Hail in Iowa, May 17, 2000

A stationary front extended from the plains across Southern Iowa into Central Illinois. The boundary separated cool air to the north from warm air to the south. Morning temperatures ranged from the upper 40s over Southern Wisconsin to the middle 60s over Southeast Iowa and Central Illinois. A cluster of thunderstorms developed during the morning over Northeast Iowa from near Waterloo to Independence. As these storms moved east into Delaware and Dubuque counties they became severe, producing large hail. Hail the size of golfballs battered the city of Manchester for 10 minutes causing extensive damage to cars, trees and several roofs. Damage affected virtually every vehicle parked in the city of Manchester. Bob Stephen Motors in Manchester received significant hail damage. Some of the building's roof shingles were torn off and about 180 cars and trucks were badly damaged. Damage to each new vehicle was estimated at $4,000 to $5,000. At J.M. Jones & Sons car dealership at the west edge of Manchester, the story was the same. Extensive damage to 125 vehicles, including 40 new. The West Delaware School District also suffered significant damage. Damage included torn roofs, broken windows and shattered skylights. Three buses and several smaller school-owned vehicles also received damage. Remarkably, no one was injured. Crops escaped significant damage with most fields just showing the first signs of emerging soybeans and corn. Most of the corn was at the three to four leaf level which kept damage to a minimum. Thunderstorms also moved through the Quad Cities, but were not as intense, producing mainly small hail, very heavy rain and vivid lightning. The thunderstorms lifted into Southern Wisconsin during the afternoon where they continued to produce severe weather.