EF2 Tornado — Ringgold, Iowa

2010-06-01 · near Tingley, Ringgold, Iowa

Event narrative

A cone shape tornado was reported. Path was intermittent and the NWS survey suggests that the tornado hit a farmstead then lifted briefly skipping over some farms before setting back down and damaging another farmstead. Eyewittnesses also recount the tornado briefly lifting.

Wider weather episode

A cold front moved into Iowa from the northwest, while a warm front pushed into the southwest part of Iowa from the south during the afternoon and evening hours. Initially the airmass was very dry, however a strong push of moisture increased surface dew points into the upper 60s to low 70s by mid afternoon. Precipitable water values increased to 1.25 to 1.5 inches. The atmosphere destabilized by mid to late afternoon. Most unstable CAPE increased to 5000 J/kg as the lifted index fell to -9 to -12 C. The freezing level was relative low, around 12,000 feet. Available CAPE in the -10 to -30 C layer of the atmosphere increased to between 500 and 1000 J/kg. Downdraft CAPE was between 800 and 1000 J/kg. The atmosphere was moderately sheared with 40 to 55 kts of effective shear in the near storm environment. With the relatively dry air initially on the leading edge of the developing storms, the LCL was a relatively high 1500 meters. Thunderstorms formed in two areas. The first was over northwest Iowa along the cold frontal boundary. The second area developed over eastern Nebraska and tracked east in the warm advection area along and north of the warm frontal boundary. The two areas of storms combined during the evening hours, becoming a full fledged MCC by mid evening. All modes of severe weather occurred with this system, though the predominate mode was large hail. Thunderstorms formed rapidly along the warm frontal boundary during the mid and late afternoon. Hail up to baseball size was reported in southwest Iowa with these storms. Rapid intensification led to golf ball and larger hail in Taylor, Ringgold, Adams, and Union Counties. One of the storms produced a tornado as it moved through Ringgold County in the Tingley area. A large farmstead was hit, causing $4,000,000 damage. Eight buildings were damaged or destroyed, as well as the farmstead itself. Based upon extensive destruction to a 400 foot long metal cattle barn on the farmstead, it was determined that the tornado was of EF-2 strength with winds of up to 130 MPH. Other buildings, including the home, received extensive damage but not as widespread. Three head of cattle were killed when the cattle barn was destroyed. During the early evening the storm system transitioned into more of a high wind event. Several reports of 50 to 70 MPH winds were received. A wind gust in excess of 60 MPH threw house debris onto the street in Ottumwa. The storms produced heavy rainfall of 2 inches or more per hour. Fortunately they were moving relatively quickly. Storms trained over parts of Guthrie County. Over 4 inches of rain fell north and west of Guthrie Center. The heavy rainfall caused minor flooding with ditches filled and minor road flooding. A small area of flash flooding was reported along Seely Creek in Guthrie County with water a few feet over the road. Lightning caused at least two house fires. A house was struck east of Des Moines by one thunderstorm. The house was set on fire by the lightning. A second house was struck and set ablaze north of Ankeny.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.8021, -94.2289)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 223017. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.