Those that were around in 1990 probably remember one of the worst ice storms that struck the state in the last several decades. Ice accumulations ranged from 0.5 to 2.0 inches across most of this area with 3.0 inches of ice reported in Crawford and Carroll counties. Some areas saw a phenomenal five inches of ice.

The ice downed 78 high power electrical towers in a 17 mile stretch near Boone and produced incredible tree damage. Approximately 270,000 were without power in the Des Moines metro area at the height of the storm, which was about two thirds of the metro population at that time. Power took more than a week to restore in some rural areas. Total damage from this storm was nearly $50 million, which is nearly $90 million when adjusted for inflation in 2015 dollars.

What’s interesting about this is that the same system that produced this ice storm went on to produce a severe weather outbreak across the area. An F1 tornado touched down north of Coralville along with an F0 tornado west of Tipton. This wild stretch of weather got even wilder with this being followed by a snowstorm – all of this in a nine day stretch.