Worth County Sheriff's Office

09/02/2026

Worth County Alert:

Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 1 at 9:56PM CDT until September 2 at 5:00AM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
640 IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 9 COUNTIES

IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA

CERRO GORDO HANCOCK HUMBOLDT
KOSSUTH WINNEBAGO WORTH

IN NORTHWEST IOWA

EMMET PALO ALTO POCAHONTAS

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ALGONA, BRITT, CLEAR LAKE,
EMMETSBURG, ESTHERVILLE, FONDA, FOREST CITY, GARNER,
GILMORE CITY, HUMBOLDT, KANAWHA, LAKE MILLS, LAURENS, MANLY,
MASON CITY, NORTHWOOD, POCAHONTAS, AND ROLFE.

* PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE...

SCATTERED DAMAGING WINDS LIKELY WITH ISOLATED SIGNIFICANT GUSTS
TO 75 MPH POSSIBLE.
SCATTERED LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED VERY LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 2
INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE.
A TORNADO OR TWO POSSIBLE.

PROBABILITY TABLE:
PROB OF 2 OR MORE TORNADOES : 20%
PROB OF 1 OR MORE STRONG /EF2-EF5/ TORNADOES : = 75 MPH : 40%
PROB OF 10 OR MORE SEVERE HAIL EVENTS : 40%
PROB OF 1 OR MORE HAIL EVENTS >= 2 INCHES : 30%
PROB OF 6 OR MORE COMBINED SEVERE HAIL/WIND EVENTS : 90%
MEAN STORM MOTION /MPH/ : NE 40
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http://www.weather.gov

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

No legitimate business, bank, or corporation will EVER expect you to make a payment via a gift card.
They will not express urgency, demand a wire transfer, they will not name call or threaten you with arrest.
If you’re going to get arrested we don’t give you notice. We just show up.

In the last week we have had SUCCESSFUL SCAMS.
1. FBI - claimed the subjects were under investigation and text them a photo of their FBI badge. This couple then sent back pictures of their drivers licenses and SS cards after completing a successful wire transfer from their bank. Giving all their bank information‼️🔔
2. BANK - called and said their was a fraud alert on their account and demanded she do a western union to their corporate account for $5,000!!! Then another $2,000!! The next day. ‼️🔔
3. XBOX cards - it was supposed to be for Christmas gifts and then turned into a high profile phone call that they participated in wire fraud and had to immediately get these gift cards pictured below to fix it. The phone calls for payments then turned into texts for payments. ‼️🔔THOUSANDS LOST.

Hang up the phone. Call someone you trust. Call our office and let us help verify. Call your provider to double check. The URGENCY is how they raise your heart rate, scare you, and win. Remember this is their full time job. To trick you and steal from you. HANG UP THE PHONE.
Please check in on your family members. Especially our elders. They get afraid, they feel shame, they don’t know who to reach out to. They are getting successfully robbed.

08/11/2026

We would like to express our biggest thanks and gratitude to everyone who attended our 2nd Annual National Night Out.
Especially Highlighting the Booths, Sponsors and Donors who made the event possible.

*Pepsi
*Atlantic Bottling Company
*Sugar Rush
*Larsens Plumbing and Heating
*BMC
*Forest City Ford
*POET
*Falkstone
*Brad Sabin
*Knudtsons Auto
*Haugen Lawncare
*JJ’s Hardware
FSB Bank
F.U.N.K
Worth County Public Health
Worth County Conservation
Forest City -Emt
T&W Towing
Fertile Fire
Joice Fire
Grafton Fire
Hanlontown Fire
Hanlontown library
Hanlontown City Council
Grace Lutheran Church council
Mercy Airmed
Bedrock Renewables
EMA
Nights in Northwood
Leo Dorsey - event photographer
The Anchor - continued coverage of our community involvement.
The continued financial donations that support our efforts to make memories, have an impact, and change lives within Worth County make all the difference for our community impact department. We cannot thank you enough.

Last but not least: Special thanks to the citizens of Hanlontown for opening up your space, letting us close roads, and sharing your park, community and home with us. It was an incredible evening and we are so fortunate! We are already excited for next year.

08/07/2026

Worth County Alert:

Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued August 7 at 1:41PM CDT until August 7 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
541 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
AREAS

IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 26 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL IOWA

BOONE DALLAS GRUNDY
HAMILTON HARDIN JASPER
MARSHALL POLK POWESHIEK
STORY TAMA WEBSTER

IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA

BUTLER CERRO GORDO FRANKLIN
HANCOCK HUMBOLDT WINNEBAGO
WORTH WRIGHT

IN NORTHEAST IOWA

BLACK HAWK BREMER

IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA

MADISON MAHASKA MARION
WARREN

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ACKLEY, ADEL, ALLISON, AMES,
APLINGTON, BELMOND, BOONE, BRITT, CARLISLE, CEDAR FALLS, CLARION,
CLARKSVILLE, CLEAR LAKE, CONRAD, DES MOINES, D**E, DUMONT,
DYSART, EAGLE GROVE, EARLHAM, ELDORA, FOREST CITY, FORT DODGE,
GARNER, GLADBROOK, GREENE, GRINNELL, GRUNDY CENTER, HAMPTON,
HUMBOLDT, INDIANOLA, IOWA FALLS, KANAWHA, KNOXVILLE, LAKE MILLS,
MANLY, MARSHALLTOWN, MASON CITY, NEWTON, NORTHWOOD, NORWALK,
OSKALOOSA, PARKERSBURG, PELLA, PERRY, REINBECK, SHELL ROCK, TAMA,
TOLEDO, TRAER, WATERLOO, WAUKEE, WAVERLY, WEBSTER CITY,
WELLSBURG, AND WINTERSET.

* PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE...

SCATTERED LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED VERY LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 2
INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE.
SCATTERED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE.

PROBABILITY TABLE:
PROB OF 2 OR MORE TORNADOES : 10%
PROB OF 1 OR MORE STRONG /EF2-EF5/ TORNADOES : = 75 MPH : 20%
PROB OF 10 OR MORE SEVERE HAIL EVENTS : 50%
PROB OF 1 OR MORE HAIL EVENTS >= 2 INCHES : 30%
PROB OF 6 OR MORE COMBINED SEVERE HAIL/WIND EVENTS : 80%
MEAN STORM MOTION /MPH/ : SE 35
null
http://www.weather.gov

08/07/2026

Worth County Alert:

Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 7 at 1:25PM CDT until August 7 at 2:15PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
SVRDMX

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Worth County in north central Iowa...
Northeastern Hancock County in north central Iowa...
Northern Cerro Gordo County in north central Iowa...
Southeastern Winnebago County in north central Iowa...

* Until 215 PM CDT.

* At 124 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near Northwood Municipal to 4 miles southwest of
Kensett to Miller, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Public reported quarter sized hail in Forest City.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Mason City, Forest City, Northwood, Nora Springs, Manly, Mason City
Municipal Airport, Plymouth, Fertile, Kensett, Grafton, Hanlontown,
Joice, Rock Falls, Portland, Bolan, Pilot K**b State Park, Forest
City Municipal Airport, Northwood Municipal, and Rice Lake State
Park.

This includes Interstate 35 between mile markers 195 and 218.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
http://www.weather.gov

08/07/2026

Worth County Alert:

Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 7 at 1:07PM CDT until August 7 at 1:30PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
SVRDMX

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Worth County in north central Iowa...
Northeastern Hancock County in north central Iowa...
Northwestern Cerro Gordo County in north central Iowa...
Eastern Winnebago County in north central Iowa...

* Until 130 PM CDT.

* At 106 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from 4 miles south of Glenville to near Joice to near
Thompson, moving southeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Forest City, Northwood, Lake Mills, Manly, Emmons, Rice Lake,
Thompson, Fertile, Leland, Kensett, Grafton, Hanlontown, Joice,
Carpenter, Miller, Hayfield, Bolan, Lake Mills Municipal Airport,
Pilot K**b State Park, and Forest City Municipal Airport.

This includes Interstate 35 between mile markers 201 and 218.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
http://www.weather.gov

08/07/2026

Worth County Alert:

Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued August 7 at 12:46PM CDT until August 7 at 1:15PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
SVRDMX

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Northwestern Worth County in north central Iowa...
Northern Winnebago County in north central Iowa...

* Until 115 PM CDT.

* At 1246 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Bricelyn, or
18 miles northwest of Forest City, moving east at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Lake Mills, Emmons, Rice Lake, Rake, Scarville, Lake Mills
Municipal Airport, Hogsback Wildlife Area, and Rice Lake State
Park.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
http://www.weather.gov

08/06/2026

Thank you for joining us! Farmers State Bank

08/05/2026

What a great presentation. Thank you for hosting us. City of Hanlontown