Tornado and Damaging Winds in Iowa, August 13, 1995

Name: Tornado and Damaging Winds in Iowa, August 13, 1995
Start: 1995-08-13T19:34
End: 1995-08-13T21:15
Location: Iowa

August 13, 1995 · 13 events in 6 counties and zones

12 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $226,000
Crop damage: $24,000
Events: 13

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, O'Brien

When: August 13, 7:34 PM CST
Where: O'Brien County, Paullina
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 43.084, -95.625 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When: August 13, 7:35 PM CST
Where: Clay County, Spencer
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates: 43.083, -95.151 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Palo Alto

When: August 13, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Palo Alto County, Ruthven
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Palo Alto

When: August 13, 8:17 PM CST
Where: Palo Alto County, Emmetsburg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Palo Alto

When: August 13, 8:20 PM CST
Where: Palo Alto County, Emmetsburg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Palo Alto

When: August 13, 8:26 PM CST
Where: Palo Alto County, Emmetsburg
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $45,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Emmet

When: August 13, 8:44 PM CST
Where: Emmet County, Swea City
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 43.380, -94.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Emmet

When: August 13, 8:50 PM CST
Where: Emmet County, Swea City
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 43.378, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Winnebago

When: August 13, 8:57 PM CST
Where: Winnebago County, Buffalo Center
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.378, -93.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Palo Alto

When: August 13, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Palo Alto County, Graettinger
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $60,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Winnebago

When: August 13, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Winnebago County, Rake
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Crop damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 43.378, -93.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Emmet

When: August 13, 9:10 PM CST
Where: Emmet County, Ringsted
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 43.378, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Kossuth

When: August 13, 9:15 PM CST
Where: Kossuth County, Bancroft
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Crop damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 43.204, -94.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A strong cold front began to move into the northwest corner of Iowa during the early evening hours. The air mass ahead of the front was very unstable. CAPE values were in the area of 4000 J-kg-1 with K indices around 40° C. and lifted indices around -4° C. Most of the dynamics with the system were to the north of Iowa, where indeed most of the severe weather occurred. Northwest and north central Iowa was on the south edge of the intense convection. Strong thunderstorms moved into the state during the mid evening hours. They produced high winds, heavy rain, and a small tornado. The tornado touched down in Emmet County west of Swea City. It caused little damage and was only on the ground briefly. High winds from the storm itself caused a lot of damage around the area. A grain bin was blown three quarters of a mile across a field just west of Swea City. High winds swept across Palo Alto County. Numerous trees and power lines were downed. The strongest winds occurred in Ruthven with 65 mph winds, and in Graettinger with winds around 80 mph. In Graettinger, the high winds downed a few buildings. There was other damage scattered around the area. A barn was leveled west of Emmetsburg. Other reports of damage to outbuildings and sheds were received across Winnebago and Palo Alto Counties as well.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 1995 Every state in 1995 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Iowa, 1995 Warnings in Iowa, August 1995

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10324163, 10321533, 10323028, 10323029, 10323030, 10323031, 10321777, 10321778, 10323969, 10323032, 10323970, 10321779, 10324360.