Pottawattamie County, Iowa
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1962 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
57
Tornado reports
260
Hail reports
48
Floods since 1996
774
All events
6
Deaths
$120.2M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Pottawattamie County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 57 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 EF3 Tornado
This is a continuation of the Douglas County segment of this EF-3 tornado. This is also the second time the tornado moved through portions of western Pottawattamie County. At the start of this segment, the tornado moved northeast across the Missouri River and crossed Interstate 2…
Tornado EF3 Tornado
A tornado damage path began near Aspen Road, just west of 240th Street. The tornado tracked toward the north-northeast, snapping trees and electrical poles as it went. A home was impacted along Chestnut Road with substantial roof damage. Two additional homes were directly impacte…
A tornado developed approximately 3 miles east of McClelland, and developed prior to the dissipation of the EF-3 tornado that tracked near Treynor. This was confirmed by photo and video evidence of storm spotters. This tornado moved toward the north-northeast, damaging mainly tre…
A semi truck traveling southwest on Interstate 80 lost control in the wind and was blown over, resulting in one indirect fatality. The highest measured wind gust in the county was 51 mph measured by the KCBF AWOS at 1435 CST.
This is a continuation of a 5 to 7 mile wide damage path that a bow-echo thunderstorm caused across eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. In Pottawattamie county Iowa it was estimated by a NWS storm survey that winds reached 70 to 90 mph in an area from Council Bluffs to southwest…
Two men working alone atop a new meatpacking building were blown off the 40-foot-high roof by the thunderstorm that rolled through the area and produced the widespread hail reports. The winds were measured at 35 to 40 mph at the Council Bluffs airport and at Omaha Eppley Airfield…
Numerous reports of flash flooding were received from broadcast media, spotters, and social media. Very heavy rainfall occurred during the overnight and into the early morning hours on the 23rd with the Council Bluffs area seeing over 7 inches of rainfall. This lead to significan…
Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened over western Pottawattamie county during June and July and persisted into August as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. The river near Omaha climbed to a little under 36 feet by th…
Flooding along the Missouri River gradually worsened over Pottawattamie county during June and persisted into July as record releases from Gavins Point Dam brought widespread flooding along the River. The river near Omaha climbed to a little under 36 feet by the end of June befor…
Heavy rainfall over the weekend of May 4th through the 6th, caused the West Nishnabotna River to flood across Pottawattamie county. The West Nishnabotna River at Hancock crested around 20.5 feet between 1130 pm and midnight May 6th. Flood stage is 14 feet. The river at Hancock fi…
Very heavy rain fell across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa from Friday 8/6/99 into Saturday morning 8/7/99. Over 10 inches of rain fell at Omaha Eppley Airfield, just across the Missouri River to the west of Council Bluffs Iowa. An unofficial 24 hour rainfall total of 13 inche…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed report from Broadcast Media. Photos and video of north wall and garage door of machine shed detached and blown northward. Also several large snapped tree limbs. Time estimated from radar. Wind gusts estimated at 60-70 mph.
Heat Heat
KCBF AWOS recorded minimum temperatures above 75 degrees for at least 48 hours, paired with daily maximum heat index values peaking around 105-107 degrees.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1.00 inch in diameter. Reported received via social media.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 58 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 59 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public photo of mature walnut tree uprooted west of Macedonia, IA. Time is estimated from radar. Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 69 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public report of several large tree branches down. Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed report of tree damage with estimated wind gusts up to 60 mph. Time estimated with radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 63 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 60 mph.
Hail Hail
Delayed report received via social media of hail measured up to 1 inch in diameter from a Trained Spotter. Time estimated with radar.
Hail Hail
Public report of hail estimated up to 1 inch in diameter near Carter Lake, IA.
Hail Hail
Delayed public report of hail estimated up to 1 inch in diameter in Council Bluffs, IA. Time estimated with radar.
Hail Hail
Emergency management report of hail measured up to 1 inch in diameter near Oakland, IA.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 61 mph near Council Bluffs, IA.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The office received snowfall reports of 8.1 to 9 inches from the public, with the heaviest amounts estimated along the western edge of the county. Measured wind gusts of 25 to 31 mph, combined with the heavy snowfall, reduced visibility to around one-quarter mile. Interstate-80 w…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Mesonet measured wind chill temperature as low as 30 degrees below zero.
High Wind High Wind
Department of Highways report of a semi trailer blown over on Interstate-80. KCBF AWOS measured wind gust of 51 mph.
High Wind High Wind
ASOS measured wind gust of 62 mph at the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport. Personal weather station measured wind gust of 60 mph near Hancock, IA and 58 mph near Silver City, IA.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The heaviest snowfall was estimated around the northern edge of the county, with surrounding reports bringing and estimated 6 to 6.5 inches in the county. I-80 eastbound was closed near the Walnut exit due to a multi-car crash.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 58 mph near Council Bluffs, IA.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KCBF AWOS measured heat index up to 122 degrees. Personal weather stations and mesonets measured heat index of 118, 120 and 121 degrees.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KCBF AWOS measured heat index up to 122 degrees with a minimum heat index of 70 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 120 and 121 degrees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Public report of large tree branches down. Wind gusts were estimated near 60-65 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Mesonet measured wind gust of 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Picture relayed by media of large cottonwood tree and pear tree blown down. Time based on radar, location at Lake Manawa.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KCBF AWOS measured heat index up to 108 degrees with a minimum heat index of 73 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 108 and 111 degrees.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter measured hail up to 1 inch in diameter.
Hail Hail
Public estimated hail up to 1.25 inch in diameter, from mPING report.
Hail Hail
Public estimated hail up to 1.25 inch in diameter, from mPING report.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 20 | 0 |
| 2025 | 34 | 0 |
| 2024 | 36 | 7 |
| 2023 | 19 | 3 |
| 2022 | 18 | 1 |
| 2021 | 32 | 4 |
| 2020 | 8 | 0 |
| 2019 | 20 | 0 |
| 2018 | 23 | 0 |
| 2017 | 13 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 2 |
| 2015 | 7 | 1 |
| 2014 | 29 | 1 |
| 2013 | 15 | 0 |
| 2012 | 24 | 1 |
| 2011 | 32 | 0 |
| 2010 | 32 | 0 |
| 2009 | 17 | 0 |
| 2008 | 22 | 3 |
| 2007 | 32 | 2 |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 |
| 2005 | 23 | 0 |
| 2004 | 27 | 1 |
| 2003 | 16 | 1 |
| 2002 | 9 | 0 |
| 2001 | 31 | 3 |
| 2000 | 18 | 2 |
| 1999 | 20 | 3 |
| 1998 | 17 | 0 |
| 1997 | 19 | 0 |
| 1996 | 15 | 1 |
| 1995 | 8 | 0 |
| 1994 | 6 | 0 |
| 1993 | 4 | 1 |
| 1992 | 4 | 1 |
| 1991 | 7 | 2 |
| 1990 | 10 | 2 |
| 1989 | 4 | 1 |
| 1988 | 9 | 4 |
| 1987 | 8 | 4 |
| 1986 | 7 | 0 |
| 1985 | 9 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 1 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 7 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 3 | 1 |
| 1975 | 7 | 2 |
| 1974 | 4 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 | 3 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970 | 2 | 1 |
| 1969 | 2 | 0 |
| 1968 | 7 | 0 |
| 1967 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 2 | 0 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Pottawattamie County, measured to its path.
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