Shelby 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.
29
Tornado reports
134
Hail reports
5
Floods since 1996
479
All events
0
Deaths
$9.7M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Shelby 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.
Tornado EF3 Tornado
This is a continuation of the Minden, Iowa EF-3 tornado. Prior to this segment, the tornado had tracked through Pottawattamie County and a small portion of extreme southeast Harrison County. After crossing into Shelby County between York Road and 335th Street, tree and powerline …
This tornado entered Shelby County from Pottawattamie County from the southwest. The tornado impacted a total of 6 farmsteads in the county as it tracked to the north northeast. Damage at these farmsteads was confined to mainly outbuilding being damaged or destroyed, trees uproot…
Heat Heat
KHNR AWOS recorded minimum temperatures above 75 degrees for at least 48 hours, paired with daily maximum heat index values peaking around 105 degrees.
Hail Hail
Delayed report received via broadcast media, including a video showing copious amounts of hail falling. Hailstones were estimated to be at least 1 inch in diameter. Time was estimated using radar.
Hail Hail
Delayed public report via social media of mail measured up to quarter sized with picture and coin for reference via social media. Time estimated via radar.
High Wind High Wind
Observations within the county were sparse with a 56 mph measured gust in the northwester portion of the county. However, two 58 mph gusts were observed just outside the county line.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The office received snowfall reports of up to 7 inches from the public, with the heaviest amounts estimated along the southwestern edge of the county. Measured wind gusts of 25 to 36 mph, combined with the heavy snowfall, reduced visibility to around one-quarter mile.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
KHNR AWOS measured wind chill temperature as low as 31 degrees below zero.
High Wind High Wind
KHNR AWOS measured wind gust of 61 mph in the southern portion of the county.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 66 mph near Harlan, IA. AWOS measured wind gust of 60 mph in Harlan, IA.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The office received snowfall reports up to 7 inches from the public and Cocorahs. The heaviest snowfall was estimated around the eastern edge of the county.
High Wind High Wind
Personal weather station measured wind gust of 59 mph near Harlan, IA.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law enforcement report of a barn blown down and damage to trees. Winds gusted to an estimated 90-100 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter measured wind gust using a handheld anemometer. Had consistent 45-55 mph gusts and one gust of 70 mph.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KHNR AWOS measured heat index up to 114 degrees. Personal weather station measured heat index of 114 and 119 degrees.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
KHNR AWOS measured thunderstorm wind gust of 68 mph.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
KHNR AWOS measured heat index up to 105 degrees with a minimum heat index of 73 degrees through the period. Personal weather station measured heat index of 108 degrees.
Blizzard Blizzard
Highway 37 is closed due to blizzard conditions. Generally 3 to 7 of snow with wind gusts measured up to 51 mph and visibility of 1/2 mile.
Blizzard Blizzard
General snowfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches throughout the county. Harlan AWOS reported 1/4 mile visibility with surrounding conditions supporting blizzard criteria. Wind gusts up to 58 mph.
High Wind High Wind
KHNR AWOS measured sustained winds at 40 mph for over an hour.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chill got as low as -30 in the county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chill got as low as -37 in the county.
High Wind High Wind
Though no direct measurements were made in Shelby County of severe level wind gusts, observations from surrounding counties support the high likelihood of wind gusts up to 60 mph occurring in Shelby County the afternoon of the 19th.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
The Harlan AWOS measured two consecutive afternoons of heat indices peaking at 110 degrees.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
A combination of hot afternoon temperatures and high dew points brought a brief period of excessive heat during the afternoon, with heat indices up to 110 being observed in a few counties across southwest Iowa.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
A maximum heat index of 117 degrees was observed the afternoon of the 15th.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
Emergency management reported a funnel cloud.
Hail Hail
The office received a report of quarter sized hail from a CO-OP observer.
Hail Hail
The office received a report of quarter to golf ball sized hail from the public.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The office received a public report of a 62 miles per hour wind gust. This wind gust was accompanied by quarter to golf ball sized hail (this has been put as a separate event given the different event type).
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 72 miles per hour wind gust was measured on a personal weather station 2 miles east of Harlan.
Heat Heat
A max heat index of 110 was observed at the Harlan AWOS.
Heat Heat
A max heat index of 119 was observed at the Harlan AWOS.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A photo was relayed to the office of a tree that was blown ontop of a house. At the same time, a personal weather station in town recorded a gust of 60 miles per hour. It was likely that the wind gust the blew the tree down on the house was stronger than this.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 64 miles per hour wind gust was measured on a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 65 miles per hour wind gust was measured one a personal weather station.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This brief spin-up tornado damaged roofs off an outbuilding and downed several trees. The peak winds in this tornado were estimated to be at 80 miles per hour. The maximum path width and estimated average path width were both 40 yards.
Hail Hail
The office received a report from the public of quarter sized hail on the northeast side of Harlan, Iowa.
Hail Hail
The office received a report from the 911 Call Center of 2 inch hail that had fallen 3 miles north of Harlan, Iowa.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
The office received a public report of a funnel clouds 3 miles southwest of Harlan, near 900th Street and Juniper Road.
Tornado EFU Tornado
At 818 PM CDT, a landspout developed half a mile north of 500th Street in southwestern Shelby County. This landspout tracked north-northeast for approximately two minutes over open farmland. The tornado dissipated just under half a mile northeast of the end of 550th Street. No da…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 67 miles per hour wind gust was measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 65 miles per hour wind gust was measured by a personal weather station.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
This is a continuation of the EF-1 tornado that started in Pottawattamie County. This tornado crosses into far southwest Shelby County just east of the intersection of Elmwood Road and 100th Street. Several tree trunks were snapped along Elmwood Road as the tornado continued to t…
Tornado EF1 Tornado
This tornado touched down less than a mile southeast of Defiance, Iowa just north of the Linden Road and Knotty Pine Road Intersection. Here, a roof was blown off a barn and several tree trunks in the area were snapped. The tornado moved to the northeast, skirting the town of Def…
Tornado EF1 Tornado
This tornado touched down in the V and W Petersen Wildlife Management Area, less than half a mile south of the Shelby-Crawford County border between Road M36 and Quince Road. This tornado quickly moved into Crawford County, but not before snapping several tree trunks on 2500th St…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills across the county dropped under 35 degrees below zero every night during the duration of this event. The coldest wind chills were felt on January 13th and 14th. The coldest recorded wind chill in the county was minus 48 degrees, measured in Westphalia the night of the…
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 13 | 0 |
| 2024 | 28 | 6 |
| 2023 | 6 | 1 |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 |
| 2021 | 8 | 0 |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 20 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | 8 | 0 |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 1 |
| 2014 | 28 | 1 |
| 2013 | 14 | 0 |
| 2012 | 13 | 0 |
| 2011 | 22 | 1 |
| 2010 | 15 | 0 |
| 2009 | 15 | 0 |
| 2008 | 15 | 2 |
| 2007 | 14 | 0 |
| 2006 | 7 | 0 |
| 2005 | 16 | 0 |
| 2004 | 19 | 2 |
| 2003 | 16 | 0 |
| 2002 | 9 | 0 |
| 2001 | 15 | 1 |
| 2000 | 13 | 1 |
| 1999 | 14 | 0 |
| 1998 | 22 | 0 |
| 1997 | 15 | 0 |
| 1996 | 14 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 5 | 0 |
| 1992 | 4 | 1 |
| 1991 | 2 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 7 | 4 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 1 |
| 1986 | 6 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 3 | 0 |
| 1975 | 4 | 1 |
| 1974 | 3 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 1 |
| 1972 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1962 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Shelby County, measured to its path.
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