Mitchell County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19131 · population 10,556 · 469 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 484 records for Mitchell County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 344 days; the most frequent are hail reports (110 records). The most damaging was the September 2, 2011 thunderstorm wind ($54.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1974, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes” on June 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
- 484on 344 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $115Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Mitchell County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 110 since 1965. 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 | 110 | 60 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.6M | 63 of 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 105 | 65 | 1966-2025 | 0 | 0 | $59M | 80 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 103 | 101 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $209K | 35 of 99 |
| Floods | 43 | 34 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $47M | 67 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 31 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 99 |
| Drought | 23 | 23 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 18 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $416K | 66 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 14 | 1954-2022 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 91 of 99 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $91K | 20 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 6 | 2013-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 2005-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 99 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2010-2017 | 0 | 0 | $138K | 36 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 Mitchell County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Mitchell County from 1954 to 2022, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 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 Mitchell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-07-12 16:50, as SPC files it | St. Ansgar to Stacyville | F3 | 15.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Mitchell County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-04-12 | Meroa, Mitchell County | EF0 3.02 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $61K |
| 2022-04-12 | New Haven, Mitchell County | EF1 6.6 mi x 325 yd | 0 | 0 | $529K |
| 2022-04-12 | Brownvlle, Mitchell County | EF1 2.8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $111K |
| 2015-07-16 | Meroa, Mitchell County | EF0 2.07 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2008-06-07 | St Ansgar Airport, Mitchell County | EF0 1.09 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2008-06-07 | Stacyville, Mitchell County | EF0 0.26 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-03-30 | Osage, Mitchell County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2005-03-30 | Stacyville, Mitchell County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2004-06-16 | New Haven, Mitchell County | F1 5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-11 | New Haven, Mitchell County | F1 4 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 1994-08-17 | Osage, Mitchell County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1994-07-31 | Stacyville, Mitchell County | F1 1.5 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1988-03-24 | Mitchell County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1981-05-23 | Mitchell County | F2 3.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-06-03 | Mitchell County | F1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-06-26 | Mitchell County | F1 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-06-11 | Mitchell County | F2 1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-05-23 | Mitchell County | F2 | 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 Mitchell County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 27, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | Winter WeatherMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | BlizzardMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-28 | Winter StormMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-22 | HailSt Ansgar Airport, Mitchell County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindOsage, Mitchell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-19 | HailRiceville, Mitchell County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | BlizzardMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-09-02 | Thunderstorm WindCarpenter, Mitchell County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $54M |
| 2013-05-19 | Flash FloodOtranto, Mitchell County | 0 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2021-08-27 | Flash FloodOtranto, Mitchell County | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2008-06-07 | FloodMeyer, Mitchell County | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | |
| 2008-06-07 | Flash FloodMona, Mitchell County | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 1999-07-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Mitchell County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2001-04-06 | Thunderstorm WindOsage, Mitchell County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 1994-07-31 | TornadoStacyville, Mitchell County | F1 1.5 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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 23, 1981 (tornado, Mitchell 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 Mitchell 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 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 26 | 41 | 24 | 9 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 17 | 36 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 32 | 39 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 13 | 22 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 6 | 12 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Mitchell County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 57 · Feb 32 · Mar 27 · Apr 43 · May 58 · Jun 80 · Jul 75 · Aug 27 · Sep 21 · Oct 22 · Nov 8 · Dec 34 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mitchell County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Mitchell County: 18 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-24 | DR-4796 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2017-08-27 | DR-4334 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-10-31 | DR-4289 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2016-09-29 | DR-4281 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-07-31 | DR-4234 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-07-02 | DR-4126 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1999-07-22 | DR-1282 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-996 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1993-04-26 | DR-986 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-928 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 1974-06-24 | DR-443 | 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 Mitchell County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 43 flood or flash flood records for Mitchell County from 1999 to 2024, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mitchell County ranks 2003rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $467,000 on 25 claims filed in Mitchell County; the most in one year was 6 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2000: 1 · 2004: 6 · 2008: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2026: 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 Mitchell County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mitchell County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $4.6M | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $2.1M | 22 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $420K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $70K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.2M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $566K | 9.7 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $347 | once in about 20 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Mitchell 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 Mitchell CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mitchell County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis