Plymouth County, Iowa
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1951 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
54
Tornado reports
282
Hail reports
139
Floods since 1996
1,017
All events
4
Deaths
$22.6M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Plymouth County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 52 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.
Tornado F3 Tornado
Tornado F3 Tornado
A mix of sleet, freezing rain and freezing drizzle overnight and much of the morning accumulated ice to around a tenth of an inch, especially on elevated surfaces. Slick roadways resulted in an rollover accident along U.S. Highway 75 northwest of Le Mars, causing a pair of (indir…
Snowfall was briefly moderate to heavy during the afternoon, accumulating to 3.5 inches at Le Mars and 3.0 inches at Brunsville and Akron, resulting in dangerous travel conditions. Following this snowfall, slick road conditions which lingered due to drifting snow during the early…
New snowfall of 5 to 7 inches was accompanied by north to northwest winds sustained at 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph. These strong winds produced widespread blizzard conditions beginning a little after midnight on December 9th. Schools and many businesses were closed on D…
Rainfall amounts across Plymouth County from June 20-22 ranged from only a few hundredths across southern areas to around 2 inches across northern areas. Farther north and upstream, 6 to 10 inches of rain fell across portions of southeast South Dakota and northwest Iowa, with loc…
Up to 25 gravel roads were under water across Plymouth County. Other flooding resulted in extensive damage to public infrastructure including numerous county and township roads, culverts, and some bridges.
Mostly F1 strength, intermittent path at beginning and end.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached afternoon peaks as high as 114 degrees 6 miles west of Kingsley, 111 degrees 10 miles east of Akron and at Sioux Center, and 108 degrees 3 miles south-southeast of Westfield.
Drought Drought
Moderate (D1) drought conditions worsened to severe (D2) late month.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions improved to moderate (D1) very early in the month.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Dispatch center reported a couple of different flooded roads in Le Mars including portions of Holton Dr as well as 5th Ave. Several social media photos also showed significant, but localized, street flooding.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Kingsley Fire Department observed a brief tornado in an open field around 5 miles northwest of Kingsley along Dry Creek. There were no damage indicators present to derive a rating. The average path width was estimated at 20 yards based on video evidence.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A brief tornado touchdown was witnessed by a trained spotter just northeast of the intersection of Sunset Avenue and 260th St. to the northeast of Kingsley. The tornado moved northeast for around one minute before lifting just west of Tamarack Avenue. There were no damage indicat…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Damage to car parked outside residence.
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions improved to moderate (D1) only briefly around mid-month.
Drought Drought
Moderate (D1) drought conditions worsened to severe (D2) very late month.
Blizzard Blizzard
Northerly winds gusted as high as 49 mph at Le Mars and 45 mph on the north edge of Sioux City. During and after a period of snowfall which totaled 2.3 inches at Remsen and 2.0 inches 6 miles southeast of Westfield, visibility was reduced to less than a quarter mile at times with…
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained winds reached 30 to 35 mph at times with a gust as high as 49 mph at an Automated Weather Observing System site in Le Mars.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Intermittent short duration near-blizzard conditions occurred, divided by a longer improvement in conditions as falling snow ended for a time during the late afternoon and evening. Gusty northwest winds from 35 to 45 mph were concurrent with light snowfall, which totaled 2.0 inch…
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds reached around 40 to 43 mph at Le Mars.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills reached as low as -28 degrees at Le Mars and -27 degrees 4 miles southeast of Remsen.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 4.0 inches in Remsen and 3.5 inches in Le Mars.
High Wind High Wind
Synoptic northwest winds were occasionally sustained from 40 to 42 mph at a personal weather station 4 miles south-southeast of Remsen.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 5.0 inches at Remsen, 4.4 inches at Le Mars, and 4.0 inches at Brunsville and 6.1 miles southeast of Westfield.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A long-duration snowfall totaled 5.8 inches at Remsen and 5.0 inches at Le Mars. During a brief break in snowfall during the evening of November 28, a period of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle resulted in a few hundredths of an inch ice accumulation.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds reached 40 to 44 mph at times with a peak gust of 60 mph at a personal weather station 5 miles north-northwest of Sioux City.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 5.0 inches 6 miles southeast of Westfield and 3.0 inches at Remsen.
Hail Hail
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index values peaked as high as 117 degrees near Westfield, 116 degrees 4 miles south of Remsen, 114 degrees 6 miles west of Kingsley, and 111 degrees 6 miles west of Brunsville on August 16.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index values peaked as high as 110 degrees 5 miles north of Sioux City, 107 degrees near Westfield, and 106 degrees 5 miles west of Brunsville.
Flood Flood
The Floyd River at Le Mars briefly rose above flood stage on the afternoon of July 31st, cresting around 0.1 feet above flood stage (20.1 ft). The river then quickly fell below flood stage on the evening of July 31st.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached an afternoon peak on July 27 as high as 120 degrees near Remsen, 119 degrees near Akron, 118 degrees near Westfield, and 111 degrees at Le Mars.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached afternoon peaks as high as 113 degrees 4 miles south of Remsen and 7 miles west of Hinton, and 108 degrees 6 miles west of Kingsley and near Akron on July 23.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts measured by AWOS station KLRJ at the Le Mars Airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A period of severe wind gusts was measured by a personal weather station, with the peak wind gust at 0300 CST.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 19 | 2 |
| 2025 | 47 | 0 |
| 2024 | 48 | 3 |
| 2023 | 39 | 0 |
| 2022 | 27 | 0 |
| 2021 | 37 | 1 |
| 2020 | 29 | 0 |
| 2019 | 41 | 0 |
| 2018 | 48 | 0 |
| 2017 | 18 | 0 |
| 2016 | 27 | 1 |
| 2015 | 21 | 1 |
| 2014 | 26 | 0 |
| 2013 | 17 | 3 |
| 2012 | 30 | 0 |
| 2011 | 33 | 1 |
| 2010 | 38 | 0 |
| 2009 | 19 | 0 |
| 2008 | 23 | 0 |
| 2007 | 28 | 0 |
| 2006 | 18 | 0 |
| 2005 | 31 | 1 |
| 2004 | 45 | 0 |
| 2003 | 28 | 0 |
| 2002 | 22 | 0 |
| 2001 | 30 | 1 |
| 2000 | 16 | 0 |
| 1999 | 11 | 1 |
| 1998 | 8 | 1 |
| 1997 | 19 | 3 |
| 1996 | 19 | 1 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 25 | 2 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 8 | 0 |
| 1991 | 5 | 2 |
| 1990 | 5 | 0 |
| 1989 | 2 | 1 |
| 1988 | 5 | 0 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986 | 7 | 1 |
| 1985 | 4 | 1 |
| 1984 | 3 | 1 |
| 1983 | 5 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 12 | 2 |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | 5 | 1 |
| 1977 | 3 | 2 |
| 1976 | 2 | 0 |
| 1975 | 5 | 1 |
| 1974 | 4 | 0 |
| 1973 | 5 | 1 |
| 1972 | 3 | 1 |
| 1971 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | 6 | 1 |
| 1969 | 2 | 0 |
| 1968 | 3 | 1 |
| 1967 | 3 | 2 |
| 1965 | 3 | 2 |
| 1964 | 7 | 5 |
| 1963 | 3 | 2 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955 | 1 | 0 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
| 1951 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Plymouth County, measured to its path.
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