Iowa, 2000

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Iowa, May 31, 2000

May 31, 2000 · NWS DVN · 13 events in 6 counties and zones

Mesoanalysis during the early morning depicted an outflow boundary extending from Central Illinois into Central Iowa with a cold front extending from Northeast Iowa into Eastern Nebraska, intersecting the outflow interface near Des Moines. An elevated bow MCS (Mesoscale Convective System) developed between Mason City and Marshalltown, and raced eastward into Eastern Iowa during the late morning…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
1
Property damage
$81,000
Crop damage
None recorded
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS DVN wrote it up.

Mesoanalysis during the early morning depicted an outflow boundary extending from Central Illinois into Central Iowa with a cold front extending from Northeast Iowa into Eastern Nebraska, intersecting the outflow interface near Des Moines. An elevated bow MCS (Mesoscale Convective System) developed between Mason City and Marshalltown, and raced eastward into Eastern Iowa during the late morning and early afternoon. This system packed high winds and heavy rain as it swept across Eastern Iowa, mainly along and north of Interstate 80. Winds were measured at 60 to 70 mph over portions of the area, knocking down trees and limbs. Recent rains had already saturated the ground throughout Northeast and East Central Iowa. Additional heavy rain with this system forced creeks and streams out of their banks in Buchanan County, washing out several roads. The Little Wapsipinicon River at Fairbank was also sent out of it's banks. Doppler radar estimated rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour. The heavy rain also caused Duck Creek in Davenport to rise to bankfull in areas, and flooded portions of the bike path and surrounding areas near Brady Street. The bow MCS also spawned two weak tornadoes, one which touched down briefly at Alburnett in Linn County, and the other at Center Junction in Jones County.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 2 tornado, 2 hail, 1 flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When
May 31, 9:43 AM CST
Where
Benton County, Mt Auburn
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.250, -92.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Buchanan

When
May 31, 10:10 AM CST
Where
Buchanan County, Fairbank
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.633, -92.050

Tornado, Linn

When
May 31, 10:12 AM CST
Where
Linn County, Alburnett
Rating
F1
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
10 yd
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
42.150, -91.617

A tornado touched down at Alburnett causing damage. The center section of the horse barn roof at Strand Arabian Stables was torn off. Sheet metal from the horse barn roof littered surrounding yards, and one woman was cut by the sheet metal. She was taken to St. Luke's Hospital where she was treated and released. There were about 45 horses on the grounds of the stables when the tornado hit, but incredibly none were hurt. A barn also collapsed along Lafayette Road. Ten cows were inside the barn, and one was killed. Damage was also found along East Otter Road. A house had it's roof damaged and siding taken off, and a small shed was destroyed. A minivan was pushed off of a driveway and had it's windows broken out. A garage door was also pushed in on a garage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Buchanan

When
May 31, 10:15 AM CST
Where
Buchanan County, Fairbank
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.633, -92.050

Flash Flood, Buchanan

When
May 31, 10:25 AM CST
Where
Buchanan County, Independence
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
42.471, -91.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Delaware

When
May 31, 10:28 AM CST
Where
Delaware County, Manchester
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.483, -91.450

Tornado, Jones

When
May 31, 11:00 AM CST
Where
Jones County, Center Jct
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
10 yd
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
42.117, -91.100

A tornado touched down briefly at Center Junction. The tornado knocked down several large trees and numerous limbs, blocking a few roads. No injuries were reported.

Flash Flood, Buchanan

When
May 31, 11:10 AM CST
Where
Buchanan County, Fairbank
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.471, -91.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Scott

When
May 31, 11:35 AM CST
Where
Scott County, Le Claire
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
41.637, -90.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Scott

When
May 31, 11:38 AM CST
Where
Scott County, Eldridge
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.667, -90.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When
May 31, 11:45 AM CST
Where
Scott County, Davenport
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
41.533, -90.583

Flash Flood, Buchanan

When
May 31, 12:22 PM CST
Where
Buchanan County, Hazleton
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
42.471, -91.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Scott

When
May 31, 12:30 PM CST
Where
Scott County, Davenport
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
41.637, -90.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck a home on West 47th Street in Davenport. Lightning struck the roof and within minutes started a fire. The fire was confined to the attic, causing $20,000 in damage.

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.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
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 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2000Warnings in Iowa, May 2000

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: 5147016, 5147017, 5147020, 5147018, 5147019, 5147027, 5147021, 5147022, 5147023, 5147024, 5147026, 5147025, 5147106.