Power Outage in Creston, IA

Trees, sheds, and power lines reported down.

Emergency manager reported a tree down on a powerline and house. Time estimated from radar.

Amateur radio operator reported power lines down along Highway 34 in Creston.

Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in Creston. Time estimated from radar.

The roof was taken off of an outbuilding and power lines were blown down north of Creston.

Damage to power poles. A farm was hit with damage to out buildings.

During the afternoon of the 7th, a boundary extended west-northwest to east-southeast across southwest Iowa. The atmosphere became unstable with CAPE of 3000 to 4000 J/kg by late afternoon. Downdraft CAPE was around 900 J/kg, with 300 to 600 J/kg of CAPE in the -10 to -30 C layer of the atmosphere. The shear was stronger than the day before, with about 50 kts of effective shear . CAPE in the 0-3 km layer was 25 to 75 J/kg. The lifted index had fallen to -8 C. Precipitable water increased to 1.6 to 1.8 inches. The freezing level was quite high, between 14,000 and 14,500 feet. Low level lapse rates were between 6 and 7 C with the LCL fairly high at 1250 meters. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon in Nebraska where the cap weakened first. They spread into southern Iowa by the evening hours. As the line of storm intensified, a MARC signature was evident on the Radar. Winds began to reach severe levels as the storms moved through the Creston area. The strongest wind gusts were in the Lamoni area, where a 74 MPH wind gust was recorded. Significant tree and power line damage was done across the city. Governor Terry E. Branstad signed a letter to be delivered to President Obama requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 22 Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from severe weather that produced damaging winds, tornadoes, heavy rains, hail, and thunderstorms beginning June 26 through July 7, 2014. The counties included in the request are: Audubon, Black Hawk, Butler, Cedar, Des Moines, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Mahaska, Muscatine, Poweshiek, Tama and Washington. President Obama has approved Governor Branstad���s request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 22 counties impacted by severe weather during the period of June 26-July 7. The declaration will provide funding under the Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Programs.

Thunderstorms moved across southern Iowa during the early morning hours. Though the storms were not severe, they did contain a considerable amount of lightning. One of the storms moved through the Creston area. As it did, lightning struck two house, the County Courthouse, and several power poles. The two houses that were struck sustained damage as a fire was started in each. Damage to the Courthouse was limited to electrical equipment.