EF2 Tornado — Des Moines, Iowa

2024-04-16 · near Pleasantgrove, Des Moines, Iowa

Event narrative

An NWS survey team confirmed a long-track EF2 tornado Tuesday afternoon in southeast Iowa. The tornado developed just southwest of Houghton, Iowa in Lee County. Significant damage to homes, trees, and outbuildings was observed. The worst damage occurred at a farmstead north of New London in Henry County, where the roof was removed from a brick house, one of the exterior walls collapsed, and the garage was destroyed. Numerous out buildings were also destroyed at nearby farmsteads. Maximum winds were estimated around 130 mph. The tornado continued into northwest Des Moines County and caused additional damage at several farmsteads southeast of Yarmouth. Public video confirmed that the tornado continued northeast into Louisa County, where a vehicle was blown off the road just east of Morning Sun. The tornado then damaged trees near the Port Louisa National Wildlife refuge, and finally lifted near the confluence of the Iowa and Mississippi Rivers. The tornado had a maximum path width around 600 yards. The tornado path length was around 42 miles. There were no injuries. Numerous emergency managers provided valuable assistance to NWS Quad Cities during the survey.

Wider weather episode

Eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and far northeast Missouri sat in the warm sector of an intense Spring storm system that brought widespread severe thunderstorms to the area during the afternoon and evening hours on April 16th. There were reports of hail, damaging winds, and two tornadoes. One of the tornadoes was on the ground for 42 miles across parts of Lee, Henry, Des Moines and Louisa Counties and was rated EF-2 with maximum winds of 130 MPH.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.9590, -91.3720)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1172024. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.