Iowa Tornadoes 2009: ...A QUIET YEAR FOR TORNADOES..

[mikegeukes]

From the NWS Des Moines Web Site:

THE CONVECTIVE SEASON FOR IOWA IN 2009 HAS BEEN RELATIVELY QUIET AFTER A VERY ACTIVE SEASON IN 2008. SO FAR THIS YEAR...ONLY
EIGHTEEN TORNADOES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE STATE. THIS COMPARES TO 101 TORNADOES THROUGH THE END OF JULY IN 2008 AND AN AVERAGE OF 44 THROUGH THE END OF JULY SINCE 1980.

IF THIS NUMBER OF TORNADOES HOLDS THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR...THIS WILL BE THE FEWEST TORNADOES IN THE STATE SINCE 1980. THE LAST TIME THE STATE SAW THIS FEW TORNADOES IN A YEAR WAS IN 1976 WHEN EIGHTEEN TORNADOES ALSO OCCURRED.

THE TORNADOES HAVE ALSO BEEN WEAK WITH FIFTEEN EF0`S AND
THREE EF1`S.

Source: NWS Des Moines
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=dmx&storyid=29898&source=0

Mike

 

[STurner]

That is probably a good thing after what happened in Parkersburg/New Hartford/Dunkerton last year. That was a very vicious tornado for some of the structures in Parkersburg/New Hartford were unrecognizable. So Iowa defenitely needs a break after last years chaos.

 

[Jeff Duda]

I can corroborate that statement. Living in Iowa, this has been a crappy chasing year for the state. Almost every chase I've done this season has been outside the state, and the only cap busts I've had were in the state. However, I have at least seen one of the 18 tornadoes that have occurred.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

On the other hand , it was the year after Iowa had deaths associated with an EF-5 (Parkersburg) and an EF-3 (Blencoe).
No deaths in Iowa this year due to tornadoes is good news.

 

[cstrunk]

This all adds up to a very boring spring/summer (weather-wise) for me. :-/

 

[Bob Hartig]

I had one of my best chases ever in Iowa last year. This year...well, if a person can learn a thing or two from cap busts, then Iowa has given me some helpful lessons.