Zero tornadoes in Iowa so far this year.

[Kevin Walters]

The last time Iowa had not reported a tornado by today's date was thirty years ago. This season is rapidly taking on the appearance of last years dismal performance. June is normally the best month for tornadoes in Iowa so there is hope and time for things to improve.

 

[Logan Karsten]

Uggghhh, I saw this post and was reminded of the depressing state Iowa chasing is in right now. There was only one day in April when we had severe weather, but it was more of a joke than anything. I keep hoping things pick up, but each day that ticks by makes me increasingly worried that our season in Iowa is going to end with a huge tornado drought.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

June is just around the corner. You both know that is when Iowa come into its prime. Forget statistics for a moment, and just watch and wait and be ready. I would really appreciate a bunch of backyard chases (considered any chase within 100 mile radius - IMO). I'm in the NW corner close to hwy 20 & 71 (Storm Lake) and ready to roll.. Maybe that low pressure near the Canadian border will drop down while all of this CAPE is here - and then things will rock n'roll.

 

[James Hammett]

I was just thinking about this earlier today. There actually was a TOR report in SW Iowa back in April:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/states.php?month=04&year=2010&state=IA

Anyway, yes, it's been incredibly boring in the backyard chase territory. June has been a big month for Iowa in the past. Hope things can turn around in time!

 

[Jim Zandonai]

It hasn't been any better in N-C IL. either. Now that we finally have heat n humidity we have no spark to ignite the flame. However, June is a good month here too as is July..maybe not so much for Tornadoes but good structured storms nonetheless. Time will tell..guess we'll be patient and see what happens..

 

[MatthewCarman]

Some years will not be as active as other years. I do think we are below average for tornadoes.

However I believe there has been tornadoes in Iowa this year. Two dates come to mind. April 6th and April 29th.

April 29th was an event that occurred during the day for Kansas and Nebraska where big super cells occurred but after dark for Iowa. There was several reported tornadoes in south east Nebraska associated with storms that had rotation. These storms tracked into Iowa and there was a report of a tornado in Mills County, Iowa in south west Iowa. The report also said cars was off the road.

April 6th was a event that occurred during the day. A Monster super cell formed in Mariam County and pushed north east into Jasper County. This storm dropped very large hail and quickly developed strong rotation and a wall cloud. A wall cloud formed around the town of Grinnell where the tornado warnings first came out for the storm and the tornado warnings continued with the storm as it moved to the north east. Power was knocked out to the town and many trees suffered damage. Now just west of Grinnell on Highway 6 power lines were knocked down on cars. This was believed to have been caused from very strong winds reported over 100 MPH. There was several semi's over turned on I-80. I don't remember if there was a confirmed tornado but storm chasers did see a wall cloud with the storm. I don't think there was a tornado with this storm but it is possible based on the damage in Grinnell that included bent signs and destroyed trees.

So there could have been a tornado in Iowa this year but that is in question. 2008 was active for Iowa but besides one big night in Iowa in 2009 (super cell produces tornadoes near Des Moines) that year was rather quite if I remember right. This year is quite at the moment but June can be a big month for Iowa for tornadoes.

 

[James Hammett]

The redundant climatology bot has arrived I see. The 4/6 damage was determined to be caused by straight-line winds:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/dmx/April 6 Wind Event.pdf

And yes, April 29th was the date of the reported tornado in SW Iowa.

 

[STurner]

That is strange how there have been hardly any if no tornadoes in Iowa this year. How does Iowa go from having an EF5 in Parkersburg/New Hartford just two years ago in 2008 to almost nothing in 2009 and 2010.

 

[James Hammett]

That is strange how there have been hardly any if no tornadoes in Iowa this year. How does Iowa go from having an EF5 in Parkersburg/New Hartford just two years ago in 2008 to almost nothing in 2009 and 2010.

2008 was an exception. Iowa just normally isn't that great for tornadoes (or for convection at all on those many 5000+ CAPE bust days like 6/18 last year).

 

[Derek Weston]

2008 was an exception. Iowa just normally isn't that great for tornadoes (or for convection at all on those many 5000+ CAPE bust days like 6/18 last year).

Isn't it about 5th best on average in normally chased region? (and just behind Neb on average)

Yields enough tornadoes on average... mode and timing aren't always as favorable as the plains, however.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

Just in time for June!

 

[James Hammett]

Yields enough tornadoes on average... mode and timing aren't always as favorable as the plains, however.

Exactly...the tubes too often come packaged in a HP rain-wrapped mess. Sometimes they're well organized though...like the beast that tracked near Creston the week following the Parkersburg/New Hartford monster.

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

It's a crappy place to chase. We have blue-sky busts or spinups/brief tubes at best except for that random day when we have a monster.

 

[Logan Karsten]

I wouldn't necessarily agree with you completely Darrin. We do tend to have bust days and HP supercells, but there are some days that can yield very good chases, think back to 2004. As far as chase territory goes, I can guarantee you north-central Iowa is very good chase territory. It's flat, nice road network. I am hoping for a nice slow moving supercell to parallel highway 20 this june. I figure that part of the state is overdue.

 

[MatthewCarman]

Iowa ranks #6 for the most tornadoes for a state in a year. This year is far from that #6 spot so far.

Iowa can be very good to chase in. In 2004 on May 22, there was over 30 tornadoes in Iowa and most of them were photogenic. A day before that there was a strong tornado near Bradgate, Iowa that several chasers saw. On April 8, 1999 there was several EF3-EF4 tornadoes in Iowa that were asome to look at. In 2001 there was a day with numerous tornadoes in north east Iowa around the same area Parkersburg was hit by an EF5 tornado in 2008. On May 29, 2008 there was large photogenic tornadoes in southern Iowa. On April 13, 2006 there was many tornadoes in south east Iowa associated with some beutifull super cells. Let's not forget the Jordan, Iowa beast. Iowa has some very good years and some very bad years but the state can have some very nice tornadoes.