Fayette storm history

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.

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…

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.

The public reported 1 mile south of Waucoma. The report was relayed by media via NWS Chat.

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…

The AWOS station KOLZ at Oelwein Municipal Airport measured a 59 mph wind gust.

A trained spotter reported a few large tree limbs down in Oelwein.

A trained spotter reported dime to quarter sized hail. The hail was covering the ground and accompanied with strong winds.

A trained spotter reported several tree branches down across southern portions of Oelwein.

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…

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.

Trained spotters reported flash flooding from near Hawkeye to West Union with numerous roads under water.

Trees reported down in northwestern Fayette County. The time was estimated by radar.

Emergency management estimated a 70 mph wind gust 2 miles south of Oelwein.

Emergency management reported numerous trees and power lines down in Elgin. A tree had also fallen onto a home.

Above normal total monthly precipitation near 10 inches resulted in reduction of severe (D2) drought to moderate (D1) through May.

Near normal monthly rainfall totals alleviated extreme (D3) drought for much of Fayette County through April but severe (D2) drought persisted.

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.

Less than 0.5 total liquid precipitation fell in Fayette County through February, near 1 below normal, resulting in extreme (D3) drought persisting.

An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 38 degrees below zero in Oelwein.

Fayette County Sheriff's Office reported a vehicle in a roadside ditch and a large snow drift in the roadway.

An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 42 degrees below zero in Oelwein.

A volunteer observer reported 7.5 of snowfall in Randalia.

A volunteer observer reported 11.5 in Albany.

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.

Extreme (D3) drought persisted across all of Fayette County through December. While monthly total rainfall was only slightly below normal at 1.5, the long-standing abnormally dry conditions of up to 5 below since June 1st allowed the extreme (D3) drought to persist.

A volunteer observer reported 2.0 inches of snowfall in the Town of Fayette.

Extreme (D3) drought persisted across all of Fayette County through November. The combination of total monthly precipitation near 0.25 inches, 2 inches below normal, and several days of anomalously warm temperatures resulted in 20 to 40% below normal topsoil moisture.

Long-standing drier than normal conditions, comprised of 8 consecutive weeks of at least severe drought (D2), resulted in continuation of extreme drought (D3) across Fayette County through October. While several storms resulted in above normal monthly rainfall totals, the long st…

Ongoing extreme drought (D3) expanded across all of Fayette County by the end of September. Monthly rainfall totals near 3 inches were about 1 inch below normal. Resultant topsoil moistures were 50% below normal. Far southern Fayette County remained in severe drought (D2) through…

The combination of anomalously high temperatures and humidity on Tuesday, August 22nd and Wednesday, August 23rd resulted in maximum heat indices of 106 to 118 degrees in parts of Fayette County. The maximum heat index reached 108 degrees on Tuesday and 118 degrees on Wednesday a…