Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Quad Cities, IA

April 17, 2026Jefferson County, Van Buren County, Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this tornado warning at Apr 17, 2026, 4:27 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Van Buren County, Iowa. It was in force for 48 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Apr 17, 2026, 4:27 PM CDT (21:27 UTC)
Expired: Apr 17, 2026, 5:15 PM CDT
In force: 48 min
Issued by: NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Jefferson County, IA, Van Buren County, IA

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 139 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:30 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 17, 12:40 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 301 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 84 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -150 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1053 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 164 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

928 
WFUS53 KDVN 172127
TORDVN
IAC101-177-172215-
/O.NEW.KDVN.TO.W.0039.260417T2127Z-260417T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL
427 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Van Buren County in southeastern Iowa...
  Jefferson County in southeastern Iowa...

* Until 515 PM CDT.

* At 426 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms capable of producing both
  tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage were located
  along a line extending from near Floris to Lebanon, moving
  northeast at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* These dangerous storms will be near...
  Douds, Leando, Mount Zion, Selma, Kilbourn, and Van Buren County 
  Fairgrounds around 430 PM CDT.
  Birmingham and Collett around 435 PM CDT.
  Batavia and Libertyville around 440 PM CDT.
  Fairfield, Jefferson County Fairgrounds, and Jefferson County Park 
  around 445 PM CDT.

Other locations in the path of these tornadic storms include
Lockridge, Maharishi Vedic City, Brookville, Fairfield Municipal
Airport, Beckwith, Salina, Perlee and Mac Coon Access.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4115 9218 4106 9172 4103 9172 4067 9200
      4071 9218
TIME...MOT...LOC 2126Z 223DEG 40KT 4083 9233 4075 9206 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Gunkel

2 follow-up statements

174 
WWUS53 KDVN 172139
SVSDVN

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL
439 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

IAC101-177-172215-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0039.000000T0000Z-260417T2215Z/
Van Buren IA-Jefferson IA-
439 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN VAN BUREN AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES...

At 439 PM CDT, a severe squall line capable of producing both
tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage was located along a
line extending from Eldon to near Birmingham, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

These dangerous storms will be near...
  Birmingham, Libertyville, Douds, and Collett around 445 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4115 9218 4106 9172 4103 9172 4067 9200
      4071 9218
TIME...MOT...LOC 2139Z 270DEG 40KT 4092 9222 4084 9195 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Gunkel

776 
WWUS53 KDVN 172204
SVSDVN

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL
504 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

IAC101-177-172215-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0039.000000T0000Z-260417T2215Z/
Van Buren IA-Jefferson IA-
504 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN VAN BUREN AND EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES...

At 504 PM CDT, a severe squall line capable of producing both
tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage was located along a
line extending from near Maharishi Vedic City to Mac Coon Access,
moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
  Salina, Perlee and Mac Coon Access.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4106 9172 4103 9172 4067 9200 4082 9209
      4112 9203
TIME...MOT...LOC 2204Z 270DEG 40KT 4112 9198 4104 9171 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Gunkel

The office that day

Everything else NWS Quad Cities, IA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 17, 11:21 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	DVN	Muscatine, Scott	10 days
Apr 17, 11:21 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	DVN	Muscatine	21 days
Apr 17, 12:46 PM CDT	Flood Watch	DVN	Buchanan, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Des Moines, Dubuque and 10 more	12 hr
Apr 17, 12:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Delaware, Dubuque, Jones, Linn	58 min
Apr 17, 12:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Cedar, Clinton, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Linn	61 min
Apr 17, 1:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, Jones	65 min
Apr 17, 1:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Dubuque, Jackson	45 min
Apr 17, 1:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Clinton, Dubuque, Jackson, Jones	64 min
Apr 17, 2:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Dubuque, Jackson	49 min
Apr 17, 2:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Jackson	46 min
Apr 17, 2:23 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DVN	Dubuque, Jackson	6 hr
Apr 17, 2:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Jackson	42 min
Apr 17, 3:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Linn	66 min
Apr 17, 3:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Dubuque, Jackson	35 min
Apr 17, 3:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Benton, Buchanan, Iowa, Johnson, Linn	76 min
Apr 17, 3:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Benton, Linn	43 min
Apr 17, 4:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Buchanan, Delaware, Dubuque	60 min
Apr 17, 4:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Van Buren, Washington	77 min
Apr 17, 4:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Buchanan, Delaware, Jones, Linn	42 min
Apr 17, 4:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Jones, Linn	38 min
Apr 17, 4:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Des Moines, Lee, Van Buren	54 min
Apr 17, 4:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Washington	54 min
Apr 17, 4:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Dubuque, Jackson, Jones	57 min
Apr 17, 4:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Delaware, Dubuque	52 min
Apr 17, 4:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson	66 min
Apr 17, 4:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Dubuque, Jackson, Jones	62 min
Apr 17, 5:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Cedar, Johnson, Louisa, Muscatine, Washington	52 min
Apr 17, 5:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	DVN	Cedar, Johnson, Louisa, Muscatine, Washington	63 min
Apr 17, 5:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Lee	41 min
Apr 17, 5:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Cedar, Dubuque, Jones, Linn	31 min
Apr 17, 5:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Lee, Louisa, Van Buren and 1 more	63 min
Apr 17, 5:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Jackson	75 min
Apr 17, 5:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Cedar, Clinton, Scott	62 min
Apr 17, 5:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Des Moines, Henry, Louisa	24 min
Apr 17, 5:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Lee	43 min
Apr 17, 5:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Clinton, Muscatine, Scott	54 min
Apr 17, 5:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Lee	50 min
Apr 17, 6:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	DVN	Clinton, Muscatine, Scott	42 min
Apr 17, 6:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Lee	59 min
Apr 17, 6:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Clinton	68 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2026 Every tornado warning in 2026 Tornadoes in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.