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Winter in Dubuque County, Iowa

170 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

170 events · 1 deaths recorded · peak month December · county share of state 1.6%

Winter event locations in and around Dubuque County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.

Dubuque County, Iowa, has 170 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 30 different years.

December is the busiest month, with 54 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 111 events against 59 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.6% of the 10,746 winter events recorded in Iowa; its 27.9 per 100 square miles compares with 19.2 statewide.

NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to winter storms and snow.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with Iowa

MeasureDubuque CountyIowaUS
Winter events since 195017010,746287,339
Per 100 square miles27.919.28.1
Per 10,000 residents17.233.78.7
Deaths recorded1472,509
Busiest monthDecemberJanuaryJanuary

By year

195019882026
Winter events recorded in Dubuque County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
44
Feb
37
Mar
17
Apr
6
May
0
Jun
0
Jul
0
Aug
0
Sep
0
Oct
2
Nov
10
Dec
54
Winter events in Dubuque County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 170 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
15 Mar 2026Blizzard—————Forecast zone
28 Nov 2025Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
12 Feb 2025Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
14 Dec 2024Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
2 Apr 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2024Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Jan 2024Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
22 Feb 2023Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
16 Feb 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
9 Feb 2023Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2022Blizzard—————Forecast zone
21 Dec 2022Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2021Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
15 Mar 2021Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
4 Feb 2021Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
30 Jan 2021Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Jan 2021Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
29 Dec 2020Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Dec 2020Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 2020Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
10 Nov 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
30 Oct 2019Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2019Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
18 Jan 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
18 Apr 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Apr 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
3 Apr 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
23 Mar 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
29 Dec 2017Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2015Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
20 Nov 2015Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2015Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Jan 2015Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Jan 2015Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
15 Nov 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Mar 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Mar 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Jan 2014Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Dec 2013Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
19 Dec 2013Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
10 Dec 2013Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Dec 2013Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Mar 2013Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Feb 2013Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
21 Feb 2013Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
30 Jan 2013Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
27 Jan 2013Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
19 Dec 2012Blizzard—————Forecast zone
2 Mar 2012Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
23 Feb 2012Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
20 Jan 2012Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2012Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
9 Nov 2011Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
20 Feb 2011Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2011Blizzard—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 2011Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
20 Dec 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
15 Dec 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Dec 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
3 Dec 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Nov 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
19 Mar 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
25 Jan 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Jan 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Dec 2009Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2009Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
21 Dec 2009Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
9 Dec 2009Blizzard—————Forecast zone
8 Dec 2009Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
20 Feb 2009Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
9 Jan 2009Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
24 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Dec 2008Blizzard—————Forecast zone
18 Dec 2008Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
16 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Dec 2008Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
3 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
30 Nov 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
27 Mar 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Feb 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
25 Feb 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
16 Feb 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Feb 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
29 Jan 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Jan 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Dec 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Dec 2007Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
6 Dec 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
4 Dec 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
21 Nov 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
10 Apr 2007Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
1 Mar 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
23 Feb 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
16 Feb 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
13 Feb 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Feb 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Jan 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
13 Jan 2007Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Mar 2006Winter Weather—$2K———Forecast zone
16 Feb 2006Winter Weather—$1K———Forecast zone
8 Dec 2005Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
5 Jan 2005Heavy Snow—$10K———Forecast zone
1 Jan 2005Ice Storm—$5K———Forecast zone
5 Feb 2004Heavy Snow—$5K———Forecast zone
16 Jan 2004Winter Weather—$5K———Forecast zone
4 Mar 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
14 Feb 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Jan 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Mar 2002Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
15 Mar 2001Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
23 Feb 2001Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
14 Feb 2001Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Feb 2001Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2001Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Jan 2001Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 2001Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
13 Jan 2001Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2001Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
20 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
18 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
15 Dec 2000Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
10 Dec 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
7 Dec 2000Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
7 Apr 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
13 Feb 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
29 Jan 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
19 Jan 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 1999Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
19 Dec 1999Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Mar 1999Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
5 Mar 1999Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 1999Winter Storm———1—Forecast zone
30 Dec 1998Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
6 Dec 1998Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
6 Dec 1998Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Mar 1998Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
20 Jan 1998Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Dec 1997Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
14 Nov 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Oct 1997Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
3 Feb 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
15 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
9 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
27 Dec 1996Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Dec 1996Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
14 Nov 1996Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 1996Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 1996Blizzard—————Forecast zone
18 Jan 1996Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Dubuque County had?

170 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Dubuque County?

15 Mar 2026 (Blizzard). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Dubuque County?

The heavy snow of 5 Jan 2005, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10K.

How does Dubuque County compare with Iowa for winter?

27.9 events per 100 square miles against 19.2 statewide; the county holds 170 of the state's 10,746 recorded events.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.