Pocahontas County, Iowa
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1953 and 2025, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
45
Tornado reports
145
Hail reports
43
Floods since 1996
595
All events
0
Deaths
$43.8M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Pocahontas County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 44 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.
An intense EF4 satellite tornado on the west flank of a large wedge tornado passing through western Pocahontas county. This tornado approached from the northwest and completely destroyed a home leaving little debris at the site. Grove of mature hardwood trees near the home was de…
Tornado F4 Tornado
This is a continuation of a large wedge tornado. This tornado started in Sac County, clipped southeast Buena Vista County and continued in Pocahontas County. This tornado continued to produce numerous satellite tornadoes through Pocahontas County. This produced an unusual and var…
Hail Hail
Delayed report. Pictures of hail up to half-dollar sized.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station gust to 63 mph.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
Blizzard Blizzard
High Wind High Wind
Blizzard Blizzard
High Wind High Wind
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Tornado EFU Tornado
Two different spotters sent in pictures of this tornado. It was a brief tornado just southwest of Varina near the county line. This tornado remained in rural areas and did not impact any damage indicators, hence the EFU rating.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed report of a tree down on a house and damage to farm buildings. Time of occurrence was estimated from radar.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
Storm chaser had video of entire life cycle of tornado. The tornado developed on the edge of a farmstead producing minor tree damage. The tornado continued northeast through rural farmland before turning northwest. The tornado remained in open farmland for the remainder of its pa…
Tornado EFU Tornado
This tornado was captured on video as it moved northward through rural farmland south of Rolfe. The tornado did not impact any damage indicators, hence the EFU rating.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A storm chaser captured video of this brief tornado as it moved just east of Rolfe. The tornado produced some minor damage to a couple of farmsteads on the east side of Rolfe along with some tree damage.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Blizzard Blizzard
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Combination of snow around 6 inches with wind gusts around 40mph.
Drought Drought
Substantional amounts of rainfall in Pocahontas county led to improvement in drought conditions across the county.
Drought Drought
Widespread severe drought persisted in portions of Pocahontas county during September given the above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
Drought Drought
Severe drought affected Pocahontas County as above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall occurred during August.
Hail Hail
Report via mping.
Hail Hail
Report via mping.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Event total of 2.20 inches.
Drought Drought
Despite a few different periods of rain during the month, severe drought conditions persisted in Pocahontas County during July.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
Tornado developed north of Pocahontas and moved east northeast through many open cropland. The tornado did move a grain bin off its foundation and rolled it into a field across the road. The tornado continued for another half mile before lifting.
Drought Drought
Severe drought expanded into Pocahontas County by mid June with below normal rainfall and very warm temperatures. The drought continued through the end of the month.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Intermittent tornado with well developed funnel on video from storm chaser. No damage indicators were impacted, hence the EFU rating.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
Tornado developed east of Pomeroy and moved north from Calhoun into Pocahontas county. Upon entering Pocahontas county, the tornado produced some damage to grain bins and an outbuilding. The remainder of the path was over open cropland.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Brief tornado caught on video northwest of Pocahontas. It appears no damage indicators were impacted, hence the EFU rating.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A brief tornado was sighted by law enforcement passing across open farmland. No damage indicators were impacted, hence the EFU rating.
Tornado EFU Tornado
Brief tornado that remained in open cropland. No damage indicators were impacted, hence the EFU rating.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Storm total of 3.30 inches thus far, rain still falling.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Storm total of 4.25 inches.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Storm total of 4.95 inches.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
Storm total of 2.96 inches.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Delayed report of extensive flooding in town. Water up against some homes and businesses in town. Time estimated.
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
A 24 hour total of 6.90 inches of rain, with 3.5 inches of that occurring in the last one hour.
Drought Drought
Decent rainfall during the 1st half of May helped to reduce the severe drought to moderate drought across Pocahontas county. Some longer term residual dryness persists.
Drought Drought
Spring precipitation remained at a slight deficit across Pocahontas county during April with severe drought persisting across the northwest half of the county.
Drought Drought
Severe drought conditions persisted across much of Pocahontas county during March as below normal precipitation and stream flow continued.
Drought Drought
Extreme drought occurred in Pocahontas county in February although this improved to only severe as wet conditions and some thawing allowed infiltration of water into the ground.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Combination of at least 4 inches of snow and wind gusts over 40 mph.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 0 |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 |
| 2023 | 27 | 6 |
| 2022 | 27 | 1 |
| 2021 | 21 | 3 |
| 2020 | 14 | 0 |
| 2019 | 12 | 1 |
| 2018 | 43 | 1 |
| 2017 | 12 | 0 |
| 2016 | 21 | 0 |
| 2015 | 28 | 0 |
| 2014 | 11 | 1 |
| 2013 | 20 | 0 |
| 2012 | 14 | 0 |
| 2011 | 17 | 6 |
| 2010 | 15 | 1 |
| 2009 | 15 | 0 |
| 2008 | 11 | 0 |
| 2007 | 13 | 0 |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 |
| 2005 | 12 | 0 |
| 2004 | 24 | 2 |
| 2003 | 16 | 0 |
| 2002 | 14 | 0 |
| 2001 | 27 | 0 |
| 2000 | 16 | 1 |
| 1999 | 14 | 0 |
| 1998 | 21 | 1 |
| 1997 | 14 | 0 |
| 1996 | 17 | 0 |
| 1995 | 5 | 0 |
| 1994 | 3 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991 | 6 | 2 |
| 1990 | 6 | 2 |
| 1989 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986 | 7 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | 2 |
| 1984 | 5 | 3 |
| 1983 | 3 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | 3 | 1 |
| 1979 | 2 | 1 |
| 1977 | 1 | 1 |
| 1974 | 4 | 0 |
| 1973 | 3 | 0 |
| 1972 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970 | 2 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | 1 | 1 |
| 1965 | 1 | 1 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Pocahontas County, measured to its path.
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