Howard CountyPower Outage History
2015–2025 · Iowa
Average — typical outage frequency and duration nationally.
Outages by year
Outages by month (seasonality)
Worst outage events on record
| Date | Duration | Customers affected | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 2017 | 37 hrs | 4,909 (82%) | Tornado |
| Dec 16, 2021 | 43 hrs | 4,609 (77%) | Winter Storm |
| May 27, 2019 | 4 hrs | 2,447 (41%) | Tornado |
| Aug 7, 2022 | 6 hrs | 2,415 (40%) | Unnamed event |
| Apr 11, 2019 | 32 hrs | 2,268 (38%) | Unnamed event |
Over the 11 years from 2015 to 2025, Howard County recorded 368 distinct power outage events, averaging 2.3 hours per event.
The single worst outage on record in Howard County started July 19, 2017 (Tornado), lasting 37 hours and leaving up to 4,909 customers without power (82% of the county) at its peak.
May has historically been the worst month for outages in Howard County, with 47 events recorded during that month across the dataset.
Based on this history, Howard County earns a Reliability Grade of C, placing it in the 54th percentile nationally for grid reliability (higher percentile = more reliable).
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Similar counties in Iowa
Counties with the closest reliability grade and national percentile to Howard County.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Story County | C | 54th |
| Jefferson County | C | 52nd |
| Hardin County | C | 52nd |
| Van Buren County | C | 52nd |
| Worth County | C | 51st |
Most reliable counties in Iowa
The top 3 counties in Iowa by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Clay County | A | 97th |
| Emmet County | A | 95th |
| Bremer County | A | 94th |
Least reliable counties in Iowa
The bottom 3 counties in Iowa by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | F | 6th |
| Tama County | F | 12th |
| Jasper County | F | 14th |
Most reliable counties nationally
The top 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | State | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | South Dakota | A | 100th |
| Clearwater County | Minnesota | A | 99th |
| Limestone County | Alabama | A | 99th |
Least reliable counties nationally
The bottom 3 counties nationally by reliability grade and percentile.
| County | State | Grade | National percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | West Virginia | F | 0th |
| Lincoln County | West Virginia | F | 0th |
| Cameron Parish | Louisiana | F | 0th |
FAQ
How often does power go out in Howard County?
Between 2015 and 2025, Howard County recorded 368 outage events, averaging 2.3 hours each.
What is Howard County's reliability grade?
Howard County has a Reliability Grade of C, in the 54th national percentile.
What was the worst power outage in Howard County?
The worst outage on record started July 19, 2017 (Tornado), lasting 37 hours and affecting up to 4,909 customers.