 | Henry County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-06-12 | Henry County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-01-24 | Henry County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-05-13 | Henry County | F1 6.8 mi x 33 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 Henry County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 25, 2018 tornado ($2,351 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A NWS storm survey team determined an EF1 tornado traveled a little over one mile and caused damage to trees along its path. Some houses were damaged by falling trees. The tornado at its widest was around 200 yards. Maximum winds were around 95 MPH.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 787088)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindSwedesburg, Henry County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindWayland, Henry County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | HailWayland, Henry County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | HailWayland, Henry County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | HailWayland, Henry County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardHenry County · forecast zone Henry | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | HailSwedesburg, Henry County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | HailWayland, Henry County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormHenry County · forecast zone Henry | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindNew London, Henry County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | Thunderstorm WindMt Union, Henry County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | Thunderstorm WindRome, Henry County | 67 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-02-01 | BlizzardHenry County · forecast zone Henry A 58 year old male died of hypothermia during the blizzard on a rural road near Mount Pleasant. During the late evening on Tuesday February 1 the victim left his residence in his SUV to go 4-wheeling but became stuck in the ditch in snow and mud. While trying to dig out the vehicle by hand he collapsed next to the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-03-01 | Winter WeatherHenry County · forecast zone Henry On Highway 218, just north of Mt. Pleasant, near the Trenton exit, an indirect death occurred at 734 pm on March 1, when a 51 year old male lost control of his vehicle due to the wind and snow. The vehicle overturned in a ditch full of water. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-06-23 | FloodSalem, Henry County Morning upper air analysis showed a low level thermal gradient from Eastern Minnesota through Eastern Iowa into Western Illinois. A southerly low level jet of 25 to 30 knots interacted with the boundary to trigger strong to severe thunderstorms over Chickasaw and Black Hawk Counties during the late morning. ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-06-20 | TornadoMt Pleasant Municipal Arp, Henry County An NWS Storm Survey found a tornado touched down 2.5 miles southeast of Mount Pleasant and remained on the ground for 3.45 miles before lifting 2.67 miles southwest of New London. The tornado was rated EF-1 with peak winds estimated at 105 MPH. The damage was primarily to farm outbuildings and trees. Two people were ... | EF1 3.45 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 2 | $137K |
| 1998-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Henry County Supercell thunderstorms developed over Central Iowa and rapidly intensified into a long squall line which raced southeast over Eastern Iowa into Central Illinois. Numerous funnel clouds were sited along the leading edge of the storm and a few non-supercell tornadoes were masked within a large area of damaging winds. ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2012-05-03 | TornadoWayland, Henry County The tornado began near 120th street near Wayland in Henry County and moved northeast to near Crawfordsville in Washington County. The tornado was on the ground for approximately 10 minutes in Henry County. Damage along the path of the tornado included: several farm outbuildings destroyed, roof damage to homes, trees ... | EF2 3.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $643K |
| 1990-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindHenry County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1977-05-04 | TornadoHenry County | F2 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-07-01 | DroughtHenry County · forecast zone Henry | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | |
| 2003-05-10 | TornadoMt Pleasant, Henry County | F1 16.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2003-05-10 | Thunderstorm WindWinfield, Henry County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $802K |
| 2008-06-01 | FloodRome, Henry County | 0 | 0 | $733K | |
| 2004-10-29 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Henry County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $703K |
| 2010-08-13 | FloodCoppock, Henry County | 0 | 0 | $677K | |
| 2012-05-03 | TornadoWayland, Henry County | EF2 3.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $643K |
| 2008-09-13 | Flash FloodRome, Henry County | 0 | 0 | $343K |
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 4, 1977 (tornado, Henry County); January 24, 1967 (tornado, Henry 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 Henry 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 | 2 | 8 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 35 | 31 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 22 | 58 | 41 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 36 | 36 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 15 | 9 | 0 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 50 · Feb 42 · Mar 45 · Apr 48 · May 54 · Jun 78 · Jul 57 · Aug 28 · Sep 16 · Oct 16 · Nov 13 · Dec 55 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Henry County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Henry County: 14 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (6).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1420 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-05-02 | DR-1367 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1998-07-02 | DR-1230 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1996-06-24 | DR-1121 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-996 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-05-23 | DR-386 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-08-14 | DR-269 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Henry County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 27 flood or flash flood records for Henry County from 1996 to 2019, on 23 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Henry County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $0 on 1 claim filed in Henry County; the most in one year was 1 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
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 Henry County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Henry County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 9 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $835K | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $804K | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $368K | 45 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $48K | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $52K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Henry 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 Henry CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Henry County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis