Lucas County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19117 · population 8,623 · 431 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 490 records for Lucas County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 360 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (107 records). The deadliest single record is the March 5, 2022 tornado: 1 death, 1 injury and $1.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1973, 13 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
- 490on 360 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 17 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $287Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Lucas County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 107 since 1996. 43% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 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 | 107 | 90 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $38M | 6 of 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 82 | 57 | 1973-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 89 of 99 |
| Hail | 78 | 44 | 1973-2024 | 0 | 2 | $1.4M | 88 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 75 | 73 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $7.9M | 47 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 47 | 31 | 2009-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 99 |
| Drought | 33 | 32 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $156M | 10 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 24 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 32 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 22 | 22 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 48 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 9 | 1967-2022 | 1 | 5 | $73M | 97 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 41 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 73 of 99 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 44 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 Lucas County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Lucas County from 1967 to 2022, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 5 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Lucas County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people, 1 of them in Lucas County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-06-07 17:45, as SPC files it | EddyvilleCrossed IA, MO | F4 | 134 mi | 3 |
| 2022-03-05 17:33, as SPC files it | Derby to Russell | EF3 | 11.28 mi | 1 |
| 2015-06-22 16:05, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 11.12 mi | 0 |
| 1999-04-08 16:18, as SPC files it | Colfax | F3 | 39 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Lucas County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-05 | Chariton, Lucas County | EF0 0.25 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-05 | Derby, Lucas County | EF3 11.28 mi x 350 yd | 1 | 1 | $1.5M |
| 2022-03-05 | Derby, Lucas County | EFU 2.07 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-05 | Derby, Lucas County | EFU 2.18 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-06-22 | Williamson, Lucas County | EF1 1.37 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2004-09-05 | Lucas County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2001-09-20 | Lucas County | F0 0.9 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $92K |
| 1999-04-08 | Lucas County | F3 4.5 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 4 | $443K |
| 1986-06-10 | Lucas County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1984-06-07 | Lucas County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-06-07 | Lucas County | F4 7 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M step |
| 1982-06-08 | Lucas County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1967-06-09 | Lucas County | F2 2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Lucas County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 5, 2022 tornado (1 death, 1 injury and $1.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
This tornado formed as two other tornadoes dissipated in southern Lucas county. The tornado moved to the northeast across rural areas of southern into central Lucas county primarily in wooded areas and cropland with little damage. Of note however, was a satellite tornado observed in chasing video (in seperate Storm Data entry) which developed north of the main tornado and moved south toward the main circulation, doing a complete revolution around the main tornado before being absorbed. Shortly afterwards, the tornado crossed State Highway 14 south of Chariton destroying a conservation center which was rated EF3. The tornado continued to the northeast removing a roof from a house along 235th Trail and passed through an open field before entering Red Haw State Park. The tornado ripped through a campground in the park with one fatality and one injury occurring. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1007112)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-05 | High WindLucas County · forecast zone Lucas | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | BlizzardLucas County · forecast zone Lucas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-11 | Winter StormLucas County · forecast zone Lucas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-21 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLucas County · forecast zone Lucas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoChariton, Lucas County | EF0 0.25 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoDerby, Lucas County | EF3 11.28 mi x 350 yd | 1 | 1 | $1.5M |
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoDerby, Lucas County | EFU 2.07 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoDerby, Lucas County | EFU 2.18 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-06-18 | HailChariton, Lucas County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindDerby, Lucas County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2015-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamson, Lucas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $685K |
| 2015-06-25 | FloodChariton, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $436K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoDerby, Lucas County This tornado formed as two other tornadoes dissipated in southern Lucas county. The tornado moved to the northeast across rural areas of southern into central Lucas county primarily in wooded areas and cropland with little damage. Of note however, was a satellite tornado observed in chasing video (in seperate Storm ... | EF3 11.28 mi x 350 yd | 1 | 1 | $1.5M |
| 1999-04-08 | TornadoLucas County As mentioned in the narrative above, an intense low pressure formed to the southwest of Iowa. The low tracked northeast and lifted into eastern Nebraska. Ahead of the low, a strong low level jet of around 60 knots continued through the day. A nearly stationary frontal boundary extended east from the low. It lifted ... | F3 4.5 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 4 | $443K |
| 1994-06-11 | HailChariton, Lucas County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 2 | $199K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoDerby, Lucas County | EF3 11.28 mi x 350 yd | 1 | 1 | $1.5M |
| 2010-07-20 | Flash FloodChariton, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2015-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamson, Lucas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $685K |
| 1999-04-08 | TornadoLucas County | F3 4.5 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 4 | $443K |
| 2007-05-07 | FloodWilliamson, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $427K | |
| 2010-07-07 | Flash FloodChariton, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $338K | |
| 2013-07-21 | Flash FloodChariton, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $317K | |
| 1994-06-11 | HailChariton, Lucas County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 2 | $199K |
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: June 7, 1984 (tornado, Lucas 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 Lucas 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 | – | – | – | – | 23 | 55 | 28 | 1 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 27 | 32 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 31 | 14 | 13 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 25 | 22 | 11 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 24 | 22 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 11 | 17 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 40 · Feb 27 · Mar 28 · Apr 48 · May 60 · Jun 83 · Jul 57 · Aug 39 · Sep 34 · Oct 36 · Nov 12 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lucas County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Lucas County: 13 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and severe storm (5).
| 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 |
| 2015-07-31 | DR-4234 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-05-31 | DR-4119 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| 2008-01-04 | DR-1737 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3239 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-05-25 | DR-1518 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-996 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1992-10-02 | DR-965 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-05-23 | DR-386 | 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 Lucas County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 107 flood or flash flood records for Lucas County from 1996 to 2021, on 90 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lucas County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $19,000 on 5 claims filed in Lucas County; the most in one year was 2 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1993: 2 · 2007: 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 Lucas County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lucas County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.9 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 | $1.9M | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $7K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $357K | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.1M | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $385K | 7.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $469K | 5.2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $23K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lucas 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 Lucas CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lucas County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis