Winneshiek storm history

Two sisters were killed in a two vehicle accident that occurred on slippery roads as a result of snow that fell two days prior to the accident. Roads were still partially snow covered and slippery at the time of the accident. The driver of one vehicle lost control, crossed the ce…

Six people were injured in a two vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 52 south of Decorah. Freezing drizzle created slippery conditions across the county.

Runoff from heavy rains caused flooding to occur in and around Calmar, Fort Atkinson and Spillville. The flood waters caused the basement of one house to collapse in Calmar. Cars became stranded near U.S. Highway 52 around Calmar with one person having to stand on top of a car to…

Flood waters caused homes along Cedar Valley Road, southwest of Freeport, to be evacuated. Widespread flooding occurred in Freeport prompting the need for water rescues to be performed and for local law enforcement to not allow any travel in the area. River Road near Freeport was…

Several civil cmergency messages were issued for evacuations in the county. Nursing homes and residences in the lower areas on the west side of the city of Decorah were evacuated. Ponding of water in Decorah could not be stopped even with pumps running. Many roads were closed in …

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 Winneshiek County. During this period, a peak wind gust of 38 mph was observed at Decorah. Snowfall totals across the…

This significant winter storm brought between 6 and 8 inches of snow to Winneshiek County between November 28th and the 30th. The highest snowfall report in the county was located 8 miles east-northeast of Decorah where 7.6 inches of snow was observed.

Law enforcement reported water over Trout Run road roughly 1 mile west of Decorah.

Emergency management reported basements flooded in Calmar.

Heavy rain during the middle of August allowed the Turkey River at Spillville to rise into flood stage during the morning on August 18th. The site crested at 11.23 ft in moderate flood stage during the early afternoon on August 18th before falling below flood stage during the ear…

The public reported quarter sized hail near Calmar.

The public reported pine trees down near Decorah.

A trained spotter reported penny to quarter size hail 2 miles south-southeast of Bluffton.

This winter system brought near-blizzard conditions and snow to Winneshiek County on March 19th. Snowfall totals between 1 to 3 inches across the county with the highest reported total being 2.5 inches 7 miles east-northeast of Decorah. Additionally, a peak wind gust of 59 mph wa…

This winter system brought near-blizzard conditions to portions of Winneshiek County during the morning hours as the combination of gusty winds and falling snow created hazardous conditions at times from the low visibilities. Snowfall amounts across the county ranged around 1 inc…

Minimum wind chills across Winneshiek County ranged between 30 to 40 degrees on the morning of February 18th. The coldest wind chill in the county of 36 degrees below zero was reported 1 mile east-northeast of Jackson Junction.

Dangerously cold wind chills began on the evening of the 20th and continued through noon on the 21st in Winneshiek County where values dropped to around 30 to 40 degrees below zero. The coldest observed wind chill in the county of 38 degrees below zero was recorded in Decorah, IA…

Throughout the entirety of September and through October 29th, only 0.5 to 1.5 inches of precipitation fell in Winneshiek County. This 4 to 7 inch deficit for this period resulted in the development of severe drought by mid-October. Severe drought conditions ended in the county b…

The public reported nickel sized hail 2 miles southeast of Burr Oak.

Law enforcement reported a tree down onto a power line in Ridgeway.

Anomalously warm air temperatures and high humidity allowed the heat index to reach 118 degrees at the automated weather observation station at Decorah on August 26th.

The public reported both a tree onto a roadway and loss of power in Bluffton.

The public reported a tree down onto a roadway southeast of Decorah.

The public reported small tree limbs down throughout the town of Bluffton.

The public reported roof damage northeast of Decorah.

The public reported trees down around a residence north of Decorah and one 12-inch diameter pine trunk snapped.

Significant rainfall later into June pushed the Upper Iowa River at Kendallville into flood stage on June 23rd. The river stage crested during the evening on the same day in major flood stage at 15.51 ft. This was a new record high river stage for the site.

A few large tree limbs of up to 10 inch diameter were broken off near Calmar.

Eight-inch diameter tree limbs were reported down.

Part of the roof was blown off of Ossian Senior Hospice.

Quarter sized hail was reported by the public northeast of Decorah. Report relayed via social media.

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

A volunteer observer reported 3.5 of snow accumulation near Decorah.

Slightly above normal monthly rainfall totals resulted in removal of severe (D2) drought for nearly all of Winneshiek County through April.

Near to slightly above normal monthly total precipitation of 2 to 2.5 resulted in widespread improvement from extreme (D3) to severe (D2) drought in Winneshiek County through March.

Less than 0.75 of total liquid precipitation fell in Winneshiek County through February, up to 1.0 below normal, resulting in severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought persisting.

An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 31 degrees below zero near Jackson Junction.

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

A volunteer observer reported 6.0 of snowfall in Decorah.

A volunteer observer reported 6.0 near Decorah.

Severe (D2) and extreme (D3) drought persisted across Winneshiek County through January. While 1 to 2 of monthly total liquid precipitation was up to 1 above normal, the long-standing abnormally dry conditions continued, remaining 8 to 12 below normal since June 1st, 2023.

Severe (D2) to extreme (D2) drought persisted across Winneshiek County through December. While monthly total rainfall near 1 was only slightly below normal, the long-standing abnormally dry conditions were 8 to 12 below normal.

Extreme (D3) drought persisted across all of Winneshiek 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.

While volunteer observers reported only a trace of snowfall from late on October 30th in the morning of October 31st, the combination with 40 mph wind gusts rapidly worsened road conditions. These slippery to hazardous travel conditions resulted in multiple slide offs reported ac…

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 Winneshiek County through October. While monthly rainfall totals were up to an inch above normal, the long standin…