Iowa, 1997

Lightning Strike in Iowa, July 27, 1997

July 27, 1997 · NWS DMX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

As thunderstorms moved through Bremer County, lightning damage occurred in Waverly. Lightning struck the chimney on a house in town and completely blew the brick chimney off the house.

Where it happened

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$3,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.

As thunderstorms moved through Bremer County, lightning damage occurred in Waverly. Lightning struck the chimney on a house in town and completely blew the brick chimney off the house.

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 148 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:43 UTC.

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Event by event

1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Bremer

When
July 27, 10:45 AM CST
Where
Bremer County, Waverly
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
42.775, -92.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Iowa in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, July 1997

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: 5603143.