Winneshiek 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.
23
Tornado reports
161
Hail reports
65
Floods since 1996
627
All events
2
Deaths
$27.1M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Winneshiek County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 22 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 F4 Tornado
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 …
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
A period of extreme heat moved into the region during the end of June with widespread heat indices over 100 degrees. On June 29th, heat indices ranged from 105 to 111 degrees across the county during the afternoon and early evening. The highest heat index observed in the county w…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The combination of snow and increased wind gusts led to occasional whiteout conditions across Winneshiek county during the afternoon hours on the 15th through the morning hours on the 16th. The highest wind gust reported in the county was 51 mph in Decorah with the highest snowfa…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
This snow band brought snowfall totals of 2 to 4 inches across the county. The highest reported snowfall total was 8 miles north of Decorah where 4 inches was measured.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
This snow band brought heavy snow to Winneshiek County with snowfall totals ranging from 9 to 15 inches across the county. The highest snowfall report in the county was in Fort Atkinson of 15 inches.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Beginning late on January 22nd and into the morning hours of January 23rd, a period of extreme cold moved into the region bringing dangerously cold wind chills. In Winneshiek County, wind chills ranged from around 35 to 45 degrees below zero with the coldest observed wind chill i…
Blizzard Blizzard
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…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
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.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Law enforcement reported water over Trout Run road roughly 1 mile west of Decorah.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Emergency management reported basements flooded in Calmar.
Flood Flood
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…
Hail Hail
The public reported quarter sized hail near Calmar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The public reported pine trees down near Decorah.
Hail Hail
A trained spotter reported penny to quarter size hail 2 miles south-southeast of Bluffton.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
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…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
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…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
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.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
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…
Drought Drought
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…
Hail Hail
The public reported nickel sized hail 2 miles southeast of Burr Oak.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law enforcement reported a tree down onto a power line in Ridgeway.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
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.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This brief EF-0 tornado developed about 2 miles southeast of Bluffton. It lasted for one minute, damaging several trees but causing no damage to structures.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This EF-0 tornado developed about 5 miles north of Decorah, embedded within a downburst that resulted in a complex damage path. The tornado damaged trees, crops, and one outbuilding before being overcome by downburst winds.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The public reported both a tree onto a roadway and loss of power in Bluffton.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The public reported a tree down onto a roadway southeast of Decorah.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The public reported small tree limbs down throughout the town of Bluffton.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The public reported roof damage northeast of Decorah.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The public reported trees down around a residence north of Decorah and one 12-inch diameter pine trunk snapped.
Flood Flood
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.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A few large tree limbs of up to 10 inch diameter were broken off near Calmar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Eight-inch diameter tree limbs were reported down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Part of the roof was blown off of Ossian Senior Hospice.
Hail Hail
Quarter sized hail was reported by the public northeast of Decorah. Report relayed via social media.
Drought Drought
Above normal total monthly precipitation near 10 inches resulted in reduction of severe (D2) drought to moderate (D1) through May.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A volunteer observer reported 3.5 of snow accumulation near Decorah.
Drought Drought
Slightly above normal monthly rainfall totals resulted in removal of severe (D2) drought for nearly all of Winneshiek County through April.
Drought Drought
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.
Drought Drought
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.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 31 degrees below zero near Jackson Junction.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 38 degrees below zero in Jackson Junction.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A volunteer observer reported 6.0 of snowfall in Decorah.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A volunteer observer reported 6.0 near Decorah.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 |
| 2025 | 12 | 0 |
| 2024 | 26 | 2 |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022 | 19 | 1 |
| 2021 | 11 | 0 |
| 2020 | 6 | 0 |
| 2019 | 14 | 1 |
| 2018 | 20 | 0 |
| 2017 | 32 | 2 |
| 2016 | 28 | 0 |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 |
| 2014 | 32 | 0 |
| 2013 | 17 | 0 |
| 2012 | 30 | 0 |
| 2011 | 7 | 0 |
| 2010 | 16 | 0 |
| 2009 | 31 | 1 |
| 2008 | 21 | 0 |
| 2007 | 23 | 0 |
| 2006 | 12 | 0 |
| 2005 | 9 | 0 |
| 2004 | 19 | 0 |
| 2003 | 20 | 0 |
| 2002 | 25 | 1 |
| 2001 | 13 | 0 |
| 2000 | 28 | 0 |
| 1999 | 6 | 0 |
| 1998 | 26 | 0 |
| 1997 | 12 | 0 |
| 1996 | 22 | 0 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 10 | 1 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 0 |
| 1991 | 3 | 0 |
| 1990 | 4 | 2 |
| 1989 | 2 | 1 |
| 1988 | 4 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 1 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | 3 | 0 |
| 1979 | 8 | 4 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 4 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 4 | 2 |
| 1957 | 2 | 1 |
| 1955 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Winneshiek County, measured to its path.
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