Power Outage in Rock Rapids, IA

Sustained winds reached 40 to 46 mph at times during the later morning and afternoon at Iowa Mesonet station DONI4 3 miles east-northeast of Doon as well as a personal weather station 3 miles northeast of Larchwood. Strong winds downed power lines on a farm near Rock Rapids, which started a structure fire. Numerous grass fires were also scattered around the county.

A tornado touched down 5 miles west of Rock Rapids, just east of Fig Avenue north of 160th Street, marked by damage to a corn field. The tornado traveled in a general east-southeast direction, striking a farmstead and flattening a silo within the first half-mile of its track. Within another minute, the tornado slashed through another farmstead, causing significant damage to a grain bin, large trees, and removed roofing from a home and a livestock shed. Around three miles west-southwest of Rock Rapids, several power transmission poles were broken. As the tornado passed just south of Rock Rapids, damage was mainly to trees, with several uprooted. The final structural damage occurred south of Rock Rapids just east of U.S. Highway 75 with roof panels torn off another livestock shed. The tornado lifted just over 2 miles southeast of Rock Rapids after crossing County Road K52. The average path width was 50 yards.

A tornado touched down 5 miles west of Rock Rapids, just east of Fig Avenue north of 160th Street, marked by damage to a corn field. The tornado traveled in a general east-southeast direction, striking a farmstead and flattening a silo within the first half-mile of its track. Within another minute, the tornado slashed through another farmstead, causing significant damage to a grain bin, large trees, and removed roofing from a home and a livestock shed. Around three miles west-southwest of Rock Rapids, several power transmission poles were broken. As the tornado passed just south of Rock Rapids, damage was mainly to trees, with several uprooted. The final structural damage occurred south of Rock Rapids just east of U.S. Highway 75 with roof panels torn off another livestock shed. The tornado lifted just over 2 miles southeast of Rock Rapids after crossing County Road K52. The average path width was 50 yards.

Ice accumulated to one-quarter to one-third inch, mainly across the northern half of the county, and mainly from late evening on April 10 through early morning April 11. As winds increased early April 11 with gusts reaching 45 to 50 mph at times, power poles and transmission lines bore the brunt of the worst conditions. More than 50 power transmission poles were snapped between Rock Valley and Inwood due to the weight of the ice accumulation and stress of the high winds. Several roads were closed due to power structures across the roadway. Property damage costs include damage to utilities.

Hazardous travel conditions producing several minor accidents resulted from a period of light freezing rain which brought ice accumulations up to two tenths of an inch. Light snowfall followed with less than an inch accumulation. Several power outages were reported around the Sioux City metro area.

Freezing rain of one to two tenths of an inch caused icy roads, and accumulated on trees, power lines, and other surfaces. Rock Rapids reported 0.15 inch of rain during a time when temperatures were at or below freezing. Law enforcement agencies reported a few vehicles accidents on the ice, but no known injuries, with traffic being light because of the holiday, business closings, and activity cancellations. Light winds prevented significant damage to trees and power lines.

High winds from a westerly direction followed a low pressure system which had brought Christmas Day rain and thunderstorms. There were several reports of power lines and branches down and resulting power outages, and traffic lights and some signs were damaged. The winds included estimated sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts to near 60 mph.

Westerly winds behind a cold front reach sustained speed of 40 to 45 mph for a few hours. The high winds caused spotty power line and traffic light damage.

An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing heavy ice accumulations, ranging up to between a quarter and half inch. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow accumulations reaching 6 inches at Rock Rapids. Many branches, limbs, whole trees, and power lines were downed by the weight of ice and accompanying wind. Both urban areas and rural electric cooperatives suffered major power line damage. Trees and tree debris blocked many roads, and damaged several vehicles and homes. Major power outages were reported, affecting thousands of people. The winter precipitation made travel impossible in many areas, resulting in schools and businesses being forced to close.

Freezing rain produced around a half inch of over the southern part of the county, with lesser glazing to the north. Sleet accumulated up to an inch over the glaze. The precipitation changed to snow along the norther edge of the county, with snow accumulations up to 2 inches on top of the ice. Travel and walking surfaces were made very icy, and the ice accumulations caused an unknown amount of damage to trees and power lines.

Freezing rain caused icy travel conditions. A power outage at Rock Rapids was attributed to the icing.

Freezing rain caused significant ice accumulation on trees, power lines, and other exposed surfaces, although ice accumulation on roads was slight due to warm surfaces. The ice caused tree and some power line damage.