Worth County, Iowa
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 19195 · population 7,443 · 400 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 513 records for Worth County, Iowa from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 350 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (100 records). The deadliest single record is the December 28, 2024 dense fog, filed for the forecast zone Worth, which covers the county: 3 deaths and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1965, 14 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
- 513on 350 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 39 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $247Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 24strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Worth County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 100 since 1996. 55% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 100 | 98 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 27 of 99 |
| Hail | 94 | 52 | 1974-2025 | 0 | 2 | $1.9M | 59 of 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 92 | 60 | 1971-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 65 of 99 |
| Floods | 48 | 32 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $35M | 56 of 99 |
| Heavy rain | 47 | 21 | 2009-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 99 |
| High wind and dust storms | 39 | 39 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 6 of 99 |
| Extreme cold | 37 | 37 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | 2 of 99 |
| Tornadoes | 24 | 16 | 1952-2024 | 0 | 4 | $90M | 71 of 99 |
| Drought | 19 | 19 | 2001-2024 | 0 | 0 | $105M | 53 of 99 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 1996-2024 | 3 | 3 | – | 45 of 99 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 37 of 99 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $48K | 26 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 Worth County had?
NOAA records 24 tornadoes in Worth County from 1952 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Worth County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 24: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-04-30 17:28, as SPC files it | Manly | F4 | 13.3 mi | 0 |
| 1967-04-30 18:20, as SPC files it | NorthwoodCrossed IA, MN | F4 | 7.6 mi | 0 |
| 1953-05-10 16:10, as SPC files it | Ventura to Fertile | F4 | 26.6 mi | 0 |
| 1974-05-28 20:10, as SPC files it | Kensett | F3 | 3.8 mi | 0 |
| 1971-07-12 16:50, as SPC files it | St. Ansgar to Stacyville | F3 | 15.4 mi | 0 |
| 1967-04-30 17:30, as SPC files it | Kensett | F3 | 17.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Iowa.
Every tornado record filed for Worth County (24)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-05 | Meltonville, Worth County | EFU 0.84 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $941 |
| 2024-08-05 | Meltonville, Worth County | EFU 0.12 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $470 |
| 2024-08-05 | Silver Lake, Worth County | EFU 0.28 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $470 |
| 2022-04-12 | Grafton, Worth County | EF1 1.19 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2021-12-15 | Meltonville, Worth County | EFU 0.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Kensett, Worth County | EF0 9.11 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2008-06-07 | Northwood, Worth County | EF0 2.12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-06-07 | Northwood, Worth County | EF0 1.66 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1999-08-09 | Joice, Worth County | F2 3.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 1998-05-15 | Joice, Worth County | F1 2.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $299K |
| 1994-07-07 | Fertile, Worth County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1984-06-16 | Worth County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-06-16 | Worth County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-09-20 | Worth County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-05-28 | Worth County | F3 3.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-07-12 | Worth County | F3 15.4 mi x 833 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1967-05-07 | Worth County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-04-30 | Worth County | F4 3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1967-04-30 | Worth County | F3 17.2 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1967-04-30 | Worth County | F4 13.3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-08-07 | Worth County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-08-29 | Worth County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-08-29 | Worth County | F2 11.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1952-05-23 | Worth County | F1 | 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 Worth County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 28, 2024 dense fog (3 deaths and 3 injuries).
Area observations recorded visibility under one quarter mile overnight and through the morning.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1222045)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-22 | HailGrafton, Worth County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindGrafton, Worth County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-20 | HailFertile, Worth County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | High WindWorth County · forecast zone Worth | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | BlizzardWorth County · forecast zone Worth | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-05 | High WindWorth County · forecast zone Worth | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | BlizzardWorth County · forecast zone Worth | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-20 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWorth County · forecast zone Worth | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-12-28 | Dense FogWorth County · forecast zone Worth | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2024-08-05 | TornadoMeltonville, Worth County | EFU 0.84 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $941 |
| 2024-08-05 | TornadoMeltonville, Worth County | EFU 0.12 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $470 |
| 2024-08-05 | TornadoSilver Lake, Worth County | EFU 0.28 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $470 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-28 | Dense FogWorth County · forecast zone Worth Area observations recorded visibility under one quarter mile overnight and through the morning. | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 1974-05-28 | TornadoWorth County | F3 3.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 2006-05-29 | HailNorthwood, Worth County A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa during the afternoon of the 29th. A cold front extended from northwest Minnesota into central Kansas. The cold front moved into the northwest corner of Iowa by the mid afternoon hours. Surface CAPE values were quite high at 3500 to 5500 J/kg, however there was very little ... | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 2 | $7K |
| 1967-04-30 | TornadoWorth County | F4 3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-19 | Flash FloodManly, Worth County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2011-09-02 | Thunderstorm WindMeltonville, Worth County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $459K |
| 2011-04-09 | Thunderstorm WindTenold, Worth County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 2013-06-13 | FloodBristol, Worth County | 0 | 0 | $317K | |
| 2013-07-13 | Flash FloodFertile, Worth County | 0 | 0 | $317K | |
| 2001-09-20 | HailSilver Lake, Worth County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| 1998-05-15 | TornadoJoice, Worth County | F1 2.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $299K |
| 1999-07-20 | Flash FloodManly, Worth County | 0 | 0 | $266K |
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: May 28, 1974 (tornado, Worth County); April 30, 1967 (tornado, Worth County); April 30, 1967 (tornado, Worth 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 Worth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 31 | 38 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 45 | 21 | 7 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 21 | 22 | 32 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 18 | 17 | 5 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 29 | 17 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 18 | 5 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 52 · Feb 30 · Mar 26 · Apr 51 · May 65 · Jun 76 · Jul 75 · Aug 47 · Sep 31 · Oct 14 · Nov 13 · Dec 33 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Worth County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Worth County: 14 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-24 | DR-4796 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-928 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 1990-09-06 | DR-879 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-08-14 | DR-269 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1965-04-22 | DR-193 | Flood | 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 Worth County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 48 flood or flash flood records for Worth County from 1997 to 2024, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Worth County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7,347 on 5 claims filed in Worth County; the most in one year was 2 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2001: 1 · 2004: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2024: 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 Worth County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Worth County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.0 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 Moderate | $2.3M | 22 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $64K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $910K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $371K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $171K | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $122 | once in about 23 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $13K | about once 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 Worth 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
- Winter storms in IowaThe state's winter storm records, 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 Worth CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Worth County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis