Sometimes, we have to get through one of those winters that makes us all wonder why we live here. People who remember or have heard stories about these ten storms may have wondered the same thing. The answer is easy: it’s the pork tenderloin sandwiches. Definitely the sandwiches. These ten insane winter storms in Iowa were ones that made history for some reason or another. Take a look:

1. February 1915 was especially challenging for many Iowans.
photolibrarian/Flickr
According to Climatological Data for the United States records, this storm raged on for days. Several miles of railroad tracks were encased in ice and had to be chipped out of the snow by hand. Many trains, like this one, were stranded.
2. In February of 1907, a series of heavy snow storms followed by freezing weather created walls of snow around railroad tracks in the area.
photolibrarian/Flickr
3. Was it horrifying? Yes. If you hate winter, Nov. 9, 2011 was awful.
Jason Swihart/Flickr
Des Moines saw nearly four inches of snow that day. Usually, we expect those snow levels during the second week of January. Just a few days later, high temperatures were in the '50s. Ah... Iowa doing Iowa things.
4. In Clinton, a February storm in 1917 caused the entire community to have to dig out the downtown area so they could reopen stores.
photolibrarian/Flickr
...no thanks, we'll pass on that.
5. During the Super Bowl Blizzard of 1975, the entire Midwest suffered when an intense storm system dropped two feet of snow.
NOAA/Wikimedia
It's one of the worst blizzards on record. North western Iowa was hit hard. It's estimated that over 100,000 farm animals died in the Midwest during the four-day blizzard. 58 people in the Midwest died as a result of the storm. Oh, and also, tornadoes. There were those, too.

Related Stories

The Oldest Building In Iowa Was Built All The Way Back In 1827

The Oldest Building In Iowa Was Built All The Way Back In 1827

 Visit These Fascinating Effigy Mounds In Iowa For An Adventure Into The Past

Visit These Fascinating Effigy Mounds In Iowa For An Adventure Into The Past

 Not Many People Know The Unique Story Of This Lost Iowa County

Not Many People Know The Unique Story Of This Lost Iowa County
6. The winter of 1936 was the fourth snowiest since 1819, when they started keeping weather records.
Don...The UpNorth Memories Guy...Harrison/Flickr
It was also the second coldest. For 36 days between Jan. 18 and Feb. 22, the average temperature across the state was -2 degrees. Blizzards were back-to-back. Yikes.
7. In 2016, we blew a 101-year-old record for widest temperature swing away when our wettest winter on record turned to summer quite abruptly.
Jason Swihart/Flickr
On Feb. 13, the weather was 17 below zero in Cresco. On Feb. 28, it was 75 degrees in Sidney.
8. April blizzard? Sure.
Douglas Porter/Flickr
Belle Plaine had bragging rights during the April 8-10 storm of 1973 that dropped 20.3 inches on the town.
9. It may have been a perfectly nice Thursday in May if it weren't for the freak snowstorm that dumped nearly a foot of snow on Forest City and Britt on May 2, 2013.
Dave Hull/Flickr
10. In 2009, a blizzard that raged from Dec. 7-9, and dropped an average of 11 inches of snow on the state. That storm broke a 38-year record for the most snow during a storm.
Julie Falk/Flickr

Iowa is certainly famous for its sometimes-dramatic weather. One thing’s for sure: winter here isn’t always bad, but when it’s rough, it’s rough. Do you remember an especially amazing Iowa winter storm? Tell us about it in the comments.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Winter Storms in Iowa

Tori Jane | October 13, 2021

What is winter in Iowa like?  

Iowa is one of those states lucky enough to experience a true, four-season climate. The state is heavily inland and experiences cold winters. In the northwestern region of the state, temperatures can dip to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and in the southeastern portion of the state, temperatures often reach into the low 20s. Interestingly, Iowa doesn’t tend to get tons and tons of snow like more northernmost states do. When Iowa does see major snowstorm events, it tends to be in late autumn, or early spring. Winters tend to be photogenic and easy to navigate; ice storms are not as common in this region as they are further north. It’s particularly beautiful around these parts after a good, thorough snowstorm – when they do occur – so make sure to get out and look around this winter should it happen! While you’re at it, take a look at these incredible photos of Iowa during winter.  

What kind of natural disasters occur in Iowa? 

Iowa is unfortunately not immune to natural disasters. Sure, major snow and/or ice events occur occasionally, but the odds of being involved in other types of disasters throughout the year is almost more certain to occur within the first few years of living here. Some of the most common disasters include flooding events, and lots of Iowans live in potent floodplains that are bound to fill with water at some point in time. One of the most recent flooding events took place in 2019 and went from March until December! Damages exceeded 1.6 billion dollars for that one. Severe storms – including large hail, high winds, and occasional tornadoes – are also fairly common here during the spring and summer months, particularly during early to mid-summer. Iowa can get some impressive hail from time to time – the current record for largest hailstone in the state is an astonishing 7 inches in diameter. That’s a huge chunk of ice! Finally, landslides – often going hand-in-hand with flooding – are another commonly-had issue in Iowa. Best make sure you’ve got insurance!  

Related Articles

Explore Iowa