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Dickinson County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes

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The chance of earthquake damage in Dickinson County is about the same as Iowa average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Dickinson County is lower than Iowa average and is higher than the national average.

Topics:Earthquake Index Volcano Index Tornado Index Other Weather Extremes Events Volcanos Nearby Historical Earthquake Events Historical Tornado Events

Earthquake Index, #26

Dickinson County	0.00
Iowa	0.00
U.S.	1.81

The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.

Volcano Index, #1

Dickinson County	0.0000
Iowa	0.0000
U.S.	0.0023

The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.

Tornado Index, #75

Dickinson County	200.78
Iowa	236.74
U.S.	136.45

The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.

Other Weather Extremes Events

A total of 11,816 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Dickinson County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:

Type	Count	Type	Count	Type	Count	Type	Count	Type	Count
Avalanche:	0	Blizzard:	94	Cold:	38	Dense Fog:	3	Drought:	20
Dust Storm:	0	Flood:	988	Hail:	5,352	Heat:	12	Heavy Snow:	108
High Surf:	0	Hurricane:	0	Ice Storm:	29	Landslide:	0	Strong Wind:	124
Thunderstorm Winds:	4,344	Tropical Storm:	0	Wildfire:	2	Winter Storm:	139	Winter Weather:	94
Other:	469

Volcanos Nearby

No volcano is found in or near Dickinson County.

Historical Earthquake Events

No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Dickinson County.

No historical earthquake events found in or near Dickinson County.

Historical Tornado Events

A total of 71 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Dickinson County.

Distance (miles)	Date	Magnitude	Start Lat/Log	End Lat/Log	Length	Width	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage	Crop Damage	Affected County
1.9	1990-08-18	2	43°28'N / 95°16'W	43°22'N / 95°08'W	8.50 Miles	63 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Dickinson
4.0	1971-05-31	3	43°22'N / 95°19'W	43°28'N / 95°13'W	8.00 Miles	200 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Dickinson
4.9	1960-07-11	2	43°24'N / 95°06'W		1.00 Mile	300 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Dickinson
6.0	1981-06-14	2	43°27'N / 95°23'W	43°29'N / 95°07'W	13.30 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Dickinson
7.0	1968-06-13	2	43°23'N / 95°06'W	43°26'N / 95°01'W	4.90 Miles	200 Yards	0	17	2.5M	0	Dickinson
7.5	1981-06-14	2	43°29'N / 95°23'W	43°30'N / 95°07'W	13.10 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Dickinson
8.7	1991-04-26	2	43°16'N / 95°14'W		18.00 Miles	60 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Dickinson
10.9	1964-05-08	2	43°26'N / 95°26'W	43°29'N / 95°21'W	5.10 Miles	200 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Osceola
11.5	1966-07-09	2	43°26'N / 95°25'W		1.00 Mile	200 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Osceola
13.0	1971-05-31	3	43°30'N / 95°20'W	43°38'N / 95°14'W	10.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Jackson
13.9	1981-06-14	2	43°25'N / 95°33'W	43°27'N / 95°23'W	8.30 Miles	1533 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Osceola
14.4	1981-06-14	2	43°26'N / 95°33'W	43°29'N / 95°23'W	8.80 Miles	1533 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Osceola
14.8	1971-05-31	3	43°20'N / 95°32'W	43°27'N / 95°27'W	8.60 Miles	250 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Osceola
15.3	1968-06-13	2	43°23'N / 95°30'W				0	0	250K	0	Osceola
15.9	1959-05-28	2	43°12'N / 95°01'W		1.00 Mile	150 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Clay
16.7	1980-09-20	3	43°09'N / 95°09'W		1.50 Miles	300 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Clay
16.7	1984-06-07	2	43°09'N / 95°09'W		2.00 Miles	77 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Clay
17.0	2004-06-11	2	43°08'N / 95°23'W	43°12'N / 95°18'W	5.50 Miles	200 Yards	0	0	500K	0	Clay
		Brief Description: A tornado destroyed a hog barn, killing ten hogs, destroyed a greenhouse, destroyed a barn, outbuildings, a machine shed and a garage, and damaged several other farm structures including a horse barn. Several horses were injured. At least two houses were damaged, with windows blown out. Several vehicles were also damaged. Numerous power lines and trees were blown down. The tornado also damaged crops.
21.5	1959-05-28	2	43°10'N / 94°54'W	43°12'N / 94°51'W	2.30 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Palo Alto
21.7	2008-06-11	2	43°00'N / 95°16'W	43°09'N / 95°06'W	13.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	300K	0K	Clay
		Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado destroyed or heavily damaged numerous outbuildings on at least 8 affected farmsteads, with damaged buildings including several large sheds. The tornado damaged numerous grain bins, most of which were carried off their foundations, with some being carried as much as a half mile. The ornado also overturned a camper, blew the top off a silo, destroyed a garage, broke windows on a house, and caused considerable damage to trees, power poles, and power lines. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Thunderstorms produced several tornadoes, along with large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding in northwest Iowa during the late afternoon and early evening of June 11th.
22.1	1976-06-14	2	43°09'N / 94°54'W	43°15'N / 94°47'W	8.60 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Palo Alto
22.5	1971-05-31	3	43°13'N / 95°57'W	43°30'N / 95°20'W	36.50 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	0K	0	O'brien
23.0	1971-10-01	3	43°02'N / 95°29'W	43°09'N / 95°19'W	11.20 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	250K	0	O'brien
23.2	1965-05-05	2	43°10'N / 95°29'W	43°24'N / 95°47'W	21.80 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	3K	0	O'brien
23.4	1967-04-30	2	43°23'N / 94°41'W	43°29'N / 94°47'W	8.20 Miles	300 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Emmet
24.7	1975-06-04	2	43°02'N / 95°09'W				0	0	3K	0	Clay
25.4	1976-06-14	2	43°15'N / 94°47'W	43°29'N / 94°36'W	18.30 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Emmet
25.8	1967-04-30	2	43°25'N / 94°41'W		1.00 Mile	200 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Emmet
26.1	1982-06-06	2	43°24'N / 95°43'W		2.00 Miles	67 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Osceola
26.4	1954-04-26	2	43°03'N / 95°18'W	42°58'N / 95°10'W	8.40 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Clay
29.0	1976-06-14	2	43°46'N / 95°11'W	43°51'N / 95°06'W	6.40 Miles	300 Yards	0	3	250K	0	Jackson
29.1	2010-06-25	4	43°24'N / 95°51'W	43°22'N / 95°42'W	8.00 Miles	800 Yards	0	13	3.0M	0K	Osceola
		Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado destroyed at least two houses, injuring two people in one of them. the tornado also destroyed several garages and severely damaged several other homes, destroyed at least 4 hog confinement buildings, several barns and silos, and numerous outbuildings. The tornado destroyed three vehicles that had been parked under an Iowa Highway 60 overpass, injuring 11 people in the vehicles, and removing the engine from one of the vehicles. The tornado damaged power lines, causing power outages, and caused damage to trees and crops. The tornado also destroyed a shelter belt and severely damaged heavy farm equipment, removing the wheels from some of the vehicles. Much of the damage occurred a short distance west to south of the town of Sibley. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Thunderstorms produced tornadoes, one that caused considerable damage and at least two injuries along a 14 mile path, along with damaging winds, in northwest Iowa during the evening of June 25th.
29.3	1960-06-23	2	43°39'N / 94°44'W		2.00 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Martin
30.3	1977-05-04	2	43°33'N / 94°38'W				0	0	25K	0	Martin
30.9	2008-06-11	2	42°58'N / 95°32'W	43°03'N / 95°30'W	6.00 Miles	300 Yards	0	0	200K	0K	O'brien
		Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado destroyed several outbuildings, moved a 1.5 ton wagon, heavily damaged a machine shed containing farm equipment and also damaged a nearby house on the same farm. Also destroyed another machine shed at a different location, destroyed a pole barn, damaged a grain bin, broke or blew down several power poles and power lines, and caused tree damage. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Thunderstorms produced several tornadoes, along with large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding in northwest Iowa during the late afternoon and early evening of June 11th.
31.2	1980-07-19	2	43°01'N / 95°37'W	43°04'N / 95°34'W	3.30 Miles	160 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	O'brien
31.6	2004-06-11	3	42°55'N / 95°03'W	42°59'N / 95°00'W	6.00 Miles	400 Yards	0	0	50K	0	Clay
		Brief Description: A large cone shaped tornado tore a steel bridge from a road. The tornado raised a large debris cloud as it moved over open country, causing damage to crops and power lines. The tornado moved into Clay County after forming just south of the County Line.
31.6	1951-06-25	2	43°34'N / 94°46'W	43°36'N / 94°29'W	14.20 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Martin
32.0	1977-05-27	2	43°28'N / 95°48'W	43°37'N / 95°48'W	10.30 Miles	60 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Nobles
32.5	1967-04-30	2	43°07'N / 94°40'W	43°18'N / 94°32'W	14.00 Miles	300 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Palo Alto
33.7	1956-05-10	2	43°37'N / 95°48'W	43°42'N / 95°43'W	6.50 Miles	880 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Nobles
34.9	1986-04-26	2	43°28'N / 95°56'W	43°35'N / 95°48'W	10.00 Miles	40 Yards	0	2	2.5M	0	Nobles
35.4	2010-06-25	2	43°26'N / 95°57'W	43°24'N / 95°51'W	5.00 Miles	450 Yards	0	0	500K	0K	Lyon
		Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado destroyed two hog confinement buildings, killing about 12 hogs, numerous outbuildings, a metal farm building, tore the roof off a house and damaged at least 6 other houses, and caused damage to other farm buildings, power lines, vehicles, and trees, before moving out of Lyon County and into Osceola County. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Thunderstorms produced tornadoes, one that caused considerable damage and at least two injuries along a 14 mile path, along with damaging winds, in northwest Iowa during the evening of June 25th.
35.4	1976-06-14	2	43°51'N / 95°06'W	43°56'N / 95°00'W	7.10 Miles	300 Yards	0	3	250K	0	Cottonwood
37.8	1981-06-13	2	43°10'N / 95°53'W				0	0	3K	0	Sioux
39.6	1986-04-26	2	43°24'N / 96°02'W	43°28'N / 95°56'W	8.50 Miles	120 Yards	1	2	2.5M	0	Lyon
40.0	1984-06-07	2	42°55'N / 94°45'W	43°02'N / 94°32'W	15.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	1	2.5M	0	Palo Alto
40.3	1984-06-07	2	42°51'N / 94°51'W	42°55'N / 94°45'W	10.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	1	2.5M	0	Pocahontas
41.1	1979-08-08	2	43°04'N / 95°53'W		0.40 Mile	100 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Sioux
42.0	1968-04-03	2	42°59'N / 95°49'W		0.50 Mile	100 Yards	0	0	25K	0	O'brien
42.9	2006-08-01	3	43°54'N / 94°43'W	43°53'N / 94°40'W	1.50 Miles	440 Yards	0	0	2.0M	0	Watonwan
		Brief Description: Initial damage occurred at farmstead just east of the Watonwan/Cottonwood line. Damage included the partial removal of roofs off two large sheds, along with scattered downed trees. The tornado then moved across corn and bean fields. Another farmstead was hit just southwest of the intersection of County Roads 10 and 2. This was the location of the F3 damage. A house was leveled, a 60 foot concrete base silo was toppled and rolled. Virtually all barns, sheds and outbuildings were completely destroyed.
43.1	1980-07-19	2	42°50'N / 94°50'W	43°01'N / 94°25'W	24.40 Miles	80 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Palo Alto
43.4	1953-06-07	2	43°00'N / 94°28'W	43°13'N / 94°23'W	15.20 Miles	500 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Palo Alto
43.5	1963-03-16	2	42°47'N / 95°26'W		2.00 Miles	250 Yards	0	0	3K	0	Cherokee
44.6	1957-06-16	2	42°30'N / 95°24'W	43°00'N / 94°45'W	47.60 Miles	33 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Ida
44.7	1984-06-07	2	42°50'N / 94°42'W	42°56'N / 94°35'W	8.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Pocahontas
44.8	1953-03-21	3	43°16'N / 94°38'W	43°18'N / 94°00'W	31.80 Miles	400 Yards	0	0	250K	0	Emmet
44.8	1952-06-23	4	42°45'N / 95°51'W	42°54'N / 95°25'W	24.10 Miles	400 Yards	0	4	2.5M	0	Cherokee
44.9	1953-06-07	2	42°50'N / 94°42'W	43°00'N / 94°28'W	16.20 Miles	833 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Pocahontas
45.0	1998-03-29	3	43°59'N / 95°26'W	44°06'N / 94°56'W	39.50 Miles	900 Yards	0	3	30.0M	0	Cottonwood
		Brief Description: A strong tornado which began in Murray County tracked across Cottonwood County and then further northeast. The tornado destroyed numerous farms, farm equipment, buildings, trees, power lines and poles, vehicles, and other structures in its path. A vehicle was tossed a hundred yards as it hit the first farm in southwest Cottonwood County. People in the basement of the house on this farm received minor injuries. The tornado also destroyed a church near Jeffers, and destroyed numerous homes in the southern part of Comfrey, a city which is only partly in Cottonwood County.
45.0	1992-06-16	2	43°57'N / 95°26'W	44°06'N / 95°22'W	7.50 Miles	90 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Cottonwood
45.2	1998-03-29	2	43°48'N / 95°54'W	43°48'N / 95°54'W	0.10 Mile	75 Yards	0	0	200K	0	Nobles
		Brief Description: A tornado destroyed farm buildings...uprooted numerous trees...and overturned a tractor trailer.
45.2	2000-07-25	2	43°38'N / 96°03'W	43°40'N / 96°00'W	3.00 Miles	200 Yards	0	0	150K	0	Nobles
		Brief Description: A tornado damaged buildings, vehicles, and trees on a farm. The tornado destroyed the west side of the house, blew three grain bins away and wrapped them around trees. The tornado also blew the top of a barn off, killing at least 4 calves inside.
46.2	1952-06-23	2	44°00'N / 95°17'W	44°07'N / 95°05'W	12.50 Miles	220 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Cottonwood
46.5	1998-03-29	2	43°47'N / 95°57'W	43°47'N / 95°57'W	0.10 Mile	75 Yards	0	0	400K	0	Nobles
		Brief Description: A tornado destroyed buildings...trees in shelter belts...and numerous pieces of farm equipment...and killed two cattle.
47.3	1980-07-19	2	43°01'N / 94°25'W	43°02'N / 94°23'W			0	0	2.5M	0	Kossuth
47.6	1958-04-01	2	42°44'N / 95°42'W	42°51'N / 95°38'W	8.30 Miles	200 Yards	0	0	25K	0	Cherokee
48.1	1968-09-22	3	43°01'N / 96°04'W	43°04'N / 95°59'W	4.70 Miles	50 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Sioux
49.4	1984-06-07	2	42°39'N / 95°12'W	42°42'N / 95°09'W	4.00 Miles	100 Yards	0	3	2.5M	0	Buena Vista
49.9	1964-05-05	3	42°34'N / 96°21'W	43°11'N / 95°26'W	62.90 Miles	300 Yards	0	0	2.5M	0	Plymouth
49.9	1992-06-16	2	43°59'N / 95°46'W		0.50 Mile	30 Yards	0	0	0K	0	Murray

* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.