Iowa, 1999

Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, February 11, 1999

February 11, 1999 · NWS DVN · 16 events in 11 counties and zones

An intensifying squall line ahead of a strong cold front sent severe thunderstorms racing across Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois. Widespread damage from high winds and hail was reported across Southeast Iowa into Northwest Illinois as the storms moved northeast.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
3
Property damage
$114,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
16

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 DVN wrote it up.

An intensifying squall line ahead of a strong cold front sent severe thunderstorms racing across Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois. Widespread damage from high winds and hail was reported across Southeast Iowa into Northwest Illinois as the storms moved northeast. In Eastern Iowa high profile vehicles were overturned by the strong winds, and many downed trees, damaged homes, and farm buildings were reported. Two people were injured in Louisa county when the motor home in which they were riding was swept off the road and blown into a ditch, and in Lee county a man sustained injuries when the semi he was driving was blown over. In Muscatine strong winds tore a portion of roof off an office furniture plant and sent it crashing into an employee parking lot causing damage to numerous cars. And at a home in Dixon, fire fighters from four towns were called to extinguish a lightning-caused fire.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Van Buren

When
February 11, 11:25 AM CST
Where
Van Buren County, 9 mi N of Bonaparte
Property damage
$200
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
40.830, -91.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When
February 11, 11:30 AM CST
Where
Henry County, 3 mi E of Hillsboro
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
40.830, -91.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When
February 11, 11:30 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Henry County, Mt Pleasant
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
40.970, -91.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Lee

When
February 11, 11:50 AM CST
Where
Lee County, 4 mi W of Montrose
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
40.530, -91.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Louisa

When
February 11, 12:00 PM CST to 12:25 PM CST
Where
Louisa County, Countywide
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
41.150, -91.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When
February 11, 12:04 PM CST
Where
Jones County, 2 mi S of Olin
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.980, -91.130

Hail, Dubuque

When
February 11, 12:16 PM CST
Where
Dubuque County, Dubuque
Measured
0.8 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.500, -90.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Muscatine

When
February 11, 12:20 PM CST
Where
Muscatine County, 2 mi SW of Muscatine
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.400, -91.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Louisa

When
February 11, 12:20 PM CST to 12:22 PM CST
Where
Louisa County, Letts
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.330, -91.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Muscatine

When
February 11, 12:21 PM CST to 12:31 PM CST
Where
Muscatine County, Muscatine
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Property damage
$9,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.420, -91.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Lee

When
February 11, 12:30 PM CST
Where
Lee County, 5 mi SE of Houghton
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.730, -91.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When
February 11, 12:30 PM CST
Where
Scott County, Walcott
Property damage
$7,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.580, -90.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When
February 11, 12:30 PM CST to 12:40 PM CST
Where
Scott County, Countywide
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
41.680, -90.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When
February 11, 12:40 PM CST to 12:50 PM CST
Where
Clinton County, Central Portion
Property damage
$200
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
41.880, -90.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Des Moines

When
February 11, 12:50 PM CST
Where
Des Moines County, Burlington
Property damage
$500
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
40.820, -91.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
February 11, 12:50 PM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Jackson County, Central Portion
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
42.220, -90.650

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.
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

More

Every storm in Iowa in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, February 1999

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: 5684966, 5684965, 5684967, 5684962, 5684963, 5684955, 5684956, 5684957, 5684959, 5684958, 5684960, 5684961, 5684968, 5684969, 5684964, 5684970.