States › Iowa › Howard County › Winter
Winter in Howard County, Iowa
96 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.
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.
Howard County, Iowa, has 96 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 31 different years.
January is the busiest month, with 29 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 63 events against 33 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 10,746 winter events recorded in Iowa; its 20.3 per 100 square miles compares with 19.2 statewide.
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
| Measure | Howard County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 96 | 10,746 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 20.3 | 19.2 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 101.3 | 33.7 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 47 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | January | January | January |
By year
Seasonality
29Feb
25Mar
17Apr
4May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
1Nov
3Dec
17
Recorded events
All 96 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2026 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Feb 2026 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Feb 2026 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Nov 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 2025 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2024 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Oct 2023 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 2023 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Dec 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Mar 2021 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2021 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Feb 2020 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 2020 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 2019 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Feb 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Feb 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Apr 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Apr 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Feb 2018 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Mar 2017 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 2017 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jan 2017 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jan 2017 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Dec 2016 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 2016 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Feb 2016 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2015 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Nov 2015 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Mar 2015 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2015 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Jan 2015 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2015 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 2014 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Mar 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Mar 2013 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Feb 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2012 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2010 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Dec 2010 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Nov 2010 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Feb 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jan 2010 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 2009 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2008 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Apr 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 2007 | Winter Storm | — | $80K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2006 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2005 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Mar 2005 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2005 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jan 2005 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 2005 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2005 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Apr 2003 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2002 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Feb 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Feb 2001 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Dec 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Dec 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jan 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 1999 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Feb 1999 | Winter Storm | — | $60K | — | — | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 1999 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 1998 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Mar 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Jan 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Mar 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jan 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jan 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has Howard County had?
96 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 Howard County?
15 Mar 2026 (Blizzard). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Howard County?
The winter storm of 23 Feb 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $80K.
How does Howard County compare with Iowa for winter?
20.3 events per 100 square miles against 19.2 statewide; the county holds 96 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.