Hail, Wind & Tornado Reports in and near West Branch, IA

Hail Report Description: Time estimated by radar.

Hail Report Description: Hail slightly larger than a penny fell in West Branch, IA around 9:20 am.

Hail Report Description: Pea to dime size hail fell for at least 5 minutes.

Hail Report Description: Jct Plato Rd & F28

Hail Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Hail Report Description: Baseball sized hail damaged the home of the county emergency manager and several other homes on the east side of West Branch.

Hail Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Hail Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: Trees down in West Branch. Time based on radar.

Wind Report Description: SEMI TRAILER BLOWN DOWN ALONG I-80.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: A TRAINED SPOTTER RELAYED A PUBLIC REPORT OF A WALNUT TREE THAT SNAPPED AND LANDED ON THRE VEHICLES IN WEST BRANCH.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: 60 FOOT TREE THROUGH A GARAGE IN TOWN.

Wind Report Description: Local law enforcement reported a few trees and a large electric pole were blown down on the south side of town.

Wind Report Description: A spotter estimated winds of 70 mph.

Wind Report Description: Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew down a tree over a road about 8 miles north of West Branch, IA at 1013 pm CDT July 22.

Wind Report Description: Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph blew down a large tree branch in West Branch, IA at 1013 pm CDT July 22.

Wind Report Description: Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph displaced a shed in West Branch, IA at 814 pm June 18. The shed landed across the street from the spotter's residence.

Wind Report Description: Wind gusts estimated to be 65-70 mph snapped trees, downed utility lines, and disrupted power to more than 1,000 customers in West Branch, IA from about 1230 pm until 1245 pm CDT June 18. One tree fell onto 2 cars and another tree landed on a church. Branches were down throughout town.

Wind Report Description: Winds measured to be 90 mph displaced a swing set about 40 feet and blew down several six inch diameter tree limbs just southeast of Springdale, IA near mile marker 259 on Interstate 80.

Wind Report Description: Sheriff department reported winds estimated at 52 to 61 knots (60 to 70 mph) with numerous trees down across the town.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: Trees and power lines blown down.

Wind Report Description: Trees blown down.

Wind Report Description: A large tree was uprooted and fell on a cabin, while a roof was blown off another cabin. A metal shed was also destroyed on another property.

Wind Report Description: Power lines and trees downed. Reported by law enforcement.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: Warm, moist, and unstable air streamed into Iowa ahead of an advancing cold front. In fact, the warm front passed north of the state during the morning, placing Iowa near the passage of the triple point in the system. Thunderstorms erupted well ahead of the cold front, in the warm sector, during the afternoon. A few of the storms became strong. Severe weather occurred in Tama County. Sixty mph winds swept through an area south of Lincoln. Golf ball-size hail pelted Tama County about six miles south of Guthrie Center causing considerable crop damage. Hail three-quarters of an inch in diameter damaged crops in the Traer area. Further east a few storms became severe over Benton and Cedar Counties. Trees were downed in several locations. Damage was done by high winds to a barn on one farmstead new West Branch. A shed roof was also damaged. High winds destroyed two hog sheds on a farmstead northwest of Tipton as well.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Tornado Report Description: Rope tornado on the ground near X40 east of West Branch.

Tornado Report Description: A vary dynamic weather pattern was in place across Iowa. The air mass was very unstable with total total indices of 61, K indices over 30, and helicity values over 600 m2-s-2. Soundings at 1200 UTC already indicated lifted indices of -7° C. Moisture pooling was taking place ahead of a windshift line which extended north to south across central Nebraska at sunrise. Dew point values rose to around 80° F. over most of Iowa in the morning. A strong cap was in place with 700 mb temps nearing +15° C. This held convection to a minimum. Thunderstorms had formed the previous night across South Dakota and advanced into southern Minnesota. They slid southeast and moved into north central Iowa during the late morning hours. Golf ball-size hail pelted Worth County northeast of Northwood. A short time later a second cell dropped dime-size hail on the area. The storms advanced southeast producing hail and gusty winds. Most of the activity was just below severe limits. When the storms reached Clayton County, dime size hail was reported in Luana. Meanwhile, in Garnavillo high winds were a problem. Several trees and numerous power lines were downed in the city as the gust front passed. In addition to the first cluster of storms that slid southeast, a line of thunderstorms formed quickly on its heels ahead of the trough/windshift line. These storms quickly became severe in the unstable air mass and joined with the aforementioned cluster of storms. Once the storms became severe, they produced considerable damage. Hail up to baseball-size, very high winds, and tornadoes resulted. There were several small tornadoes and one gustnado produced by the line. Of the more significant tornadoes, one tracked across Buchanan and Delaware Counties and caused damage to many out buildings. The tornado struck a few farmsteads directly and damaged many others. Considerable damage was reported along its path. One house was destroyed, two others sustained about $25 thousand damage each, five others sustained about $20 thousand damage, and a mobile home was destroyed worth $10 thousand. A grain elevator was struck near Lamont with damage placed to it at $500 thousand. A total of 19 farmsteads sustained damage in the county. Crop damage by the tornado was also severe with damage described as if "someone went through the fields with a Weedeater". Two head of cattle were killed near Lamont when the barn they were in collapsed. Another tornado that was on the ground for a significant length of time tracked across Clinton County. Other significant tornadoes struck Scott and Muscatine Counties. Straight line winds caused considerable damage in Delaware County. There were numerous reports of livestock killed or injured by fallen barns. Three hogs were crushed on a farm near Hopkinton for example. Damage from straight line winds alone in the county were placed near two and one half million dollars. Damage was very extensive around the Hopkinton area with many farmsteads affected and some nearly wiped out. Estimates from the entire Quad Cities metro area range to around $5 million. There was also considerable damage in Jones County from high winds. Wind gusts of at least 85 MPH destroyed 24 mobile homes and three permanent homes in Monticello. There was also damage reported to several other houses and businesses in the area. Other wind damage in the Monticello area included three silos destroyed, two large barns downed, two machine sheds, a corn crib, and six open sheds. Three head of cattle were killed as one of the barns collapsed on them. In another incident, a horse stable was blown down by the winds. One horse was killed as the stable toppled down on it. Also, in Monticello, a man was injured as high winds downed a tree on top of his car. Reports indicated the total property damage in the Monticello area were at least $1.8 million and were expected to top the $2 million mark. Estimates of crop damage due to the wind totaled close to $1 million across Jones County. Cedar County, winds of 90 to 95 MPH in close proximity to a tornado in the area destroyed one house and several buildings north of Atalissa. The tornado itself hit one farmstead north of the Atalissa area. Reports indicated food was sucked out of the refrigerator and boards were taken out of loaded grain wagons. When the house was hit, a letter from the attic was picked up shortly before 1900CST. The letter was retrieved at 1940CST; 40 miles from its original location in the Quad Cities. There were numerous reports of small rope tornadoes around the Lowden area. Two are included in this report. The tornado northwest of town touched down briefly in an open field. There were actually three separate touchdowns from one parent cloud within a period of several minutes. A local network of spotters in the county observed 24 funnel clouds. In addition to the tornadoes and winds, hail was a major problem. There were numerous reports of one to two-inch diameter hail. There were also several reports of baseball-size hail. In Clinton County, Grand Mound and DeWitt were pelted with baseball-size hail causing considerable damage. The airport at Clinton sustained damage by baseball-size hail as well. In Calamus, baseball-size hail fell on the city. The hail in combination with the wind damaged cars, knocking out windows. Windows were also knocked out of several buildings in the city. Hail also caused considerable crop damage in east central Iowa. Five thousand acres of corn and soybeans were totally destroyed, 10,000 acres slightly damaged, 50 hogs killed, and 10 head of cattle killed in a three county area. The Governor declared Buchanan, Delaware, and Jones Counties disaster areas. Damage and losses totaled into the millions. Earlier in the afternoon, lightning struck a barn in Winneshiek County near Castalia. The barn was a total loss as it burned to the ground.

Tornado Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Tornado Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Tornado Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Tornado Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.