Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, May 9, 1995

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, May 9, 1995
Start: 1995-05-09T14:00
End: 1995-05-09T17:30
Location: Iowa

May 9, 1995 · 55 events in 9 counties and zones

21 hail, 19 tornado, 15 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 43 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $6.2 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 55

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 Des Moines radar (KDMX), 137 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:42 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 hail, 19 tornado, 15 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pocahontas

When: May 9, 2:00 PM CST
Where: Pocahontas County, Pocahontas
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 42.734, -94.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 2:43 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Coordinates: 41.420, -91.070

Capt. Lowell Snyder of the Muscatine County Sheriff's Department was pelted with marble- to golf ball-size hail and reported that Iowa 22 west of Muscatine was covered within minutes. He couldn't hear his dispatcher because of the hail pounding his car. Capt. Snyder then watched a tornado touch down briefly just west of Muscatine. He later stated that this was some of the worst weather he had ever seen is his 22 years on the force.

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 2:43 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 40 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 41.420, -91.070

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine to Airport
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine Airport
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Benton

When: May 9, 2:55 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Newhall
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Benton

When: May 9, 2:55 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Norway
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:01 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous small and brief tornadoes touched down west of Muscatine at this time. Some vehicles were damaged by hail, but no damage was caused by the tornadoes.

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:01 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:06 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous small and brief tornadoes touched down west of Muscatine at this time. Some vehicles were damaged by hail, but no damage was caused by the tornadoes.

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:06 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:07 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:07 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Muscatine
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous small and brief tornadoes touched down west of Muscatine at this time. Some vehicles were damaged by hail, but no damage was caused by the tornadoes.

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:07 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Wilton
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous small and brief tornadoes touched down west of Muscatine at this time. Some vehicles were damaged by hail, but no damage was caused by the tornadoes.

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:07 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Wilton
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 40 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Benton

When: May 9, 3:10 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Norway
Measured: 0.8 in hail
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Benton

When: May 9, 3:10 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Norway
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Benton

When: May 9, 3:10 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Walford
Measured: 0.8 in hail
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Benton

When: May 9, 3:10 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Walford
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Cedar

When: May 9, 3:11 PM CST to 3:27 PM CST
Where: Cedar County, Cedar Bluff to Mechanicsville
Rating: F2
Path length: 7 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $500,000
Coordinates: 41.820, -91.320

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Walton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Wilton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 41.484, -91.113 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Linn

When: May 9, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Linn County, Cedar Rapids
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 42.079, -91.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Cedar

When: May 9, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Cedar County, Mechanicsville
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $60,000
Coordinates: 41.772, -91.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A small tornado moved through a grove of trees just missing a home before striking two outbuildings. One of the buildings was newly constructed.

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:29 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Walcott
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 41.530, -90.820

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 3:29 PM CST to 4:10 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Stockton to New Liberty
Rating: F3
Path length: 7 mi
Path width: 500 yd
Property damage: $3.0 million
Coordinates: 41.530, -90.820

This tornado destroyed 26 farm buildings, 20 of them with major damage. Nine homes were hit, one destroyed, two with major damage and six with minor damage. Seven of the nine homes were farmhouses. Roxanne Paper, with baby boy Logan in arm, was downstairs when the tornado struck. She reported that it sounded like something big was tearing through the house. The Gary Meincke farm was hit very hard. He and his wife watched the tornado touch down south of their farm at around 1630 CDT. Shortly after that they ran with their children to the basement. Debris from the Leroy Feldhahn farm near Stockton was spread over nearby Interstate 80 causing a two mile long traffic jam. Governor Terry Branstad later proclaimed a Disaster Emergency for Scott County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Linn

When: May 9, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Linn County, Springville
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.079, -91.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Meyer farm on Sutton Road had the top half of a barn blown off.

Thunderstorm Wind, Linn

When: May 9, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Linn County, Springville
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $75,000
Coordinates: 42.079, -91.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 9, 3:45 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Martelle
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 42.121, -91.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Cedar

When: May 9, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Cedar County, Durant
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.772, -91.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Cedar

When: May 9, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Cedar County, Durant
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 41.772, -91.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Walcott
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 41.580, -90.830

Tornado, Muscatine

When: May 9, 3:55 PM CST to 4:08 PM CST
Where: Muscatine County, Stockton to to New Liberty
Rating: F3
Path length: 10 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $650,000
Coordinates: 41.580, -90.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 9, 4:00 PM CST to 4:20 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Olin
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 42.121, -91.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

This path of damage was either produced by down burst type winds or possibly gustnado type winds. The Amber area was hit hardest. Damage occurred to the following: 30 trees, 15 structures, several mobile homes, five roofs and overturned campers.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 9, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Center Junction
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $400,000
Coordinates: 42.121, -91.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 9, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Scotch Grove
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $600,000
Coordinates: 42.121, -91.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 4:17 PM CST to 4:22 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Lock and Dam-14 to Le Clair
Rating: F1
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $125,000
Coordinates: 41.637, -90.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 4:20 PM CST to 4:40 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Lock & Dam 14
Rating: F0
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Coordinates: 41.637, -90.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several small tornadoes touched down briefly but no damage occurred.

Hail, Jackson

When: May 9, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Spruce Creek
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.172, -90.574 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Spruce Creek, located just north of Bellevue, resident Paul Till reported baseball-size hail but no major damage.

Hail, Jones

When: May 9, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Bellevue
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 42.121, -91.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Le Clair
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.600, -90.280

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Princeton
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.600, -90.280

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Long Grove
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 41.600, -90.280

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 4:40 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Long Grove to To Park View
Rating: F0
Path length: 6 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $80,000
Coordinates: 41.600, -90.280

Two businesses in Park View, a car wash and a business garage, received major damage. A Kwik Shop, insurance building and six cars received minor damage also in the Park View area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When: May 9, 4:42 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Davenport to Airport
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 41.637, -90.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When: May 9, 4:42 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Davenport Airport
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 41.637, -90.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When: May 9, 4:43 PM CST
Where: Clinton County, De Witt
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 41.898, -90.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Scott

When: May 9, 4:45 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Eldridge
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 40 yd
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 41.680, -90.600

Hail, Clinton

When: May 9, 4:50 PM CST
Where: Clinton County, Camanche
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 41.898, -90.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 9, 4:58 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Anamosa
Coordinates: 42.121, -91.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 9, 4:58 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Anamosa
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 42.121, -91.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Clinton

When: May 9, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Clinton County, Clinton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 41.898, -90.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A major tornado and severe thunderstorm outbreak occurred on this day. Numerous tornado touch downs were reported across eastern Iowa and northwest and west-central Illinois. No injuries or fatalities occurred. Total damage estimates across southeast and east-central Iowa were in excess of $5 million.

Hail, Clinton

When: May 9, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Clinton County, Clinton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 41.898, -90.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When: May 9, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Clinton County, Welton
Coordinates: 41.898, -90.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When: May 9, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Clinton County, Welton
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 41.898, -90.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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, May 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: 10323687, 10324021, 10324022, 10324023, 10324024, 10322134, 10322135, 10324025, 10324026, 10324027, 10324028, 10324029, 10324030, 10324031, 10324032, 10322236, 10322237, 10322238, 10322239, 10321451, 10324033, 10324034, 10324431, 10321452, 10324035, 10324100, 10324432, 10324433, 10324335, 10321453, 10321454, 10324101, 10324036, 10324336, 10324337, 10324338, 10324102, 10324103, 10322391, 10324339, and more.