Fayette County, Iowa
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1955 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
30
Tornado reports
141
Hail reports
72
Floods since 1996
634
All events
8
Deaths
$61.1M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Fayette County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 29 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
One person was killed in a late afternoon single vehicle accident north of Westgate. Light freezing drizzle had moved through the area earlier in the day and the driver lost control of the vehicle on the icy roads and crashed into a ditch. The driver was ejected from the vehicle …
One fatality occurred from a two vehicle accident near Westgate. The accident occurred on snow covered roads while snow was falling. Much of Fayette County received 4 to 5 inches of snow with only minor problems occurring. The Fayette County Sheriffs office reported at least 10 v…
Numerous trees were blown down or uprooted in Wadena. Some of the trees went down on power lines. A two inch diameter flag pole was bent over and some cornfields were flattened. The high winds caused a school bus to slip off the road south of West Union with some of the students …
After the initial flash flooding, the flood waters lingered across much of Fayette County into Sunday, July 23rd. On Saturday morning, numerous roads were reported to be impassable in Fairbank because of the flood waters. Sandbagging was occurring around several businesses. State…
A path of wind damage occurred across southern Fayette County. Numerous trees and power lines were downed, several roofs were blown off farm buildings, metal corn bins were caved in and pieces of siding and roofing were strewn throughout farm fields. One home was destroyed, 17 fa…
Windows were broken in a house. Hail size was estimated.
The Turkey River through northern and northeast Fayette County experienced a record flood. At Eldorado, the river crested at a record level of 22.11 feet about 9 a.m. CDT on June 9. The previous record crest was 19.6 feet in May 2004. Flood stage is 12.0 feet. Flood stage levels …
Numerous secondary roads were flooded. Over 5 inches of rain was reported for the weekend of June 7-8.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
A period of extreme heat moved into the region during the end of June with widespread heat indices over 100 degrees. On June 29th, heat indices ranged from 105 to 109 degrees across the county during the afternoon and early evening. The highest heat index observed in the county w…
Blizzard Blizzard
During the evening hours on March 15th through the early morning hours on March 16th, the combination of falling snow and strong wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph resulted in visibilities falling below 1/4-mile in Fayette County for several hours resulting in blizzard conditions. Snowfa…
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph were common across Fayette County during the morning hours of March 13th with gusts as high as 60 mph at times. The highest gust measured in the county was 60 mph at the AWOS in Oelwein.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
This snow band brought heavy snow to Fayette County with snowfall totals ranging from 7 to 14 inches. The highest reported snowfall total was in Waucoma where 14 inches was measured.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Beginning late on January 22nd and into the morning hours of January 23rd, a period of extreme cold moved into the region bringing dangerously cold wind chills. In Fayette County, wind chills ranged from around 35 to 50 degrees below zero with the coldest observed wind chill in t…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The combination of strong winds of 35 to 45 mph and accumulating snow resulted in a period of blowing snow across Fayette County that reduced visibilities to under 1/2 mile at times. Additionally, snowfall accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were observed throughout the county on Janu…
Blizzard Blizzard
The combination of falling snow and wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph led to a period of very low visibilities during the afternoon and evening hours on December 28th in Fayette County. During this period, a peak wind gust of 51 mph was observed at Oelwein. Snowfall totals across the co…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
This significant winter storm brought between 9 and 13 inches of snow to Fayette County between November 28th and the 30th. The highest snowfall report in the county was located 3 miles east-northeast of Randalia where 12.1 inches of snow was observed.
Hail Hail
The public reported 1 mile south of Waucoma. The report was relayed by media via NWS Chat.
Flood Flood
Heavy rain during the middle of August allowed the Turkey River at Eldorado to rise into flood stage during the evening on August 18th. The site crested at 15.67 ft in moderate flood stage during the evening hours on August 19th before falling below flood stage during the early e…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The AWOS station KOLZ at Oelwein Municipal Airport measured a 59 mph wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A trained spotter reported a few large tree limbs down in Oelwein.
Hail Hail
A trained spotter reported dime to quarter sized hail. The hail was covering the ground and accompanied with strong winds.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A trained spotter reported several tree branches down across southern portions of Oelwein.
Blizzard Blizzard
The combination of snow and strong winds allowed for visibilities to drop to a quarter mile or less resulting in blizzard conditions during the morning hours on March 5th in portions of Fayette County. At the AWOS in Oelwein, a peak wind gust of 47 mph in the occurred during this…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Minimum wind chills across Fayette County ranged around 30 to 40 degrees on the morning of February 18th. The coldest wind chill in the county of 41 degrees below zero was reported in Oelwein, Iowa.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Dangerously cold wind chills began on the evening of the 20th and continued through noon on the 21st in Fayette County where values dropped to around 35 to 40 degrees below zero. The coldest observed wind chill in the county of 40 degrees below zero was recorded in Hawkeye, IA.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A winter storm produced freezing rain and sleet across much of Fayette County resulting in 0.13 of ice accumulation in Fayette, IA. Radar estimates were anywhere from 0.1 to 0.2 of ice accumulation across the county.
Drought Drought
Throughout the entirety of September and through October 29th, only 0.5 to 1 inches of precipitation fell in Fayette County. This 5 to 7 inch deficit for this period resulted in the development of severe drought by mid-October. Severe drought conditions ended in the county by Oct…
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Anomalously warm air temperatures and high humidity allowed the heat index to reach between 110 and 122 degrees across Fayette County on August 26th. The heat index reached 117 degrees at the automated weather observation station at Oelwein.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Trained spotters reported flash flooding from near Hawkeye to West Union with numerous roads under water.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees reported down in northwestern Fayette County. The time was estimated by radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency management estimated a 70 mph wind gust 2 miles south of Oelwein.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency management reported numerous trees and power lines down in Elgin. A tree had also fallen onto a home.
Drought Drought
Above normal total monthly precipitation near 10 inches resulted in reduction of severe (D2) drought to moderate (D1) through May.
Drought Drought
Near normal monthly rainfall totals alleviated extreme (D3) drought for much of Fayette County through April but severe (D2) drought persisted.
Drought Drought
Near normal total monthly liquid precipitation of approximately 2 lessened ongoing extreme (D3) drought in northeastern Fayette County to severe (D2), though extreme (D3) drought persisted in the southwest due to long-standing abnormally dry conditions.
Drought Drought
Less than 0.5 total liquid precipitation fell in Fayette County through February, near 1 below normal, resulting in extreme (D3) drought persisting.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 38 degrees below zero in Oelwein.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Fayette County Sheriff's Office reported a vehicle in a roadside ditch and a large snow drift in the roadway.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 42 degrees below zero in Oelwein.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A volunteer observer reported 7.5 of snowfall in Randalia.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A volunteer observer reported 11.5 in Albany.
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) drought persisted across Fayette County through January. While near 2 of monthly total liquid precipitation was up to 1 above normal, the long-standing abnormally dry conditions persisted. The area remained 8-12 below normal since June 1st, 2023.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 0 |
| 2025 | 11 | 0 |
| 2024 | 17 | 0 |
| 2023 | 17 | 0 |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 |
| 2021 | 22 | 1 |
| 2020 | 17 | 2 |
| 2019 | 16 | 0 |
| 2018 | 18 | 0 |
| 2017 | 26 | 0 |
| 2016 | 27 | 0 |
| 2015 | 14 | 1 |
| 2014 | 22 | 0 |
| 2013 | 17 | 0 |
| 2012 | 17 | 1 |
| 2011 | 17 | 2 |
| 2010 | 36 | 0 |
| 2009 | 32 | 1 |
| 2008 | 22 | 0 |
| 2007 | 22 | 1 |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 |
| 2005 | 8 | 0 |
| 2004 | 14 | 1 |
| 2003 | 15 | 0 |
| 2002 | 10 | 0 |
| 2001 | 15 | 2 |
| 2000 | 26 | 0 |
| 1999 | 15 | 0 |
| 1998 | 10 | 0 |
| 1997 | 10 | 0 |
| 1996 | 21 | 1 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 7 | 2 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 12 | 1 |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 3 | 2 |
| 1989 | 5 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 1 |
| 1987 | 3 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 7 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 4 | 1 |
| 1982 | 4 | 0 |
| 1981 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979 | 3 | 0 |
| 1978 | 4 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 3 | 0 |
| 1971 | 6 | 3 |
| 1968 | 3 | 2 |
| 1966 | 4 | 3 |
| 1965 | 1 | 1 |
| 1964 | 1 | 1 |
| 1962 | 4 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | 2 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Fayette County, measured to its path.
We couldn’t get your location. Check that location access is allowed for this site, or type an address.