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Grimes, Iowa

11 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1908 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Webster Township. It lies in ZIP code area 50111. The Survey maps it on the Grimes quadrangle.

Grimes within Polk County

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 11 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

17 since 2009

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 17 fires within 5 miles of Grimes between 2009 and 2019, burning about 75 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Equipment and vehicle use8
Missing data/not specified/undetermined7
Debris and open burning2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 July 2015Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
30 July 2017Debris and open burningunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
3 June 2018Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
2 June 2018Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
7 May 2017Debris and open burningunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
19 May 2016Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural ResourcesCAMP DODGE
17 May 2014Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
14 May 2016Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural ResourcesCAMP DODGE

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Polk County

Mines and quarries near this place

5 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 5 workings within 5 miles of Grimes: 5 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Zinc. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Drill HoleZincPast ProducerSphalerite
Schuler Coal Co. No. 1Stone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Jester Pit No. 3Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Polk County

Storms near this place

60 of 64 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Grimes in 64 storm reports between 1998 and 2024: 27 hail, 17 thunderstorm wind, 9 heavy rain, 5 flash flood. The reports record 83 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1998Tornado (F2)Grimes83 hurt, $10,000,000no account filed
September 2013Thunderstorm WindGrimes$150,000Roof damage reported at South Prairie Elementary School in Grimes.
August 2010Flash FloodGrimes$100,000Water from flooded creek flowing over James Road and inundating a few houses along the creek on 7th Street Place. Creek extending to the 1800 block.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindGrimes$100,000no account filed
August 2002Thunderstorm WindGrimes$100,000no account filed
August 2000LightningGrimes$100,000no account filed
May 2024Tornado (EF0)Grimes$50,000This tornado crossed from Dallas County into Polk County just west of Grimes. The tornado proceeded east northeast across portions of western and northern Grimes before dissipating near the intersection of NW Beaverbrook Blvd and NE Park Street. Most of the damage within Grimes occurred to trees and roof shingles.
August 2019LightningGrimes$50,000Emergency manager reported a house fire started by lightning.
August 2010Flash FloodGrimes$50,000Creek near James St and NW 7th Street Place is now 50 to 75 feet wide.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindGrimes$50,000Widespread tree damage in the area caused by 75 to 85 MPH winds.
June 2014Flash FloodGrimes$25,000Six inches or more of water was moving rapidly in areas that are not typical. Two and one half inches of rain fell in 45 minutes. The Little Beaver Creek was out of its banks.
September 2013Thunderstorm WindGrimes$25,000Windows blown out of home. Mutiple 30 ft tall pine trees downed and damaged chain link fence. Some wind driven small hail too.
August 2010Flash FloodGrimes$25,000Creek just west of the intersection of James St and NW 7th Street Place is out of its banks and inundating yards and bike path at least 30 feet out of banks.
April 2001HailGrimes$20,000no account filed
June 2014Thunderstorm WindGrimes$15,000Small trees uprooted. Ditch flooding around the Briarcreek housing development.
May 2020LightningGrimes$10,000Law enforcement report of lightning striking a home.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindGrimes$10,000Trained spotter reported 7 inch diameter tree snapped at the base. Some 5 inch diameter trees partially uprooted or leaning. Up to 90 percent of fruit crop stripped off trees.
June 2015Flash FloodGrimes$10,000Public reported road flooding in Grimes just west of Highway 141 on SE 19th Street.
May 2007FloodGrimes$10,000no account filed
April 2002HailGrimes$10,000no account filed
August 2016Thunderstorm WindGrimes$5,000NWS employee reported a couple large tree branches down, roughly 5 to 7 inches in diameter and 10 to 15 feet in length along East 1st St near intersection of Little Beaver Drive. Several small tree limbs down in town as well. Time estimated by radar.
July 2009HailGrimes$5,000no account filed
April 2001HailGrimes$5,000no account filed
May 2000HailGrimes$5,000no account filed
April 2001HailGrimes$4,000no account filed
April 2001HailGrimes$3,000no account filed
April 2006Thunderstorm WindGrimes$2,000no account filed
July 2006HailGrimes$2,000no account filed
June 2005HailGrimes$2,000no account filed
July 2013HailGrimes$1,000no account filed
July 2006Thunderstorm WindGrimes$1,000no account filed
March 1998HailGrimes$1,000no account filed
May 1998HailGrimes$500no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindGrimes-Large tree branch down. Image from social media and time estimated by radar.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindGrimes-Personal weather station recorded a 66 mph gust.
June 2021HailGrimes-Public report of nickel sized hail.
June 2021HailGrimes-NWS employee reported nickel to quarter sized hail.
June 2021HailGrimes-Report via mping of quarter sized hail.
June 2021HailGrimes-Delayed report of quarter sized hail. Time estimated via radar.
July 2021HailGrimes-Report via mping app.
July 2020HailGrimes-Public report via social media of 2 inch hail.
July 2020HailGrimes-Public report via social media of 2 inch hail.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindGrimes-NWS Employee estimated winds of at least 60 mph between 4:36am to 4:39am.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindGrimes-Amateur radio report of multiple tree limbs down with the largest eight inches in diameter. Time estimated.
August 2019Heavy RainGrimes-Public reported heavy rainfall of 2.00 inches. Beginning and ending times estimated from radar.
September 2018HailGrimes-Public reported quarter sized hail.
May 2017HailGrimes-Trained spotter reported quarter sized hail.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindGrimes-NWS employee reported wind gusts to 70 mph. Trees and large branches were down around town.
July 2016Heavy RainGrimes-Public reported heavy rainfall of 2.90 inches event total, via social media.
August 2016Heavy RainGrimes-Public reported heavy rainfall of 2.5 inches north of Grimes. Reported via social media.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindGrimes-Trained spotter reported wind gust of 65 mph along with a few tree branches down.
June 2015Heavy RainGrimes-Trained spotter reported heavy rainfall of 4.50 inches over the last 24 hours or so.
July 2015Heavy RainGrimes-Trained spotter measured 1.80 inches of rain so far today. Most of the rain came in the previous 2 hours.
July 2015HailGrimes-Trained spotter reported nickel sized hail.
July 2015Heavy RainGrimes-Trained spotter reported heavy rainfall of 2.00 inches. Start time estimated via radar.
August 2014Heavy RainGrimes-Little Beaver Creek was reported to be bankful.
April 2012Heavy RainGrimes-Storm total rainfall of 2.75 inches as of 1915 CST with 1.9 inches falling in 45 minutes.
June 2011Heavy RainGrimes-Rainfall total for 24 hours was 4.15 inches.
September 2022HailGrimes-no account filed
March 2006Thunderstorm WindGrimes-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Polk County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Rider (historical)3.3 miles11
Herrold3.6 miles17
Camp Dodge4.5 miles17
Andrews4.8 miles13
Johnston5.1 miles17
Campbell5.4 miles11
Urbandale6.0 miles17
Lovington6.3 miles17

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 457148. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.