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Northwood, Iowa

7 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Grove Township. It lies in ZIP code area 50459. The Survey maps it on the Northwood quadrangle. 2,072 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,230 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Northwood within Worth County

On record in Northwood

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 3 records

Population over time

3 figures

Northwood grew from 2,050 to 2,072 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20002,050
20101,989-61 (-3%)
20202,072+83 (+4%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

5 surveys from 7 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

3 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 3 fires within 5 miles of Northwood between 2006 and 2014, burning about 124 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
Missing data/not specified/undetermined2
Debris and open burning1

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
7 May 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resources4969 NIGHTINGALE NORTHWOOD, IA, IA
12 May 2006Missing data/not specified/undetermined120 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
18 April 2014Debris and open burning3.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every fire recorded in Worth County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 13 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 13 workings within 5 miles of Northwood: 8 producers, 3 past producers, 2 unknowns. 8 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken. 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
HansonStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Harris QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Kensett QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Kuennen QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Northwood QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Aase Pit and PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Knutson PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Lucken PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Worth County

Storms near this place

60 of 63 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Northwood in 63 storm reports between 1993 and 2024: 24 hail, 20 thunderstorm wind, 10 heavy rain, 5 flash flood. The reports record 2 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
May 2006HailNorthwood2 hurtno account filed
June 2013Flash FloodNorthwood$200,000Worth County Sheriff's office reported road closures at Ulmus Road between 420th and 400th Rd. Water was flowing over the road from a culvert and 430th between Zinnia Rd west to Yarrow Rd is closed.
June 1998FloodNorthwood$75,000no account filed
May 1998Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$50,000no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$50,000no account filed
July 1994HailNorthwood$50,000no account filed
May 1994HailNorthwood$50,000no account filed
July 2016Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$30,000Iowa DOT reported Highway 65 blocked in both directions due to downed power lines. Time radar estimated.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$25,000County dispatch reported a transformer blown, power lines and power poles down, and tree damage. This is a delayed report and time estimated from radar.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$25,000Numerous trees down on power lines.
June 2008Flash FloodNorthwood$25,000Street flooding was reported in the area.
September 2001HailNorthwood$20,000no account filed
October 2006HailNorthwood$15,000no account filed
October 2006HailNorthwood$15,000no account filed
April 2004Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$15,000no account filed
July 2011Flash FloodNorthwood$10,000Lark Ave between 430th and 440th closed due to high water.
August 2007Flash FloodNorthwood$10,000The creek in town was reported out of its banks and flooding.
April 2010HailNorthwood$10,000no account filed
October 2006Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$10,000no account filed
October 2006HailNorthwood$10,000no account filed
April 2004HailNorthwood$10,000no account filed
June 2001Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$10,000no account filed
September 2001HailNorthwood$10,000no account filed
September 2001HailNorthwood$10,000no account filed
June 1995Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$10,000no account filed
June 2008Tornado (EF0)Northwood$5,000A small debris cloud was noted by a storm chaser.
May 2006HailNorthwood$5,000no account filed
July 2006Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$5,000no account filed
October 2006HailNorthwood$5,000no account filed
April 2004HailNorthwood$5,000no account filed
June 2004Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$5,000no account filed
September 2001HailNorthwood$5,000no account filed
September 2001HailNorthwood$5,000no account filed
June 1999Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$5,000no account filed
July 1998Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$5,000no account filed
July 1995HailNorthwood$5,000no account filed
May 2004HailNorthwood$3,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$3,000no account filed
June 2020LightningNorthwood$2,000Coop observer reported that lightning hit a walnut tree 100 ft. from the house and fried the well pump.
June 1995HailNorthwood$2,000The air mass over Iowa became very unstable during the late afternoon hours. Dew point temperatures soared into the lower 70s F. with surface temperatures reaching the middle 80s to lower 90s F. CAPE values reached 3500 J-kg-1 by the latter part of the afternoon. A small cluster of thunderstorms developed over north-central Iowa. One of them became severe and produced inch diameter hail west of Northwood.
June 2006HailNorthwood$2,000no account filed
July 2003Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$2,000no account filed
March 1995Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$1,000An intense low pressure moved from western Kansas into northwest Iowa during the say. Strong southeast winds drew moisture north from the Gulf of Mexico. Surface dew point temperatures reached the lower 50s ahead of a dry line rotating around the south side of the low. Dew point temperatures were in the 10-12° C range at 850 mb. Thunderstorms erupted during the late afternoon and early evening hours just ahead of the dry line. They became severe over south central Iowa and moved/developed north into the north central counties of the state. Helicity values were quite high in spite of the relatively low cape values. Helicity was in the 550 m2-s-2, while CAPE values were around 500 J-kg-1. Initially, the thunderstorms produced hail. There were several reports of hail in the three-quarter to one inch diameter range from Osceola to just south of Des Moines. WSR-88D VIL values were in the 45-50 kg-m-2 range. One of the stronger cells produced a funnel cloud over Warren County. Spotters were able to watch a rotating wall cloud form just before the funnel formed. As the storms worked north, hail nearly an inch in diameter was reported in Hancock County. Gusty winds became a problem. Wind gusts of 60-65 MPH were reported in Winnebago, Cerro Gordo, and Worth Counties. The storms were quite quick moving, however a series of cells moved across the Des Moines area. They produced heavy rainfall with three inches falling in a short period of time over the eastern sections of Des Moines. This resulted in urban flooding in the area with water over the roads. Soil conditions were quite saturated prior to the rainfall.
May 2006HailNorthwood$1,000no account filed
July 1999Thunderstorm WindNorthwood$1,000no account filed
August 1993HailNorthwood$500no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindNorthwood-Trained spotter reported downed trees along Highway 105, 1 mile west of Northwood.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindNorthwood-Reports of trees and powerlines down in Northwood. Time of occurrence estimated from radar.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindNorthwood-Several trees down. Time estimate by radar.
August 2021Flash FloodNorthwood-Water was several inches deep and completely covering 13th Street South in Northwood.
June 2018Heavy RainNorthwood-Coop observer recorded heavy rainfall of 2.17 inches over the last 24 hours.
July 2016Heavy RainNorthwood-Coop observer measured heavy rainfall of 3.15 inches over the last 24 hours.
September 2016Heavy RainNorthwood-Coop observer recorded heavy rainfall of 4.13 inches over the last 24 hours.
September 2016Heavy RainNorthwood-Coop observer recorded heavy rainfall of 4.13 inches over the last 24 hours.
August 2016Heavy RainNorthwood-Coop observer reported storm total heavy rainfall of 4.55 inches. End time radar estimated.
July 2015Heavy RainNorthwood-Coop observer reported heavy rainfall of 2.82 inches over the last 24 hours.
December 2015Heavy RainNorthwood-Coop observer reported heavy rainfall of 1.55 inches over the last 48 hours/storm total so far.
June 2013Heavy RainNorthwood-A Co-op observer measured 1.97 inches of rain between 1700 and 1730 CST.
July 2011Heavy RainNorthwood-Rainfall of 4.50 inches.
July 2011Heavy RainNorthwood-Heavy rainfall of 4.64 inches from 1430 to 1800 CST.

Every storm recorded in Worth 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
Kensett6.3 miles7
Deer Creek6.3 miles7
Bolan7.3 miles7
Glade7.7 miles7
Silver Lake8.1 miles7
Somber9.6 miles7
Meltonville10.3 miles7
Manly10.9 miles7

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on NorthwoodAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1913199The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 459654. 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.