Scott County
Population 175,259 (2025) 458 sq mi
Scott County has recorded 68 tornadoes since 1950, 2nd most of 99 counties in Iowa; the most recent was on July 11, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195068
- Major flood years since 19787
At a glance
The record for Scott County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Flood insurance claims
2,267
Most of any of Iowa’s 99 counties
$34.9 million paid since 1978
DetailsStrongest tornado
F3
May 8, 1988, 32.0 mile path
Federal disaster declarations
20
Most recent: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, 2024
DetailsSnowiest season
69.7in
Winter of 1974-75
Tornadoes
About one every 1.1 years since 1950, 6 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 8, 1988
F3, 32.0 mile path
150 yards wide.
Most recent
Friday, July 11, 2025
EF0, 3.9 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Jul 11, 2025 | EF0 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2025 | EF2 | 7.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 15, 2024 | EF1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2024 | EFU | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2024 | EF1 | 7.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2024 | EF1 | 15.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2024 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 2023 | EF0 | 9.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF2 | 19.6 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 5, 2022 | EF1 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 5, 2022 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 2019 | EFU | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 2019 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 28, 2018 | EF0 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 2017 | EF1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF2 | 34.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF2 | 25.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 6, 2016 | EF1 | 20.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 17, 2016 | EF1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 17, 2016 | EF0 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 15, 2016 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 11, 2015 | EF1 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 2015 | EF1 | 22.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 2013 | EF1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 13, 2006 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 21, 2002 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 2001 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 2001 | F2 | 6.5 | 3 | 0 |
| May 10, 2001 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F3 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 29, 1993 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 29, 1993 | F1 | 0.4 | 2 | 0 |
| May 17, 1991 | F1 | 14.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 19, 1990 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 1990 | F1 | 13.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 1990 | F3 | 15.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Mar 13, 1990 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 1988 | F3 | 32.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 1988 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 1988 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 1987 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 1, 1983 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1981 | F1 | 20.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1981 | F0 | 103.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 3, 1980 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 28, 1980 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 5, 1979 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1974 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1974 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 13, 1974 | F3 | 3.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 13, 1974 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1967 | F2 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 24, 1967 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 24, 1967 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 1966 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1966 | F3 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1962 | F3 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 28, 1960 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 1957 | F2 | 8.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26, 1954 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Scott County: 0.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 67 days
Heavy smoke on 20 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
25.9 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
20 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 37 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
2,267 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $34.9 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1990: 379 claims
$5.2 million paid.
2nd most
2008: 347 claims
$5.4 million paid.
3rd most
2001: 270 claims
$4.1 million paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 52802 | 580 | $10.9 million |
| 52722 | 395 | $7.9 million |
| 52767 | 378 | $3.3 million |
| 52803 | 206 | $2.6 million |
| 52753 | 133 | $1.3 million |
| 52806 | 126 | $1.3 million |
| 52801 | 109 | $4.6 million |
| 52728 | 90 | $709,000 |
| 52807 | 74 | $438,000 |
| 52756 | 54 | $1.1 million |
| 52768 | 38 | $224,000 |
| 52746 | 37 | $335,000 |
| 52804 | 21 | $98,000 |
| 52808 | 6 | $17,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood80
- Flash Flood65
- Heavy Rain26
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
Most severe crest
April 28, 1965
Mississippi River at LeClaire, 17.75 ft
6.75 feet above the 11.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
July 10, 2026
Wapsipinicon River near DeWitt, 12.29 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Crow Creek at Bettendorf | 9.0 | 11.03 ft | 0 |
| Duck Creek above Davenport Kimberly Rd | 12.0 | 16.34 ft | 0 |
| Mississippi River at LeClaire | 11.0 | 17.75 ft | 16 |
| Wapsipinicon River near DeWitt | 11.0 | 14.32 ft | 37 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 164 of 1,581 months since 1895 (10%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
164
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
76
Months in extreme drought
10%
Share of all months, severe or worse
15
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
June 1934
−7.48, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
December 1955 to April 1957.
Latest month
September 2026
+3.00, very wet
Last severe month: December 2023.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
2 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.0 in 1972.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
1
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
2
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
September 15, 1972
Magnitude 4.0
8 km SSW of Amboy, Illinois; 48.9 miles away, 6.8 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 2, 1999
Magnitude 3.5
8 km W of Amboy, Illinois; 45.4 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Sep 15, 1972 | 4.0 | 48.9 |
| Nov 12, 1934 | 4.0 | 2.6 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
1,276 events in the National Weather Service record, 1,118 of them since 1996.
161
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
24
Hail, 2 inches or larger
459
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
158
Winter weather events since 1996
5
Heat events since 1996
21
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
September 27, 1959
7.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
October 6, 2016
107 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 13 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 11 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Jun 1, 2008Flood$4.4 million
National Weather Service narrative
Major to record flooding occurred during the month of June 2008 with most forecast points above flood stage for the majority of the month. The flooding during this month was more prolific and severe than the flooding in April 2008, and the flooding in April had been the most prolific flood event since 1997.||While some locations were still experiencing flooding as June began, many of the tributary rivers to the Mississippi in Iowa rose above flood stage during the first few days of the month. At locations that were already above flood stage, the rivers stopped their fall and began climbing again.||Persistent heavy rain from late May into early June resulted in record crests on the…
- Jul 12, 2016Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A large, old tree fell onto three vehicles near Davenport Avenue and Kirkwood Boulevard during the early morning. A few utility lines were also knocked down by the tree. The time was estimated by radar.
- May 10, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Wind gusts affected 150 buildings in the Parkview area causing nearly 1 million dollars in damages. Parkview was part of a larger swath of damage from Durant in Cedar county Iowa through Fulton in Whiteside county Illinois.
- Aug 27, 2009Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rains during the last week of August resulted in the Wapsipinicon River near De Witt going above the moderate flood stage level of 11.5 feet around 145 am on August 27. It proceeded to rise above the major flood stage level of 12.5 feet and crest around 13.14 feet around 130 am on August 29. After falling off for a while, it rose to a secondary crest around 12.94 feet around 4 pm August 31. It fell back below its moderate flood stage level around 8 am September 2.
- Jun 17, 2010Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rains during the third week of June resulted in the Wapsipinicon River at De Witt going above the moderate flood stage level of 11.5 feet on June 17 around 630 am. After briefly falling back below 11.5 feet, it crested above the major flood stage around 13.2 feet around 7 pm June 22. It fell below the moderate flood stage level around 7 pm June 28.
- Jun 12, 2008Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding of several parts of Davenport, IA and Bettendorf, IA during the late evening hours of June 12 and the morning of June 13. The depth of the flood waters across much of the metro area ranged from 6 inches to as much as 5 feet. Streets, residential and commercial properties, and area creeks and streams all experienced flooding. Water rescues were performed to save some stranded motorists from the high water. Several major traffic arteries were closed due to the flash flood waters. The public and broadcast and print media also contributed to these reports.
- May 16, 2003Flood, Scott$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
A pattern change at the end of April brought a series of heavy rain producing systems to Eastern Iowa and Northern Illinois over the first 10 days of the month. Area rivers responded with the Iowa River going above flood stage starting on the 10th. The Cedar and Wapsipinicon Rivers followed by going above flood stage around the 15th. The Mississippi River also went above flood stage, beginning around the 20th. Most tributaries went below flood stage around the 20th, and most locations on the Mississippi that were above flood stage went below by the 28th.Most of the flooding was minor. One location-the Mississippi River at Gladstone Dam 18-experienced moderate flooding. Most…
- Aug 25, 2014Lightning$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
Lightning struck an apartment building at 1080 39th Street in Bettendorf, IA around 240 pm CDT August 25. The attic fire was not discovered until 1036 pm. The estimated damage to the 18 unit building is 400,000 dollars. Reported by KWQC and The Quad City Times.
- Mar 12, 2006Flash Flood$400,000
National Weather Service narrative
Thunderstorms trained across the Quad City Metro area and produced rainfall rates exceeding 1 inch per 30 minutes. At 2000 CST an off duty NWS employee reported 2 feet of water over the roads in his neighborhood along the Bettendorf/Davenport city limits. By 2134 CST media and law enforcement were reporting water 4 inches deep was flowing into the Davenport Police Station on Harrision street. Numerous streets were closed due to high water; Harrision by the police station and River Drive in several spots. The media was reporting sinkholes developing on some streets in Davenport with some residences flooded. Although unknown at the time, the Federal Building in downtown Davenport…
- Feb 24, 2007Ice Storm, Scott$312,000
National Weather Service narrative
In Eldridge, 2 miles of power poles down on 1st street north of Leclaire road. An NWS employee in Walcott reported tree limbs 4 to 6 inches in diameter broken and one tree down. Power poles also down between Walcott and Blue Grass with power out.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Moline Quad City International Airport, 8.3 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1943.
- All-time high
- 104°F2 times, most recently Jul 7, 2012
- All-time low
- −33°FJan 31, 2019
- Warmest night
- 81°FJul 19, 2019
- Coldest day
- −12°F2 times, most recently Jan 18, 1994
- Wettest day
- 6.21 inSep 13, 1961
- Snowiest day
- 16.4 inJan 3, 1971
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 54.3°F
- Coldest year
- 1979mean 47.4°F
- Wettest year
- 197356.36 in
- Driest year
- 200517.89 in
- Snowiest season
- 69.7 in1974-75
Median first snow
November 21
Earliest: October 15, 2018
Median last snow
March 28
Latest: April 30, 1994
0 of 83 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Moline Quad City International Airport (USW00014923), 576 ft elevation, 8.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1943 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
20 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes, June 24, 2024.
| Jun 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4796-IA |
| Aug 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4732-IA |
| Aug 17, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4557-IA |
| Mar 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483-IA |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480-IA |
| Mar 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421-IA |
| May 27, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1763-IA |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3239-IA |
| May 25, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1518-IA |
| Jun 19, 2002 | Flood | DR-1420-IA |
| May 2, 2001 | Severe Storm | DR-1367-IA |
| May 21, 1999 | Severe Storm | DR-1277-IA |
| Jul 9, 1993 | Flood | DR-996-IA |
| Apr 26, 1993 | Flood | DR-986-IA |
| May 26, 1990 | Flood | DR-868-IA |
| Jun 24, 1974 | Flood | DR-443-IA |
| May 23, 1973 | Flood | DR-386-IA |
| Aug 14, 1969 | Flood | DR-269-IA |
| Apr 25, 1969 | Flood | DR-259-IA |
| Apr 22, 1965 | Flood | DR-193-IA |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
How this compares
Where Scott County stands among 99 counties in Iowa and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 68 | 2 / 99 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 6 | 6 / 99 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 2,267 | 1 / 99 |
| Flood insurance paid | $34.9 million | 3 / 99 |
| Disaster declarations | 20 | 35 / 99 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 171 | 13 / 99 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 696 | 3 / 99 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 158 | 20 / 99 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $15.4 million | 79 / 99 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 53 | 2 / 99 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 164 | 24 / 99 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 25.9 | 84 / 99 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 2 | 1 / 99 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Cedar County | 45 | 0 |
| Clinton County | 55 | 0 |
| Muscatine County | 39 | 0 |
| Rock Island County IL | 40 | 0 |
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00014923.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.