Power Outage in Harlan, IA

Emergency management reported that ice accumulation ranged from around an eight of an inch to around a quarter of an inch in the county. The majority of the higher ice accumulations were noted in the Westphalia area were some damage to trees and power outages were noted.

This tornado entered Shelby County from Pottawattamie County from the southwest. The tornado impacted a total of 6 farmsteads in the county as it tracked to the north northeast. Damage at these farmsteads was confined to mainly outbuilding being damaged or destroyed, trees uprooted, and electrical power poles downed. The tornado tracked across the western side of the Harlan Airport without doing damage to the airport, but a wind gust associated with the rear-flank downdraft of the storm was measured at 76 mph at the automatic observing equipment on the east side of the airport. The tornado finally ended just to the southeast of the city of Harlan.

Freezing rain accumulated between 1/2 inch and 1 inch over much of the county. Although winds weren't particularly strong, the weight of the ice caused substantial tree damage and also power outages.

An estimated 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch of ice accumulation fell over much of the county. When the winds picked up during the winter storm/blizzard that followed the ice storm, the ice covered power lines began whipping in the wind causing scattered power outages over the region. Since the following winter storm/blizzard made many rural roads and even main highways impassable over the Christmas weekend, some people remained without power into Tuesday the 29th.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 mph downed a few trees and power lines from west of Harlan into town.

Thunderstorm winds estimated at around 60 mph knocked a few large tree limbs onto power lines causing some brief power outages in town.

A thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph was measured by the Harlan AWOS. The strong winds downed trees in Harlan damaging some vehicles and knocking down power lines. The winds also caused some farm outbuilding damage in the area.

Thunderstorm wind gusts over over 60 mph downed trees and power lines from Harlan to Elk Horn.

Thunderstorm wind gusts downed large tree limbs and power lines in Harlan.

This tornado briefly touched down knocking down power lines which ignited a few trees. From the same mini-supercell that produced the 2 tornadoes that touched down near Emerson and Carson, Iowa.