Poweshiek County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19157 · population 18,662 · 585 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 554 records for Poweshiek County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 372 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (145 records). The deadliest single record is the September 16, 1978 tornado: 4 deaths and 43 injuries. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1969, 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
- 554on 372 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 860 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $264Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 35strongest F3
- 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 Poweshiek County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 145 since 1960. 57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 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 | 145 | 84 | 1960-2025 | 2 | 1 | $7.7M | 72 of 99 |
| Hail | 93 | 57 | 1960-2024 | 0 | 6 | $1.9M | 93 of 99 |
| Winter storms | 72 | 69 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $8.9M | 88 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 66 | 37 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 99 |
| Floods | 36 | 26 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $31M | 91 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 26 | 1953-2023 | 4 | 53 | $50M | 57 of 99 |
| Drought | 32 | 32 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $156M | 37 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 28 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 49 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 28 | 28 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 53 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 7 | 2010-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 84 of 99 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1998-2010 | 0 | 0 | $801K | 35 of 99 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2017-2017 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 10 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 Poweshiek County had?
NOAA records 35 tornadoes in Poweshiek County from 1953 to 2023, the strongest rated F3, with 4 deaths and 53 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 33 tornadoes whose track touched Poweshiek County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 35: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 4 of them in Poweshiek County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-09-16 19:25, as SPC files it | Melbourne to Oakland Acres | F3 | 31.8 mi | 6 |
| 1966-04-19 18:00, as SPC files it | Vining | F3 | 27.1 mi | 0 |
| 1965-04-23 22:00, as SPC files it | Kalona | F3 | 47.4 mi | 0 |
| 1956-08-12 16:00, as SPC files it | Searsboro | F3 | 5.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Poweshiek County (35)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-03-31 | Malcolm, Poweshiek County | EFU 3.58 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-05 | Chester Center, Poweshiek County | EF1 3.32 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2019-05-29 | Guernsey, Poweshiek County | EFU 0.95 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-29 | Deep River, Poweshiek County | EFU 0.9 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-29 | Montezuma East Airport, Poweshiek County | EF1 3.52 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $12K |
| 2018-10-09 | Brooklyn Airport, Poweshiek County | EF0 0.27 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-10-09 | Malcolm, Poweshiek County | EF0 1.77 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-11-28 | Montezuma Sig Airport, Poweshiek County | EF0 1.17 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-11-28 | Forest Home, Poweshiek County | EF0 2.9 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-11-11 | Montezuma Sig Airport, Poweshiek County | EF0 0.45 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2008-04-10 | Carnforth, Poweshiek County | EF0 2.44 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2008-04-10 | Deep River, Poweshiek County | EF1 7.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $137K |
| 2007-09-30 | Malcolm, Poweshiek County | EF1 4.97 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $640K |
| 2007-09-30 | Searsboro, Poweshiek County | EF2 12.02 mi x 1,250 yd | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
| 2001-06-12 | Montezuma, Poweshiek County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2000-05-18 | Deep River, Poweshiek County | F0 3.6 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1988-05-08 | Poweshiek County | F2 4 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-05-11 | Poweshiek County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-09-16 | Poweshiek County | F3 4.1 mi x 200 yd | 4 | 43 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-06-26 | Poweshiek County | F2 0.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-06-06 | Poweshiek County | F1 10.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-07-03 | Poweshiek County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-06-20 | Poweshiek County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-06-29 | Poweshiek County | F1 8.2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-06-29 | Poweshiek County | F2 1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-03-30 | Poweshiek County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-04-30 | Poweshiek County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-04-19 | Poweshiek County | F3 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-04-24 | Poweshiek County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-04-23 | Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1965-04-23 | Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1965-04-23 | Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1959-05-09 | Poweshiek County | F1 4.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-08-12 | Poweshiek County | F3 5.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 8 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-07 | Poweshiek County | F2 52.7 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 Poweshiek County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 14, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($24,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-29 | Thunderstorm WindSearsboro, Poweshiek County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-10 | Funnel CloudMalcolm, Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindGrinnell, Poweshiek County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-19 | Heavy RainGrinnell, Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | Heavy RainGrinnell, Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-14 | Thunderstorm WindMalcolm, Poweshiek County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2025-03-05 | High WindPoweshiek County · forecast zone Poweshiek | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-11 | Winter StormPoweshiek County · forecast zone Poweshiek | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-20 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillPoweshiek County · forecast zone Poweshiek | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindMontezuma, Poweshiek County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindSearsboro, Poweshiek County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-07 | HailMontezuma, Poweshiek County | 2.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-09-16 | TornadoPoweshiek County | F3 4.1 mi x 200 yd | 4 | 43 | $2.5M step |
| 1996-01-26 | Heavy SnowPoweshiek County · forecast zone Poweshiek | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-08-10 | Thunderstorm WindMalcolm, Poweshiek County Law enforcement reported a large tree fell on a home. | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-10 | Thunderstorm WindBrooklyn, Poweshiek County Law enforcement reported damage to power lines in the area. | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1956-08-12 | TornadoPoweshiek County | F3 5.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 8 | $25K step |
| 2010-04-06 | HailGrinnell, Poweshiek County The frontal boundary from the previous night lifted north as a warm front as low pressure over Kansas pushed northeast into Iowa. The low eventually tracked from southwest Iowa in the afternoon to east central Iowa by early evening. To the southeast of the front, temperatures warmed into the upper 70s to mid 80s, with ... | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 6 | $677K |
| 2019-05-29 | TornadoMontezuma East Airport, Poweshiek County Tornado extended to the ground after several minutes as a funnel cloud. Upon reaching the ground, the tornado encountered a farmstead, destroying an old barn and producing tree damage. Another farmstead was hit a bit further down the path with a large hoop building damaged. The remainder of the path was in open ... | EF1 3.52 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $12K |
| 2000-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindGrinnell, Poweshiek County The seasons first round of summer type weather took place during the day of the 7th as southerly winds brought in moisture rich air into the region. Dew point temperatures were in the mid 60s to low 70s at the surface, while dew point temperatures at the 850 mb level climbed into the mid teens C. A strong cold front ... | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $257K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-08-01 | DroughtPoweshiek County · forecast zone Poweshiek | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 1999-07-20 | DroughtPoweshiek County · forecast zone Poweshiek | 0 | 0 | $8.1M | |
| 2007-09-30 | TornadoSearsboro, Poweshiek County | EF2 12.02 mi x 1,250 yd | 0 | 0 | $5.0M |
| 2010-04-06 | Thunderstorm WindGrinnell, Poweshiek County | 91 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2010-06-26 | LightningGrinnell, Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | $744K | |
| 2010-04-06 | HailGrinnell, Poweshiek County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 6 | $677K |
| 2007-09-30 | TornadoMalcolm, Poweshiek County | EF1 4.97 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $640K |
| 1998-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMontezuma, Poweshiek County | 0 | 0 | $380K |
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: September 16, 1978 (tornado, Poweshiek County, 4 killed); June 26, 1978 (tornado, Poweshiek County); May 8, 1988 (tornado, Poweshiek 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 Poweshiek 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 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 53 | 33 | 14 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 42 | 24 | 13 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 24 | 21 | 13 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 52 | 10 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 8 | 16 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 27 · Mar 24 · Apr 61 · May 86 · Jun 94 · Jul 58 · Aug 48 · Sep 39 · Oct 28 · Nov 20 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Poweshiek County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Poweshiek County: 13 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-24 | DR-4784 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-08-17 | DR-4557 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2020-03-23 | DR-4483 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3480 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014-08-05 | DR-4187 | 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 |
| 1998-07-02 | DR-1230 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1997-11-20 | DR-1191 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowstorms |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-996 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-06-24 | DR-443 | 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Poweshiek County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Poweshiek County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.8 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 | 8.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 6.5 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $790K | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $8K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $2.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $410K | 6.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $67K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $70K | 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 Poweshiek 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 Poweshiek CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Poweshiek County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis