Poweshiek County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Poweshiek County's overall risk Very Low (score 31.3 of 100, higher than 31% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought. Its storm record holds 554 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.3 | $3.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | $1.5M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.3 | $790K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 71.8 | $8K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.8 | $2.0M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.7 | $410K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 46.8 | $67K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42.6 | $70K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 39.5 | $755K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 46.1 | $43K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.6 | $54K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 20.3 | $2.9M |
| Lightning | Very Low | 20.0 | $79K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 11.7 | $3K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 145 | 2 | $7.7M | 72nd of 99 | 1902nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 93 | 0 | $1.9M | 93rd of 99 | 1732nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 72 | 2 | $8.9M | 88th of 99 | 1276th of 3,077 |
| Heavy rain | 66 | 0 | – | 17th of 99 | 130th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 36 | 0 | $31M | 91st of 99 | 1634th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 4 | $50M | 57th of 99 | 836th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 32 | 0 | $156M | 37th of 99 | 859th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 0 | $5.9M | 49th of 99 | 516th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 28 | 0 | $1.5M | 53rd of 99 | 920th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | $177K | 84th of 99 | 1742nd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $801K | 35th of 99 | 989th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | $6K | 10th of 99 | 956th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Poweshiek County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.