Weather
Iowa Snow Records: 30 Inches in One Day, Could It Happen Again?
Des Moines, IA – Iowa has experienced remarkable winter storms, including a historic snowfall that deposited 30 inches in a single day. With winter 2026 27 approaching, records dating back more than a
By Audrey Sloan · 2026-10-21T13:05:45.381Z
Des Moines, IA – Iowa has experienced remarkable winter storms, including a historic snowfall that deposited 30 inches in a single day. With winter 2026 27 approaching, records dating back more than a century show just how extreme snowfall can become across the Hawkeye State.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Olin in Jones County recorded 30 inches of snow on March 28, 1931, one of the highest one day totals shown in Iowa's county level snowfall records.
Other significant records stretch from western Iowa near Sioux City to central Iowa and communities along the Mississippi River.
Iowa's Top 10 One Day Snowfall Records The following are the 10 highest county level measurements shown in NOAA's historical database, ranked by snowfall amount.
Jones County — 30.0 inches: Olin, March 28, 1931. Benton County — 20.0 inches: Belle Plaine, Nov. 30, 1934. Clayton County — 20.0 inches: Elkader, March 8, 1961. Lyon County — 20.0 inches: Inwood, Dec. 18, 1962. Marion County — 20.0 inches: Knoxville, Feb. 25, 1912. Page County — 20.0 inches: Clarinda, Feb. 25, 1912. Polk County — 20.0 inches: Des Moines, Dec. 9, 2009. Osceola County — 21.0 inches: Sibley, Feb. 18, 1962. Fayette County — 21.0 inches: Fayette, March 5, 1959. Madison County — 18.0 inches: Winterset, Jan. 1, 1942. Why Iowa's Snowfall History Matters Iowa's location in the central United States exposes the state to powerful winter storm systems capable of producing heavy snowfall, strong winds and dangerous drifting.
Interstates 80, 35 and 29 are particularly vulnerable when snow combines with high winds, creating hazardous travel conditions across open farmland.
What About Winter 2026 27? A warmer than average winter would not eliminate the possibility of a significant snowstorm.
Individual weather systems can still produce heavy snowfall when sufficient moisture encounters freezing temperatures.
While historical records cannot predict another 20 or 30 inch storm this winter, they demonstrate the potential severity of Iowa's winter weather.
For residents from Des Moines and Cedar Rapids to Sioux City and Davenport, the records offer a reminder that one powerful storm can dramatically change winter conditions.