Power Outage in Cedar Rapids, IA

Widespread straight-line winds that produced extensive damage were reported throughout Linn County, associated with a derecho. These winds lasted around an hour in total at any one location, even though the initial line of storms moved out quickly. Damaging straight-line winds continued and were associated with the rear inflow jet. Maximum wind speeds were estimated to be 80 to 100 MPH for much of the county, with areas in central Linn County that had wind speed estimates that were 120 MPH or higher. The highest estimated wind speed were in the Cedar Rapids area where extensive damage to an apartment complex occurred with damage indicating winds about 140 MPH. A radio transmission tower also collapsed with wind speed estimated at 130 MPH. These estimates were determined based off damage reports and photos submitted through social media as well as a damage survey. The peak thunderstorm wind gust measured at the Cedar Rapids airport ASOS before it lost power was 68 MPH. The duration of strong winds caused extensive damaged most if not all trees, crops, and structures in their path. Due to the widespread damage, long duration power outages occurred. One fatality occurred here when a 63 year old man riding a bicycle was struck and killed by a tree that was knocked down due to the winds. There were also numerous injuries reported in the Cedar Rapids area.

Widespread straight-line winds that produced extensive damage were reported throughout Linn County, associated with a derecho. These winds lasted around an hour in total at any one location, even though the initial line of storms moved out quickly. Damaging straight-line winds continued and were associated with the rear inflow jet. Maximum wind speeds were estimated to be 80 to 100 MPH for much of the county, with areas in central Linn County that had wind speed estimates that were 120 MPH or higher. The highest estimated wind speed were in the Cedar Rapids area where extensive damage to an apartment complex occurred with damage indicating winds about 140 MPH. A radio transmission tower also collapsed with wind speed estimated at 130 MPH. These estimates were determined based off damage reports and photos submitted through social media as well as a damage survey. The peak thunderstorm wind gust measured at the Cedar Rapids airport ASOS before it lost power was 68 MPH. The duration of strong winds caused extensive damaged most if not all trees, crops, and structures in their path. Due to the widespread damage, long duration power outages occurred. One fatality occurred here when a 63 year old man riding a bicycle was struck and killed by a tree that was knocked down due to the winds. There were also numerous injuries reported in the Cedar Rapids area.

The Linn County Emergency Manager reported power lines and poles down.

A NWS storm survey team determined an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds around 100 mph touched down near the intersection of Skyline Drive NW and Meadowlark Lane NW in the northwest portion of Cedar Rapids, around 908 pm. The tornado moved northeast through residential neighborhoods. The tornado destroyed a garage, uprooted and snapped large trees and power poles, and caused minor damage to roofs. The tornado lifted near the intersection of 29th St. NW and Q Ave. NW around 914 pm. The storm also caused straight line wind damage at a business near the intersection of Collins Road NE and I-380. Winds estimated around 80 mph caused a partial collapse of a metal pole barn.

Tree limbs were reported down in southeast corner of Mt Vernon and power was knocked out to the city of Mt Vernon. The time was estimated to have occurred with the early morning storms.

Tree limbs were reported down in southeast corner of Mt Vernon and power was knocked out to the city of Mt Vernon.

A trained spotter reported 55 to 60 MPH winds and power out at his residence.

Numerous trees and power line down across the city of Cedar Rapids.

A trained spotter estimated winds between 70 to 80 mph. Power out for 6.5 hours. Several large trees were uprooted, 6 inch branches broken and multiple garbage carts weighting 150 lbs blown over.

The emergency manager reported power lines down on the northwest side of Cedar Rapids. A traffic light was down at NW Ellis and NW Edgewood.

Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph damaged the Kirkwood Community College outdoor stage and caused a power outage on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids, IA at 527 pm CDT June 29.

Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph were observed 3 miles east of Cedar Rapids, IA at 534 pm CDT June 29. A power outage was observed on the northeast side of Cedar Rapids.

Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph caused a power outage in Mount Vernon, IA at 1121 am CDT July 24.

Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees and power lines in Mount Vernon, IA and Lisbon, IA at 1020 pm CDT July 22.

Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph caused some tree damage in Mount Vernon, IA and Lisbon, IA around 520 am CDT July 11. The tree took out a utility pole resulting in a power outage.

Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew down some power lines on 5th street in Cedar Rapids around 1237 pm CDT June 18. This report was relayed by KCRG. The local paper later reported that a garage had also been destroyed by falling trees in Cedar Rapids.

Wind gusts estimated to be 65-70 mph uprooted trees and blew down hundreds of limbs, knocking out power throughout Mount Vernon at 1230 pm CDT June 18.

A heat burst struck parts of Cedar Rapids, IA between 528 am and 532 am August 3. A 61 mph wind gust was measured in downtown Cedar Rapids, while estimated wind gusts ranged from 60 mph to over 70 mph. The temperature spiked up to 84 degrees at the KCRG Studios while just south southeast of Cedar Rapids the temperature was observed to have shot up to 77 degrees. Temperatures were in the upper 60s to around 70 prior to the heat burst. Numerous trees and branches were blown down in the vicinity with power outages observed on the northwest and southwest sides of the city.

Wind gusts estimated to be 75 mph caused considerable tree and limb damage throughout the greater Cedar Rapids, IA area around 555 pm June 23. A large portion of the city was without power.

Wind gusts estimated to be around 80 mph caused widespread tree damage with tree limbs over 8 inches in diameter and trees over 3 feet in diameter blown down along a path from 2 miles south of Quasqueton, IA in Buchanan County, to Walker, IA in Linn County, along Highway W35 and Highway W6E to Center Point, IA in Linn County between 745 am and 830 am June 19. Some houses and many out buildings were damaged by falling trees. Power lines were also knocked down across much of the area. The end time of the damage was around 830 am.

An EF1 tornado with estimated wind speeds of up to 100 mph touched down near Lafayette, IA around 452 pm and proceeded to track northeast crossing the Linn-Delaware County line around 510 pm, finally lifting just north of Buck Creek, IA around 530 pm. Several farms sustained structural and equipment damage, trees were uprooted or snapped off, some camping trailers were destroyed, and several power lines were blown down.

Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down a tree and some power lines at the intersection of Wilson Ave and 6th Street in Cedar Rapids, IA. Relayed by KCRG TV. Time estimated.

Some branches were blown down and the power was knocked out.

Several tree limbs 1 to 4 inches in diameter blown down. The power was also out.

A spotter in the southeast part of Cedar Rapids reported 0.1 inches of sleet and snow. A spotter in Walford measured 0.1 inches of ice accumulation on trees and power lines.

Squall line left Benton County between Urbana and Shellsburg and entered Linn County around 1723 CST (2323 UTC). Center Point took a direct hit with winds estimated at 61 knots plus (70+ mph) during 1730-1740 CST. Numerous trees and power lines were downed in the Center Point area with outbuildings destroyed or damaged and a horse trailer overturned. No addional reports of severe winds were received after Center Point. KDVN 88D velocity data suggests the potential for severe winds in a generally easterly path that went between Alburnett and Robins to between Waubeek and Springville to the Linn/Jones County line from 1740 to 1804 CST. In the Cedar Rapids metropolitian area, numerous reports of estimated 43 to 48 knots (50 to 55 mph) winds were received from local TV stations with KCID ASOS reporting a peak gust of 41 knots (47 mph) at 1733 CST (2333 UTC).

5 inch limbs and power lines down

A downburst with winds around 70 mph produced considerable damage to trees and power lines in Mount Vernon, especially on the north side of town. A few cars were damaged by the falling trees. The downburst was unusual in that it appeared to have occurred from east to west.

Another round of high winds knocked down more power lines and poles forcing the closure of Highway 151, and leaving another 3,500 homes and businesses without power.

Power poles and lines blown down. One power pole landed on an unoccupied vehicle on the southeast side of the city.

Numerous trees down in Mount Vernon and Palisades Kepler State Park. Downed trees on power lines produced power outages in Mount Vernon.

Lightning struck a line that tripped a breaker at the Linn-Mar substation. Power was knocked out for a few hours to 1,700 homes and businesses in Cedar Rapids and Marion.

Scattered severe storms tracked across southeast Iowa during the mid-afternoon into early evening of June 24, producing large hail up to golf ball size in Van Buren County and tennis ball size hail near Ottumwa.||More organized clusters of severe storms tracked through Dubuque into far northwest IL during the evening and late night hours of June 24. Another storm cluster moved through the Quad Cities, producing wind gusts to 70 mph at the Davenport ASOS and damage to trees and power poles. An EF-0 tornado also tracked east along and north of I-80 near the Davenport Airport, causing sporadic minor tree and structure damage. This storm impacted the Quad City Airshow grounds, while no visitors were present.

A well advertised storm system brough a mix of precipitation across all of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri on February 22nd. Precipitation began as rain during the early morning, but quickly changed to a mix of sleet and freezing rain as it progressed north over areas along and north of Interstate 80. This precipitation continued throughout the day before tapering off during the mid to late evening hours. ||Given the amount of moisture associated with this system, rain and ice amounts were high. Rainfall totals of around 1.00 - 1.50 were observed along and east of the Mississippi River. Ice amounts of a few hundredths up to three tenths of an inch were observed, with the latter mainly along and north of the Highway 30 corridor. This ice led to slippery travel conditions and power outages.

A line of showers and thunderstorms tracked east across Iowa Tuesday afternoon and evening bringing damaging wind, occasional lightning, and heavy rain to eastern IA and northwest IL. The strongest reported winds of 60-70 mph, occurred in Buchanan and Linn counties. These winds brought down trees and powerlines as they moved through in the evening.||A brief tornado occurred during the evening hours just southeast of Fairbank in an open field. Another brief tornado occurred just west of Winthrop IA in an open field. Since no visible damage was observed with either tornado, they were assigned an EF-U rating. The NWS would like to thank Buchanan County Emergency Management for assistance with the storm survey.

A few severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Iowa and far northeast Missouri on Tuesday, June 22, leading to several reports of severe hail and some wind damage. This was a day in which the instability was greater in in central Iowa, but the high shear throughout eastern Iowa allowed for these storms to become organized and thrive in an environment with just enough of instability. Storms entered eastern Iowa around 3:00 PM CDT, producing up to golf ball sized hail. A couple of these storms were long-lived, traveling through a few counties before dying. Some damaging wind gusts were also noted in Buchanan County, where large tree limbs were snapped and a power pole was blown down.

A strong storm system moved into the Midwest on the afternoon of January 30, 2021. Initially, precipitation began as rain as a layer of warm air was in place aloft. Over time, however, temperatures began to cool at the surface and aloft due to the falling rain, and precipitation changed to snow during the evening as a result. Some freezing rain was even measured as the transition occurred, and was most noticeable in the Cedar Rapids metro where photos showed accumulation on power lines.||Snow was widespread across the area during the morning of January 31, 2021, and all of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and far northeast Missouri saw some form of accumulating snow. Totals were highest in parts of east central Iowa and in north central Illinois, where locally heavy banding at times on the morning of January 31 produced higher snowfall rates. Overall, totals ranged from around 4 to 6 inches, with some locally higher amounts of 7 to 8 inches reported in Buchanan and Benton counties.

A potent winter storm produced widespread heavy snow, along with freezing rain and sleet, across the region in the afternoon of the 29th and into the early morning hours of the 30th. 8 to 12 inches of snow fell in the heaviest band between Interstate 80 and U.S. Highway 20. The highest freezing rain accumulations occurred along the U.S. Highway 34 corridor from Fairfield, IA to Oquawka, IL, where 0.2 to 0.3 inches of glaze ice was reported. Thunderstorms also occurred in eastern Iowa Tuesday evening, and resulted in extreme snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour. Key impacts: transportation delays and traffic accidents, along with some isolated power outages.

A powerful line of severe thunderstorms produced a derecho which tracked across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois on the afternoon of Monday, August 10th, resulting in widespread straight line wind damage. The cost of damage from this storm was extreme, reaching an estimated 7.5 billion dollars along the path of these storms from Iowa through Illinois. Two brief tornadoes have been confirmed within the widespread swath of wind damage, one just north of the Eastern Iowa Airport in Linn County Iowa, and one just south of Freeport, Illinois. These tornadoes have been designated as EF-U, as there was no observable damage directly attributable to the tornadoes from which an EF-scale rating could be assigned. While an average of two derechos a year occur across the area, a derecho of this intensity is a roughly once-in-a-decade occurrence. Another unusual aspect of this derecho was the duration of the strong winds, with gusts over 60 mph for over an hour at some locations.||The most extreme winds, estimated at 110-140 mph, destroyed or damaged numerous outbuildings, barns, grain bins, homes, mobile homes, apartment buildings, trees, and power poles in parts of Benton, Linn, Jones, Cedar, and Clinton Counties. The Cedar Rapids area was particularly hard hit. One fatality occurred in Linn County, as a tree fell on a cyclist. Several homes, apartment complexes, and businesses sustained damage consistent with 130-140 mph winds. Radio transmission towers in Marion and Clinton, Iowa collapsed due to winds estimated around 130 mph. Wind gusts of 80-100 mph were common as the line of storms moved through the Quad Cities area and then through northwest Illinois. A small pocket of winds estimated at 100-110 mph impacted Princeton, IL in Bureau County, where a 150 foot communications tower collapsed and numerous power poles were snapped. In addition to the damage, numerous long-duration power outages occurred across the region. Damage to crops was considerable along the derecho path. Numerous semi trucks were also blown off roadways along the path of the derecho.

Severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois Saturday, July 11, producing widespread wind damage and very large hail. The first line of storms came through during the morning, producing damaging wind gusts and reports of quarter to ping pong ball size hail from Independence to Tipton Iowa. A wind gust of 65 MPH was measured just west of Independence. The second round of thunderstorms developed as a result of an upper level disturbance interacting with an atmosphere characterized by extremely high instability with modest vertical wind shear. Activity initially formed in north central Iowa, producing golf ball to two inch hail from Fort Dodge to Waterloo Iowa. Eventually, storms made their way towards the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City metro areas, producing widespread wind damage and hail up to baseball size. These storms continued through the Quad Cities metro east towards Princeton, Sterling, and Hennepin Illinois, producing additional reports of wind damage and winds of 70 to 90 mph. Numerous power outages were also reported.

A strong winter storm system brought heavy precipitation of 1 to 2 inches to areas along and east of the Mississippi River January 10 into January 11. Much of eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois saw a wintry mix of sleet, snow, freezing rain and freezing drizzle. Slick roads were common, with several accidents reported throughout the region. There were numerous reports of ice accumulations between a tenth and a quarter of an inch. Some trees were downed from the weight of the ice and numerous power outages were reported. Snowfall amounts were generally between 1 and 3 inches.

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms impacted much of eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri early Tuesday morning. This line of storms produced wind gusts to 70 MPH and several reports of wind damage. Several trees and power lines were taken down in Mediapolis, Monmouth and Roseville.||In addition, torrential rain fell with storms as they formed along and north of the I-80 and I-380 corridors. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches were reported, which led to flash flooding in southern portions of the Cedar Rapids metro.

A line of thunderstorms tracked southeast across northeast Iowa into eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois during the afternoon and evening of Sunday, June 30, 2019, bringing widespread downed trees and power lines as 50-70 mph winds rolled through. The strongest winds were recorded in Dubuque County, where a wind gust of 76 mph was observed at the Dubuque Regional Airport. Several hometowns were without power after the storms passed.

A winter storm moved from the southern Plains into the Great Lakes Monday, February 11 into Tuesday, February 12, bringing snow, freezing rain and some sleet to the area. Significant snow accumulations of 6 to 9 inches fell across portions of northeast Iowa and far northwest Illinois. Ice accumulations from freezing rain ranged from a light glaze to around two tenths of an inch, especially in parts of northwest Illinois. ||This storm was preceded by two other icing events, on February 5th, and 7th. The storm on the 12th combined with preexisting ice and strong west winds between 40 and 50 mph to cause rather widespread tree limb, power pole, and power line damage across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois.

A winter storm brought widespread freezing rain, sleet, and rain to the region Thursday morning February, 7th across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri. This event fell on the heels of another freezing rain event on Feb. 5th. Slick roads, driveways, and sidewalks were common with numerous accidents on major highways. Ice accumulations between a tenth and two tenths of an inch were common. Some higher ice amounts were reported in Stephenson county in Illinois. ||Strong winds and cold air were found behind this storm with winds gusting between 35 and 50 mph. This caused many tree limbs to fall due to the weight of the ice. Widespread power line damage occurred in southeast Iowa, and northwest Illinois due to the strong west winds and ice accumulation from both the event on February 5 and the 7th.

A line of severe storms tracked east over eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri during the evening of March 6th. Widespread winds over 70 mph, small hail, and several tornadoes were reported. Damage from these storms included: downed trees, power poles, destroyed outbuildings, and roof damage to several homes.

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front that pushed eastward across Iowa during the late afternoon and early evening hours. These storms brought damaging winds, torrential rain, and frequent lightning to the area. Several downed trees, power outages, and 40 to 60 mph winds were reported. Widespread rainfall amounts between 0.75 to 1.5 inches of rain fell in a short amount of time. This produced flash flooding in the city of Clinton in Clinton County.

A strong cold front moving southward during the day on the 2nd brought strong, gusty northwest winds to eastern Iowa. Sustained wind speeds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph caused damage to trees, power lines, and personal property. The winds were the strongest from 7AM to 7PM CST.

A potent low pressure system tracked from eastern Oklahoma and Missouri into northern Illinois and the Great Lakes region, from December 28th to the early morning hours of the 29th. An unseasonably warm and moist airmass interacted with the system to produce heavy mixed precipitation across eastern Iowa. Thundersnow was reported in some areas, as well as heavy snow, sleet accumulations up to 2-4 inches, and a glaze ice amounts over a quarter inch. The ice and strong winds gusting to 50 mph resulted in widespread downed trees and powerlines, and power outages. The hardest hit areas, with glaze ice amounts of 1/4-1/2 inch, were located in southeastern Iowa. The highest amounts of combined snow and sleet, in the 5-7 inch range, occurred west and north of a line from Brighton, IA in Washington County, to Cedar Rapids, Anamosa, and Dubuque Iowa.

A powerful storm system lifted from Central Iowa into northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin during the day on April 9th. Strong to severe thunderstorms developed in eastern Iowa during the afternoon and exited into northwest Illinois during the evening hours. These storms produced hail larger than golf balls, damaging winds of 60 to 70 mph, and two tornadoes. The tornadoes touched down near Donahue and Clinton. Both tornadoes produced EF-1 damage to mainly trees and farm outbuildings.

A prolonged snow event occurred from the mid-afternoon on Jan 31st to the late evening on Feb 1st. A strong area of low pressure moved across Missouri and southern Illinois spreading widespread snow across the region. The heaviest snowfall of 9 to 15 inches generally fell along the Interstate 80 corridor. Gusty northwest winds developed behind the system, resulting in considerable blowing and drifting snow on Feb 1st. Several areas experienced prolonged power outages and downed tree limbs due to the heavy wet snow.

A powerful storm system lifted into the central Plains on the afternoon of April 27, 2014 and brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms to eastern Iowa. Some of these thunderstorms were severe and produced damaging winds and an isolated hail report. There was one confirmed tornado during the event that moved across Keokuk, Iowa and Johnson Counties with two fatalities. In addition to the damaging winds rainfall totals ranged from a half an inch to around 1 inch in a little under an hour.

A winter storm system moved across the Midwest on Monday February 17, Washington's Birthday Holiday (Presidents' Day), bringing periods of heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain to the region. Widespread snowfall amounts of 2 to 6 inches were common across the area, with some locally higher and lower totals. The Quad Cities recorded its snowiest Washington's Birthday Holiday ever by measuring 5.9 inches of snow. In addition, much of Southeast Iowa, Northeast Missouri, and Western Central Illinois saw some freezing rain, which resulted in a tenth to a half an inch of ice accumulations. This caused some power outages and made travel hazardous. By late afternoon, temperatures south of Interstate 80, where the icing took place, had risen into the middle 30s to lower 40s melting much of the ice and snow.

A strong Arctic air mass flooded into eastern Iowa on January 22, 2014 in the wake of a powerful cold front. Low temperatures on the morning of January 23, 2014 ranged from -5 to -9 degrees with winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts as high as 35 mph to produce dangerously cold wind chill values below -30 along and north of Highway 30 with wind chills of -20 to -30 south to Interstate 80. Conditions slowly improved early Friday morning from north to south as temperatures warmed and winds diminished.

A nearly stationary frontal boundary draped west-east along Interstate 80 provided the focus for occasional freezing rain across much of eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois on December 19-20, 2013. Ice accumulations of a tenth to 3 tenths of an inch were reported. At some locations the ice coated windshields, sidewalks and branches with some power outages.

A very unstable airmass on May 19, 2013 led to the development of severe thunderstorms that produced large hail and damaging winds. Temperatures were in the 80s with dewpoints around 70 with a mid level speed maximum rotating around the base of a developing upper low in the Plains states. This increased the deep layer shear during the afternoon and evening hours. Some of the storms produced golf to baseball size hail and 70 to 80 mph winds. A trained spotter reported baseball size hail knocked out sky lights at the Walmart store in northeast Keokuk. Golfball to baseball size hail was reported on the north end of the city, with nickel to quarter size hail on the south end of the city. A downburst produced wind damage in Benton county from the county line 3.5 miles southeast of Blairstown to 2.8 miles southeast of Shellsburg. There was a mile wide swath of near continuous damage to farm outbuildings, tree branches and some power poles. The greatest damage was from 3 miles south of Newhall, where a machine shed and garage were completely destroyed, to about 3 miles northwest of Atkins, where significant damage occurred to outbuildings. The emergency manager in Buchanan county reported a downburst with winds more than 70 mph struck Independence, Iowa. The northwest side of town sustained the most damage with trees down, power poles snapped and signs blown down.

A powerful storm system tracked across the Upper Midwest late on March 4th through the 5th bringing snow to eastern Iowa. In addition to the snowfall, strong northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph caused significant blowing snow across the region. The heaviest snow fell along and to the north of Interstate 80 where 4 to 6 inches was reported with 1 to 2 inches falling south of the Interstate.

A large and slow moving intense low pressure system tracked out of the southern Plains and into southern Illinois and then to Lake Erie on February 26-27, 2013. In the meantime, an upper level low pushed across western Illinois and into the western Great Lakes region. This cyclone spread moderate to heavy snow across much of the area with snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 inches common, with isolated higher amounts. Wind gusts were in the 30 to 35 mph range producing some blowing and drifting as temperatures hovered near the freezing mark. At the height of the storm, snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were reported. The highest amount of snow was 11.8 inches northeast of Downing, Missouri in Scotland county. An observer near Stanley, Iowa in Buchanan county measured 10 inches with almost 9 inches near Farmington in Van Buren county. At Freeport, Illinois in Stephenson county nearly 8 inches was reported. Due to the heavy wet nature of the snow, combined with strong winds and temperatures near freezing, some power outages were noted.

A powerful storm system moved from the Southern Plains on Wednesday morning into Michigan by early Friday morning. This brought a potent winter storm to eastern Iowa through the period. Precipitation began as rain on Wednesday evening and quickly changed over to snow along and north of a line from Keokuk County to Linn County to Johnson County to Dubuque County. North of this line snow continued to fall heavily at times through the night while to the south mainly rain with isolated thunderstorms occurred. A powerful cold front swept through eastern Iowa on Thursday morning changing the precipitation over to all snow from west to east by noon. In addition, winds switched to the northwest and increased rapidly to 25 to 35 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. This created blizzard conditions across all of eastern Iowa reducing visibility to a half mile or less for several hours. Thundersnow was reported at several locations Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Conditions began to improve rapidly from west to east on Thursday afternoon as the storm system departed to the east.

A cold front pushing into a hot and humid airmass over eastern Iowa triggered a line of severe thunderstorms during the late evening hours on July 25, 2012. There were many reports of 60 to 70 mph winds in this line of storms knocking down numerous trees at some locations. There were also a couple of dime size hail reports from trained spotters. The hardest hit area was in Buchanan county in northeast Iowa. The emergency manager reported numerous trees and tree limbs down in Quasqueton, Independence and Rowley. The power was out in Rowley. In Independence, seven 40 to 70 foot tall trees were blown down, one fell on a house. There were twenty limbs 30 to 40 feet long down and numerous branches 10 to 30 feet long down. Winds were estimated over 70 mph. Another location with numerous trees and branches down was in Fort Madison, Iowa in Lee county.

A warm front lifting northward across the region on April 14, 2012 brought a round of severe thunderstorms during the late afternoon through much of the evening hours. Large hail and damaging winds were reported across eastern Iowa and western Illinois. A tornado occurred at Hedrick, Iowa in Keokuk county. Following the passage of the warm front there was increasing mid and upper level forcing and instability in place. There was adequate elevated instability as well as sufficient shear to trigger the severe thunderstorms. Three aircraft were damaged at the Quad Cities International Airport near Moline, Illinois. A house was partially unroofed near the airport and a highway sign was also blown over. The automated wind sensor recorded 78 mph winds at the airport. An EF1 tornado occurred in the comma-head of a bow echo along a path from 1 mile west of Hedrick to just west of Martinsburg. Total path length was about 3 miles. Power lines were downed, trees snapped, a machine shed wall was blown in, grain bins were damaged, a shed was destroyed, and the ball park was damaged. Approximately 10 homes were damaged in Hedrick along with rural farmsteads. A deputy police car was turned around and fell into a ditch. Numerous trees were also blown down. No injuries were reported.

Mostly cloudy skies and above normal temperatures were seen across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri during the early morning hours on July 11. Showers and thunderstorms moved across east central Iowa into northern Illinois between 4 am CDT and 7 am CDT, with many areas seeing damaging winds in excess of 70 mph. Widespread damage was seen from Vinton, IA to Dubuque, IA, with numerous downed power lines and large trees blown down. Morning low temperatures ranged from 68 degrees in Cedar Rapids, IA to 81 degrees in Macomb, IL.

A blizzard struck portions of eastern Iowa and western Illinois on December 11-12, 2010. A strong upper level disturbance and powerful jet stream began diving out of the northern Rockies. Low pressure then formed across the northern Plains and tracked into western Iowa. This cyclone then intensified considerably as it pushed into northern Illinois. Even though snowfall was generally only in the 1 to 4 inch range, strong winds gusting to 40 to 50 mph generated blizzard conditions in some locations. The worst blizzard conditions were observed west of Interstate 380/Highway 218 in eastern Iowa, and also in portions of western Illinois. Roads were impassable and drifts several feet high which stranded some motorists. The strong winds also toppled a tree onto a house in Marion, Iowa and flipped a metal shed off its cement foundation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

An ice storm occurred on December 23, 2009 in portions of eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois. Ice accumulations of 1/4 to 1/2 inch were common which coated trees and power lines but temperatures in the lower 30s kept most roads wet. Scattered power outages and some broken tree branches were reported as winds gusted to 35 mph.

As the storm system intensified, blizzard conditions developed across much of eastern Iowa and extreme northeast Missouri on December 9, 2009. Frequent wind gusts over 40 mph were observed with gusts over 50 mph, which produced widespread whiteouts and visibilities near or below 1/4 mile. Burlington, Iowa had a peak gust of 52 mph while Independence, Iowa reported a gust of 50 mph. Many roads were closed and schools cancelled as drifts were as high as 5 feet in some areas. Blizzard conditions began early in the morning and continued through much of the afternoon. There were also scattered power outages and a few tree branches down due to the heavy snow and high winds.

A very intense storm system tracked from the Oklahoma Panhandle to western Illinois and then to Lake Huron. This had the lowest barometric pressure (975 mb or 28.79 inches) in the Midwest since the November 10, 1998 storm that also moved through the upper Midwest. This powerful winter storm produced very heavy snowfall, blizzard conditions and bitterly cold temperatures on December 8-9, 2009. Snow amounts of at least 10 to 15 inches were common north of a Fairfield, Iowa to Sterling, Illinois line. The largest amount was an incredible 17.7 inches at Orangeville, Illinois in Stephenson county. Other amounts included 15 inches at Brighton, Iowa (Washington county), Mt. Vernon, Iowa (Linn county) and at Freeport, Illinois (Stephenson county). Snowfall was much lighter in southeast Iowa, extreme northeast Missouri and west central Illinois. Here snow accumulations were 1 to 4 inches as rain and sleet mixed with the snow. A band of freezing rain from Burlington, Iowa to Sterling, Illinois coated trees and power lines with up to 3 tenths of an inch of ice. A few locations also reported thundersnows with snowfall rates of nearly 2 inches per hour. There were scattered power outages and some tree branches down. Numerous accidents and vehicles sliding into ditches were reported across the region. Many schools and businesses were also closed. In addition, winds gusting over 50 mph produced widespread blizzard conditions across much of eastern Iowa and extreme northeast Missouri, reducing visibilities to near zero on December 9.

A heat burst struck parts of Cedar Rapids, IA between 528 am and 532 am August 3. A 61 mph wind gust was measured in downtown Cedar Rapids, while estimated wind gusts ranged from 60 mph to over 70 mph. The temperature spiked up to 84 degrees at the KCRG Studios while just south southeast of Cedar Rapids the temperature was observed to have shot up to 77 degrees. Temperatures were in the upper 60s to around 70 prior to the heat burst. Numerous trees and branches were blown down in the vicinity with power outages observed on the northwest and southwest sides of the city.

A powerful arctic cold front swept across the region on December 20-21, 2008. Ahead of the front, 1 to 3 inches of fluffy snow fell during the afternoon of December 20. The snow was confined to locations in Iowa and Illinois along and north of Interstate 80. After this snowfall ended by evening, snow depths north of Highway 34 ranged from 5 to 12 inches. With the passage of the arctic cold front, northwest winds gradually increased to 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph late in the evening on December 20 through the day on December 21. This created ground blizzard conditions with frequent whiteouts as visibilities were reduced to 1/4 mile or less, especially in rural and open areas. Some drifts on highways were as high as 6 feet. With temperatures below zero, wind chill readings were as low as 30 to 40 below zero. The combination of blizzard conditions and very cold temperatures made for a potentially dangerous situation.

A major winter storm tracked from eastern Colorado to northern Missouri and then to central Illinois December 18-19, 2008, and was the most significant winter event of the month. Heavy snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches were widespread across northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois, mainly north of Highway 30. Roughly along the Interstate 80 corridor, 2 to 4 inches of sleet and up to 1/2 inch ice accumulations were reported. Locations south of I-80 in southeast Iowa, western Illinois and northeast Missouri experienced a major ice storm. Ice accumulations of 1/4 to nearly 1 inch were common, with many trees and branches down due to the weight of the ice. Scattered thunderstorms also developed helping to produce the heavy precipitation amounts. Power outages of up to a week occurred, especially in western Illinois, due to the ice storm.

A powerful cold front swept across the region on Sunday October 26, 2008 bringing very strong gradient winds in its wake. Northwest winds were sustained at 30 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 50 to 60 mph during the afternoon. This produced some tree damage in a few locations, knocking down some power lines and causing power outages.

A large area of freezing rain fell across the region on December 10-11, 2007. This precipitation occurred on the cold side of a stationary frontal boundary that extended from the southern Plains to the lower Ohio Valley. Ice accumulations were in the 1/4 to 1 inch range, with snow and sleet mixed with the freezing rain in some areas. The ice knocked down some trees and branches, with scattered power outages reported. Temperatures gradually rose above freezing the morning of December 11 from I-80 southward, melting the ice. One fatality occurred in Cedar Rapids when a falling ice-laden branch struck a man's head. In addition, most counties were declared a state or federal disaster area.

On December 1, 2007 a strong low pressure system tracked from western Kansas to northern Wisconsin. Warm moist air aloft, combined with surface temperatures below freezing, created ideal conditions for a significant ice storm. Some areas also reported significant accumulations of sleet. Ice accumulations of 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch, combined with winds gusting to 30 to 40 mph, knocked down some branches and trees causing scattered power outages. Law enforcement reported many cars that slid into ditches. Two known injuries occurred in eastern Iowa due to the icy conditions (one an indirect injury that happened on December 3). However, the impacts from this storm were much less, when compared to the crippling ice storm that struck the region on February 24, 2007.

An unseasonably intense low pressure system tracked from Wyoming to the Dakotas and then to northern Minnesota on June 7, 2007. A strong cold front moved across the region during the late afternoon and evening, which triggered scattered severe thunderstorms. Due to the very strong wind field associated with the storm system, and unstable air ahead of the cold front, damaging wind was the main event. However, some large hail was also reported. One of the hardest hit areas was Davenport where many trees and branches were blown down, along with scattered power outages. Also, a farmstead had several barns destroyed on the outskirts of Bettendorf.

A late season snow storm brought widespread snowfall to eastern Iowa and northern Illinois. The heaviest snow fell along and north of the highway 20 corridor, where amounts ranged between 5 and 7 inches. Power was out for 500 customers in the towns of Quasqueton and Dyersville. In addition, two women were injured in a head-on collision on the Iowa-Johnson Road near Walford.

March roared in like a lion, as an intense low pressure system tracked from Oklahoma to central Iowa, and then into the western Great Lakes. Strong winds accompanied this storm across the region, with snow and blowing snow a significant problem in eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois. Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches mainly north of Highway 34, with isolated 5+ inches near Stanley in Buchanan county. Sustained winds of 35 to 40 mph, with gusts of 45 to 50 mph were common throughout the area. Isolated gusts over 50 mph were measured. This created dangerous whiteout conditions. Besides the snow, there was also locallized heavy rain of .75 to 1.5 inches falling on partially frozen ground, which caused significant ponding of water. One indirect death occurred Near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in Henry county, when a 51 year old male lost control of his vehicle in the snow and wind, and overturned in a water-filled ditch. Combining the February 24, 2007 ice storm, and March 1-2, 2007 winter storm, Alliant Energy Company which serves Iowa and southern Minnesota had 269,000 customers lose electric service. This is 54% of the customer base, with about 400 of 800 communities without power. Alliant Energy had to replace more than 2,200 transmission poles, 4,100 distribution poles, and 1,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines. Restoration costs were estimated at approximately $70 million.

A widespread and crippling ice/snow storm affected eastern Iowa, northwest and western Illinois, and extreme northeast Missouri on February 24, 2007. This massive ice storm was the worst to affect the region since January 22-23, 1965. Ice accumulations of around one inch were common, with some reports to near two inches! To make matters worse, east winds gusting over 50 mph, combined with the heavy ice accumulation, brought down numerous tree branches and power lines, along with several thousand power poles. There were even whole trees crashing down from the weight of the ice. Widespread power outages occurred, affecting over 180,000 people, which lasted more than a week in some of the rural areas. Many shelters were opened to accommodate those without power. The governor of Iowa declared much of the state a disaster area, and requested President Bush to declare much of eastern Iowa a federal disaster area. In the northern portions of the region in the colder air, snow was the problem. Accumulations of up to 7 inches occurred, with strong winds combining to create blizzard conditions. Considering the magnitude of the storm, remarkably no direct deaths were reported.

Scattered thunderstorms developed across north central Iowa along an elevated convergence zone in a near tropical atmosphere. Feed by a low level jet of 30 knots (about 35 mph), the thunderstorms evolved into a squall line that raced east southeast across eastern Iowa and northern Illinois. Wind damage was the most common severe report with severe crop damage occurring across a large portion of Benton County, and to a lesser extent across Iowa, Linn, and Clinton Counties. The wind combined with a large amount of cloud to ground lightning resulted in power failures across parts of eastern Iowa and took two public safety communication towers off the air.

An upper level disturbance in a near tropical atmosphere produced scattered thunderstorms in the pre-dawn hours across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois. Hail was nearly non existent or was of pea sized due to the high freezing levels. Several of the storms pulsed severe with high winds that downed trees and power lines.

Tornado developed in stratiform rain on the back side of the storm system, video taped by a storm chaser, and noted by many eye witnesses. Tornado developed 1 mile southwest of Mt Vernon and traveled roughly east for one half mile before dissipating 1 mile south of Mt Vernon. Only damage reported were some power poles taken down along Iowa highway 1 southwest of Mt Vernon.

Supercell thunderstorms developed in the evening hours and formed an organized cluster around Waterloo, Iowa. As the storms moved southeast through Eastern Iowa they interacted with boundaries and produced 6 tornadoes with widespread wind damage in the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area. KCRG TV and KGAN TV in Cedar Rapids measured 63 knots (73 mph) and 53 knots (61 mph) respectively at their studios during the storm. At the height of the storm in Cedar Rapids, Alliant Energy reported that about half of its 70,000 customers in the Cedar Rapids area were without power. Sporatic wind damage then occurred from Cedar Rapids to the Mississippi River. Heavy rain accompanying the storms produced mainly nuisance street flooding in many cities but did result in 2 mudslides, one in Moline, Illinois and another across Illinois 84 just northwest of Mississippi Palisades State Park in Carroll County Illinois. The second mudslide resulted in a traffic accident with no injuries. In Muscatine County the storms evolved into a bow echo and then raced East Southeast and produced widespread wind damage with winds estimated at 80 knots or stronger (92 mph) that lasted 10 to 15 minutes across the Illinois Counties of Rock Island, Mercer, and Southern Henry. An unsubstantiated wind gust of 90 knots (104 mph) occurred at Lock and Dam 16 on the Mississippi River just east of Muscatine, Iowa. Mercer and Southern Henry counties in Illinois had extensive damage from the bow echo with Galva, Illinois, in southern Henry County being hardest hit. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people were without power in the affected 3 counties. High winds of at least 80 knots (92 mph) lasted for nearly 15 minutes in Galva, toppling a grain elevator onto the BNSF railroad mainline. The combination of the toppled grain elevator and a propane leak caused by the fallen elevator halted rail traffic for 11 hours, delaying 7 or 8 BNSF trains. Blackhawk College East Campus in Southeast Henry County cancelled classes for several days due to considerable damage with many trees and power lines down. In Henry County Illinois alone, an estimated 25,000 acres of corn was flattened.

A MCS thunderstorm complex bowed out and raced across Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois in the pre dawn hours. Due to high freezing levels, hail was minimal. Along the Highway 20 corridor in Northeast Iowa and Northwest Illinois winds were estimated at 60 to 70 knots in places (70-80 mph). The cities of Dubuque, Iowa and Freeport, Illinois were particularly hard hit with many trees downed or uprooted. In Stephenson County Illinois, a well defined path of straight line winds was noted from 5 miles West of Freeport, across the northern part of the city, and east to the Stephenson/Winnebago county line. On the US 20 bypass around Freeport at Jct IL 75 five (5) 90 foot high voltage power poles were downed. One injury was reported on a campground southeast of Pearl City in Stephenson county were a tree limb fell on a tent. About 2 hours after the storms passed, a machine shed caught fire 4 to 5 miles north of Andrew, Iowa due to downed power lines.

A strong low level jet developed thunderstorms in western Iowa that moved rapidly east. Strong mid level winds allowed a wake low to develop that brought sustained winds of 35 to 45 mph for 15 minutes with gusts to 60 mph to parts of eastern Iowa. A Centurion Aircraft was flipped over at the Cedar Rapids Airport (KCID) where a gust to 49 knots (56 mph) was recorded along with damage to buildings. As the wake low passed just south of the Cedar Rapids Airport, a pressure difference of 5.8 mb (0.17 inches) was observed between KCID and KIOW (Iowa City Airport). Just south of Oxford Junction, a private weather company recorded a 2 mb (0.06 inch) pressure drop in 5 minutes as the wake low approached. The area affected was Southern Linn, Southern Jones, far Northern Cedar, and Southern Jackson counties. Numerous 8 inch tree limbs and power lines were down in Cedar Rapids. Across Southern Jones and Northern Cedar counties, numerous reports of tree limbs and power lines down were reported in or near Martelle, Olin, Wyoming, Oxford Junction, Mechanicsville, Stanwood, and Clarence. In Maquoketa, a 12 foot tree limb just missed a house and a garage.

Several rounds of thunderstorms struck Eastern Iowa, far Northeast Missouri, and Nothern Illinois from mid afternoon through midnight. A wake low developed behind one line of storms and produced an extended period of wind over 43 knots (50 mph) across parts of Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois resulting in power outages and tree limbs down. In Southeast Iowa and West Central Illinois, thunderstorms trained over the same area producing mainly nuisance flooding. In Henderson County Illinois, Illinois Route 94 and numerous other roads were closed due to high water.

A narrow but intense line of snow showers, accompanied by some lightning, swept across much of Eastern Iowa during the mid to late afternoon producing high winds and heavy snow. The high winds in combination with the heavy snow resulted in near blizzard conditions for a period of about 15 minutes. The strongest winds and worst conditions were generally observed north of Highway 34, where sustained wind speeds of 35 to 45 mph were common with occasional gusts to around 60 mph. There were several reports of trees and power lines knocked down. The squall line generally deposited a quick one half to one inch of snow, but just as quick as the line moved in, it moved out in 15 minutes, leaving behind a bright blue sky.

As the storm system pulled away from the region, very strong winds gusted to between 45 and 55 mph during the day. The strong winds were responsible for ripping the scaffolding off the east side of the Tower Place parking ramp in Iowa City. Scattered minor power outages were reported throughout the region.

The second phase of the storm system began with rain, heavy at times, during the afternoon. As the storm system began to pull east late Thursday night and Friday morning, colder air overspread the region changing the rain to a wintry mix, and then to snow. Much of the area had ice accumulations of around 1/4 inch, with snowfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches. The snow tapered off during the late afternoon. Strong northwest winds gusting to around 40 mph whipped the freshly fallen snow around, creating near whiteout conditions. An eleven car pileup occurred on Highway 30 at the Highway 218 intersection in Benton County. There were numerous minor accidents and scattered power outages. Malls, schools, businesses and government offices were closed in Cedar Rapids.

A strong storm system moved slowly over the Middle Mississippi Valley during the mid to latter portion of the week. The first wave of precipitation developed over the region during the afternoon ahead of a northward advancing warm front. Warm, moist air overrunning shallow, cold air resulted in freezing rain, freezing drizzle and some sleet. The icy mix was responsible for numerous minor accidents, and scattered power outages. More than 160 people were treated for injuries sustained from falling on ice. The icy conditions also affected proceedings at the Iowa Statehouse. Planned debates in the Senate were cancelled, as were most committee meetings.

A strong storm system moved northeast out of Texas on Sunday, January 28th, into Missouri on Monday the 29th, and then into central Iowa Monday evening. The low pulled abundant warm, moist air northward, which overrode colder air in place near the surface. The biggest impact from the storm was the significant ice accumulations, and ice storm warnings were in effect for the area from Sunday afternoon through early Monday afternoon. Snow and locally heavy rains with the storm also contributed to the hazardous road conditions and some flooding of urban streets and rural roads. The precipitation began as snow and sleet, starting in far northeast Missouri, west central Illinois, and far southeast Iowa by mid-morning Sunday. The snow and sleet then spread north through the afternoon, with periods of moderate to heavy snow and accumulations around one to three inches over areas north of U.S. Highway 34. The precipitation then changed over to freezing rain from south to north across the area from Sunday afternoon through evening. Freezing rain continued south of Highway 34 through 8 am on Monday, and through early Monday afternoon along and north of Interstate 80. Ice accumulations of 1/4 to 1/2 inch were common across much of eastern Iowa, far northeast Missouri, and western Illinois, with amounts as high as one inch in Van Buren County Iowa and Hancock County Illinois. Area law enforcement officials were kept very busy handling numerous accidents, beginning Sunday afternoon and continuing through Monday night. Late Sunday afternoon, two people were killed and an Iowa State Trooper was seriously injured when a semi-trailer truck swerved off Interstate 80 in Cedar County Iowa and struck a squad car and another vehicle. Around the same time in Davenport, Iowa, two motorists escaped with only minor injuries when their vehicle swerved over a ten foot wall. Another accident in Moline, Illinois, earlier in the day caused a brief power outage for more than 800 Quad City residents. A Freeport, Illinois hospital handled six slip-and-fall injuries on Monday. Law enforcement also reported trees and power lines down due to the ice accumulation in Johnson County in Iowa, and Stephenson, Carroll, Hancock, and McDonough Counties in Illinois. After the precipitation changed over to rain Monday morning and afternoon, locally heavy amounts of one to two inches fell across much of the area, before the rain tapered off from south to north by Monday night. Law enforcement reported street flooding in Davenport and Burlington Iowa, and flooding of rural roads in Hancock County Illinois. Above-freezing temperatures also produced some snowmelt during the day Monday, which further aggravated the flooding. Falling temperatures late Monday afternoon and night caused the slush and ponded water on roads to re-freeze, which created very hazardous travel conditions, mainly on secondary and rural gravel roads.

In the wake of the ice storm that hit the region on 12/15 and 12/16, a powerful Arctic cold front swept through the area from the northern Rockies during the afternoon of 12/16. The front brought blizzard conditions to portions of western and central Iowa, but the earlier ice coating across eastern Iowa, western Illinois, and far northeast Missouri all but eliminated the problem of blowing and drifting snow. Snowfall amounts across the area were light as the front moved through, and area law enforcement reported only a few visibility problems on rural roads, and minimal drifting. The main problem was dangerously cold wind chill values, as a strong northwest wind gusting to 35 miles an hour buffeted the area in the wake of the system's low pressure center. Wind chill values dipped to 25 to 40 below by evening on 12/16, and dropped to 30 to 50 below early on 12/17. The bitterly cold wind chills persisted through much of the day, before the center of low pressure exited the area to the east.

A powerful early winter storm developed in the Rockies and tracked through southern Missouri and Illinois late on Sunday the 10th through the Monday the 11th. The snow began late Sunday night and continued through Monday night. Storm totals of 8 to 11 inches were common over much of eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois, with 5 to 8 inch amounts to the south in far southeast Iowa, northeast Missouri, and west central Illinois. The strong low pressure center produced wind gusts up to 40 miles an hour Monday afternoon and night, which created near blizzard conditions and drifted many area roads shut. Many road crews across the area were pulled Monday afternoon and night, before returning to the job early Tuesday. An accident in Hancock county Monday claimed one life after a vehicle slid into oncoming traffic. Otherwise, there were surprisingly few accidents involving injuries reported by area law enforcement. Road crews reported very light traffic Monday. A Clinton county resident suffered a heart attack after shoveling snow Monday. Area hospitals also treated many people suffering from hypothermia, chest pains, and injuries from falling on the ice. Most area schools were closed both Monday and Tuesday, and many businesses closed early Monday. Temperatures dropped into the single digits Monday night into Tuesday, as wind chills dipped to 20 to 40 below zero. The dangerously cold conditions continued Tuesday as snow removal efforts continued. Law enforcement reported a number of accidents on Tuesday as traffic picked up.

Ingredients were present for a big outbreak of severe weather. A strong upper level disturbance was moving through the plains. Meanwhile, surface low pressure raced from Southwest Minnesota into Wisconsin by late afternoon, allowing a strong cold front to sweep into Central Iowa by late in the day. Ahead of the front, a strong southwest breeze and abundant sunshine pushed temperatures to record levels with readings generally in the mid and upper 90s. An old outflow boundary from earlier convection set up over Northeast Iowa and Northern Illinois. Thunderstorms redeveloped along the boundary by mid to late afternoon over Northeast Iowa and quickly became severe. The convection took on an east to west orientation, which resulted in training of cells leading to heavy rains in excess of 3 inches, and recurring reports of severe weather. Meanwhile, thunderstorms exploded late in the afternoon along the approaching cold front from near Des Moines, Iowa to St. Joseph, Missouri. Strong convective instability and strengthening vertical wind shear profiles resulted in the formation of an intense squall line. The squall line raced eastward producing numerous reports of large hail and damaging winds. By the time the squall line reached the Quad Cities, the old outflow boundary over Northeast Iowa and Northern Illinois had sagged south and extended from near Moline, Illinois to Lafayette, Indiana. A combination of the boundary and increasing westerly component to the mid level winds with the approaching disturbance, enhanced a segment of the squall line over portions of the Quad Cities, evolving into a bow echo. Winds estimated in excess of 70 mph at times battered much of the Iowa Quad Cities. The cities of Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley, Riverdale and Davenport were hit hardest with numerous trees and power lines knocked down. The Illinois Quad Cities avoided the brunt of the storm. 28,000 homes were without power in the Quad Cities, and many did not have power restored for days. Many other areas in Eastern Iowa lost power as well. The lack of power forced the cancellation of classes at Scott Community College. The storms also did considerable damage to many of the areas corn and soybean crops. Damage was widespread but variable, with as much as 10 percent of the corn crop damaged in some areas. Several factors contributed to the damage. A big factor was the direction of the rows in relation to the wind. Other factors included the variety of corn, as some were not rooted as deeply, and stalk rot which makes corn stalks brittle and unstable. Stalk rot was brought on by a wet July and relatively dry August.

The remnants of a mesoscale convective system dropped southeast from Minnesota and the Dakotas across Northern Iowa during the morning. Due to the time of day and lack of instabiltiy, just an isolated report of severe weather was received. The storms mainly produced heavy rain and vivid lightning to many areas along and north of Interstate 80. Lightning knocked out power to Polar Ice in Cedar Rapids during a youth hockey game. The game was cancelled along with other hockey games and a public skating session in the afternoon. This was done to allow the ice needed time to harden. Operations were restored by evening. The lightning also knocked out communications to the National Weather Service in Davenport.

A major winter storm exiting the Southern Rockies moved through the Mississippi Valley and into the Great Lakes. Warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico became entrained into the storm system resulting in a variety of weather, ranging from heavy snow to freezing rain and rain. The precipitation initially was expected to begin thursday afternoon. However, the presence of dry air from a large canadian high pressure system, parked over the region for days prior, slowed the precipitation process and delayed the onset until thursday evening. Once the precipitation finally began, it remained very light and intermittent and did not increase in coverage or intensity until friday morning. The depth of the cold air was sufficient to result in widespread heavy snow along and north of Highway 34, where amounts ranged from 5 to 10 inches. The axis of heavier snow extended from the Quad Cities into portions of Northwest Illinois. Snowfall amounts were much less over extreme Southeast Iowa, West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri, where amounts ranged from a trace to as much as 2 inches. Much of the precipitation in these areas fell in the form of rain, freezing rain and sleet, which cut down on the snowfall amounts. Ice accumulations over Southeast Iowa, West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri were not significant, but did create slick and hazardous roads, and forced the cancellation of many schools on friday. Isolated power outages were also reported. Further north, the heavy snow was accompanied at times by thunder and lightning enhancing snowfall amounts. Heavy snow forced the cancellation of many schools, businesses and shopping malls. Flights were also cancelled at The Eastern Iowa Airport and Quad City International Airport. Numerous minor vehicle accidents or fender-benders were reported with very few injuries. A 2 hour power outage occurred in Southern Clinton County friday evening, caused when a plume of snow from a snowplow fell on power lines.