The Flood of 2008

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

No words can describe what occurred across the state of Iowa a year ago. Rivers were cresting or within a week of cresting (some at record levels) across the state. At Cedar Rapids, the Cedar River crested 11 feet above the previous record (31.2 feet) on June 13th. The river flowed into neighborhoods that thought the river would never get …

Camanche Tornado of 1860

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

The civil war was about to begin only months later. It was quiet hot summertime Sunday afternoon on the banks of the Mississippi River in the little town of Camanache, a town that had just be founded only a few years prior. People were milling around with their activities until they noticed darkening skies to their west. Most townspeople thought …

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Barneveld, WI F5 Tornado

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

A complex of thunderstorms had moved across the northern part of the state early on the morning of June 7th 1984. By afternoon, the atmosphere had bounced back, temperatures had risen into the 70s and 80s. Dewpoints were approaching or exceeding 70. The first round of thunderstorms developed in northwest Iowa producing numerous tornadoes throughout the afternoon into the early …

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One Year Later: Parkersburg EF-5 Tornado

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

One year ago on Sunday May 25th, the EF5 tornado struck the towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford in Butler County. This was the first F5/EF5 tornado since the Jordan tornado back on June 13th 1976. This tornado began around 4:45 pm south of Aplington and began moving slowly ENE toward Parkersburg. It hit the south end of town a …

May Tornadoes

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

Several Historic tornadoes occurred in the state of Iowa in the month of May. The EF5 in Parkersburg and New Hartford on the 25th in 2008. The F5’s in Charles City and Oelwein on the 15th in 1968. The F3 Washington Tornado on the 15th 1998. The F3 tornado that skirted Palo (which was devestated in the Flood of 2008) …

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Tornado Outbreak of March 13th, 1990

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

An Unseasonably warm spell brought an early season tornado outbreak to the midwest. Temperatures rose into the 60s and 70s. Low pressure moved along a stalled front over northwestern Iowa. As the low moved northeast, numerous severe thunderstorms developed. 2 F5 tornadoes dropped down in Kansas, with Hesston being the most devestated. In Iowa, the tornadoes began after 4pm, the …

State Basketball and Snowstorms

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

Whenever the Boys and especially the girls are playing at the State Basketball tournament in Des Moines, there always been a very good chance of a major snow storm based on history over the last few years. A major snow storm on March 14th 1959 stranded spectators at Veterans Memorial Auditorium after Gladbrook had beaten West Central of Maynard in …

Arctic Outbreak of 1899

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

To really tell the story of this arctic outbreak would be like taking the outbreak Iowa had back in Mid-January and extending it by 10 or so more days in a row. The cold outbreak began on January 25th with an Alberta Clipper racing SE across the Dakotas. By the 26th a strong low was located over northern Lake Michigan …

The Arctic Cold of 1996

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

A massive arctic high settled into the upper midwest from January 30th through February 4th in 1996. Temperatures nosedived below zero and stayed there for up to a week in some places. Schools were closed statewide in Minnesota and many schools in Iowa were closed during the peak of the cold spell on the 1st and 2nd of February. Minnesota …

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Severe Weather of January 24-27th, 1967

In Historical by Jeff Wilcox

After a bitter arctic blast, I thought it was time to look at a warm day from the past in the state of Iowa. On January 24th 1967, a large storm system was developing in the central Rockies. By noon the center of the low pressure system was moving over the central portions of Iowa. A warm front stretched across …