Power Outage in Centerville, IA

Public reported power poles leaning over along Highway 2 east of the Moulton turn off. Time estimated by radar.

Appanoose County Sheriff reported power lines and trees down in the town of Centerville. Time was estimated via radar.

Several outbuildings damaged or destroyed. Carports were overturned with 12 to 15 inch diameter trees snapped off. Power lines were downed with cattle trapped in a pole barn.

Trees damaged and power lines were down.

Power lines were downed.

Power poles snapped and shingles torn off of a roof. Trees were also topped by strong straight line winds.

Power poles were blown down.

A very moist and unstable airmass was in place over Iowa during the late afternoon and evening of the 23rd. Surface temperatures warmed into the 90s, with dewpoint readings in the mid 70s to around 80. CAPE rose to between 5000 and 7000 J/kg with a lifted index of -5 to -9 C. Monsoonal flow was in place across the state with precipitable water values around 2 inches. The freezing level remained very high, in the 15,500 to 16,000 foot range. An outflow boundary was in place across southern Iowa due to convection that had taken place during the day on the 23rd. Thunderstorms erupted during the early evening hours along the outflow boundary. Downdraft CAPE values were quite high, in the 1500 to 2000 J/kg range. The atmosphere was weakly sheared with 30 to 35 kts of shear available. There was little hail associated with the storms as the freezing level was very high. Winds of 60 MPH or more were reported with the storms with scattered tree and power line damage. A tin roof was partially torn off in Appanoose County. High winds bent corn over in Lucas County. These were two of the stronger wind gusts. Heavy rain also occurred with the storms. Three inches of rain fell in an hour east of Chariton in Lucas County.

A frontal boundary was stalled northwest to southeast across the west central into the south central counties of Iowa. During the afternoon the air became very unstable in a narrow ribbon along the frontal boundary. Thunderstorms erupted in this areas of 4000 J/kg CAPE values. Though most of them did not become severe, most of them did produce a microburst type gust as they collapsed. A few of the storms became severe and produced downburst winds. One storm produced a severe microburst in Wayne County north of Corydon. Between 200 and 300 acres of corn was flattened by the high winds. In addition, power poles and trees were downed in the area. A short time before, a cell produced damaging winds in the town of Centerville in Appanoose County.