Madison County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19121 · population 16,548 · 561 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 585 records for Madison County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 358 days; the most frequent are hail reports (152 records). The deadliest single record is the March 5, 2022 tornado: 6 deaths, 5 injuries and $75.6 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1972, 18 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
- 585on 358 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 66 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $300Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 38strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Madison County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 152 since 1960. 65% 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 | 152 | 76 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 56 of 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 125 | 73 | 1973-2025 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 90 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 80 | 77 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | 71 of 99 |
| Floods | 55 | 41 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $33M | 65 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 38 | 25 | 1953-2024 | 6 | 6 | $79M | 56 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 32 | 25 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 99 |
| Drought | 31 | 31 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $156M | 36 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 25 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 56 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 58 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 17 | 11 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 59 of 99 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | $235K | 80 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 Madison County had?
NOAA records 38 tornadoes in Madison County from 1953 to 2024, the strongest rated EF4, with 6 deaths and 6 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 38 tornadoes whose track touched Madison County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 38, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-05 16:26, as SPC files it | Des Moines | EF4 | 70.57 mi | 6 |
| 1999-04-08 14:48, as SPC files it | Macksburg to Adel | F4 | 56 mi | 0 |
| 2001-04-11 10:30, as SPC files it | Mount AyrCrossed IA, MO | F3 | 76.5 mi | 0 |
| 1979-03-29 19:05, as SPC files it | Diagonal to Truro | F3 | 57 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Madison County (38)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-25 | Patterson, Madison County | EFU 0.23 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-25 | Patterson, Madison County | EF0 1.43 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2024-05-21 | Macksburg, Madison County | EF0 3.42 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2024-04-26 | Bevington, Madison County | EF0 2.28 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2024-04-26 | Patterson, Madison County | EFU 1.43 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-26 | East Peru, Madison County | EFU 0.56 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-26 | Barney, Madison County | EF0 1.35 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2022-03-05 | Macksburg, Madison County | EF4 24.86 mi x 900 yd | 6 | 5 | $76M |
| 2021-05-20 | Winterset Airport, Madison County | EFU 0.46 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-20 | Winterset Airport, Madison County | EF1 1.24 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2017-06-28 | Middle River, Madison County | EF1 1.97 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2015-11-11 | Barney, Madison County | EF0 5.72 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2015-11-11 | Winterset, Madison County | EF0 2.97 mi x 160 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2015-11-11 | Pitzer, Madison County | EF1 10.07 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2015-05-17 | Patterson, Madison County | EF1 1.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2015-05-17 | Patterson, Madison County | EF1 1.54 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $68K |
| 2015-05-17 | East Peru, Madison County | EF0 1.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2015-05-17 | Truro, Madison County | EF0 7.11 mi x 130 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2014-06-30 | Patterson, Madison County | EF1 6.38 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2014-06-30 | Winterset Airport, Madison County | EF1 1.34 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2011-03-22 | Middle River, Madison County | EF0 0.23 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-03-22 | Pitzer, Madison County | EF2 9.98 mi x 1,410 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2010-06-18 | St Charles, Madison County | EF0 0.59 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-24 | Earlham, Madison County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2004-05-22 | Earlham, Madison County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-09-06 | Peru, Madison County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2001-04-11 | Winterset, Madison County | F1 15.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 1999-04-08 | Macksburg, Madison County | F2 24.5 mi x 1,250 yd | 0 | 0 | $620K |
| 1982-06-15 | Madison County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-05-20 | Madison County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-04-02 | Madison County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-05-23 | Madison County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1981-05-23 | Madison County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-03-29 | Madison County | F3 13.6 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1976-06-12 | Madison County | F1 12.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1976-06-12 | Madison County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-09-12 | Madison County | F1 19.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-07 | Madison County | F2 63.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Madison County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 20, 2025 flash flood ($200,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-20 | Flash FloodWinterset, Madison County | 0 | 0 | $200K | |
| 2025-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindBevington, Madison County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | HailPatterson, Madison County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | High WindMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | BlizzardMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-11 | Winter StormMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-21 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-02 | Winter WeatherMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-06-25 | TornadoPatterson, Madison County | EFU 0.23 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-25 | TornadoPatterson, Madison County | EF0 1.43 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2024-06-25 | HailPitzer, Madison County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-25 | HailWinterset Airport, Madison County | 2.75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-05 | TornadoMacksburg, Madison County This is the first segment of this devastating tornado which passed through four counties including Madison, Warren, Polk and Jasper. The tornado began northwest of Macksburg in western Madision county. The tornado remained in mostly rural cropland and wooded areas of western Madison county. The tornado passed through ... | EF4 24.86 mi x 900 yd | 6 | 5 | $76M |
| 1979-03-29 | TornadoMadison County | F3 13.6 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindBooneville, Madison County | 0 | 0 | $10.0M | |
| 2009-10-10 | Frost/FreezeMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 2011-03-22 | TornadoPitzer, Madison County | EF2 9.98 mi x 1,410 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2015-07-28 | Flash FloodPitzer, Madison County | 0 | 0 | $809K | |
| 2013-06-15 | FloodPatterson, Madison County | 0 | 0 | $665K | |
| 1999-04-08 | TornadoMacksburg, Madison County | F2 24.5 mi x 1,250 yd | 0 | 0 | $620K |
| 2014-09-10 | FloodPitzer, Madison County | 0 | 0 | $436K | |
| 2000-02-25 | Thunderstorm WindWinterset, Madison County | 74 kt wind | 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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: September 12, 1972 (tornado, Madison County); June 12, 1976 (tornado, Madison County); April 2, 1982 (tornado, Madison 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 Madison 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 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 75 | 33 | 19 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 36 | 49 | 13 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 18 | 26 | 23 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 13 | 24 | 17 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 9 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 25 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
65% of its hail reports since 1960 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 31 · Mar 38 · Apr 54 · May 112 · Jun 141 · Jul 55 · Aug 29 · Sep 28 · Oct 19 · Nov 14 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Madison County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Madison County: 17 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (8) 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 |
| 2010-07-29 | DR-1930 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2010-03-02 | DR-1880 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 1998-07-02 | DR-1230 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1997-11-20 | DR-1191 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowstorms |
| 1996-06-24 | DR-1121 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-996 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1992-10-02 | DR-965 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-928 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 1990-05-26 | DR-868 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1979-04-06 | EM-3076 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1974-06-24 | DR-443 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-05-23 | DR-386 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-09-26 | DR-354 | 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 Madison County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Madison County from 1996 to 2025, on 41 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Madison County ranks 2477th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $99,000 on 7 claims filed in Madison County; the most in one year was 1 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2014: 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 Madison County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Madison County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.3 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 | $2.3M | 7.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $758K | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $13K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $464K | 6.2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $101K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $371K | 7.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $60K | 13 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 Madison 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 Madison CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Madison County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis