Event Summary for 09/06/01:A strong short wave trough in the upper level atmosphere, moved northeast through Iowa and Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening hours. This wave of energy helped thunderstorms, which were moving along a warm front in northeast Iowa, become strong.
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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 episode as NWS DVN wrote it up.
Event Summary for 09/06/01:A strong short wave trough in the upper level atmosphere, moved northeast through Iowa and Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening hours. This wave of energy helped thunderstorms, which were moving along a warm front in northeast Iowa, become strong. Despite the lack of convective available potential energy, ample moisture and wind shear along the front allowed thunderstorms within this area of rain to rotate and produce a few short lived tornadoes. One storm in Buchanan County Iowa, produced two tornadoes as it quickly moved northeast along the warm front.Here is a summary of the tornadoes which struck northeastern Buchanan County Iowa.At 605 pm CDT, an F0 tornado touched down 5 miles southwest of Aurora, Iowa, producing damage to the Ralph Kramer farm site. Several out buildings were damaged or destroyed. One empty grain bin was moved off of its foundation. The home only had minor damage, with some siding blown off. The tornado continued moving northeast, producing crop and tree damage as it crossed 142 street. At 625 pm, the tornado struck the Lonnie McAllister farm site, again damaging or destroying farm out buildings. This is also where the most significant crop damage was observed. The tornado then lifted, leaving a trail of some tin and other debris, as the storm moved northeast. This tornado was on the ground for 3.5 miles and was 40 yards wide at its widest point.At 630 pm CDT, an F2 tornado touched down 0.25 miles southwest of Aurora and quickly moved across Aurora, producing damage to the roof of the American Legion building in Aurora. The tornado then struck the Ken Mosher home just east of Aurora. The tornado totally ripped off the roof and two car garage of this newer frame dwelling. The tornado then lifted 0.75 miles northeast of Aurora, and no other tornadoes from this storm touched down again until it had moved about a mile north into Fayette County, Iowa. This tornado was on the ground for 1 mile, and was 50 yards wide.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 6, 1:20 PM CST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 220 PM CDT THU SEP 6 2001 12Z MODELS SHOW FIRST OF THREE SYSTEMS TO AFFECT CWFA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. ETA/AVN SHOW ALPHA SYSTEM TO MOVE THROUGH TONIGHT WHILE BAKER SYSTEM ORGANIZES IN THE ROCKIES. NICE COMBINATION OF THETA E RIDGE/WAA ALONG WARM FRONT TO PRODUCE SHRA/TSRA THIS EVENING...PROBABLY UP TO ABOUT MIDNIGHT OR SO. AFTER THAT AVN INDICATES A BREAK IN THE PRECIP UNTIL LATE FRIDAY MORNING/AFTERNOON AS BAKER SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE PLAINS. STRONGER LLJ/THETA E RIDGE WITH BAKER SYSTEM COMBINED WITH FORCING TO GIVE A BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIP...ESPECIALLY FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING. IMPRESSIVE THERMAL GRADIENT SURFACE/ALOFT WITH FRONT ON SATURDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT MAX TEMPERATURES FOR MOST OF THE CWA WOULD OCCUR IN THE MORNING FOLLOWED BY STEADY/SLOWLY FALLING TEMPERATURES. OF COURSE THIS IS DEPENDENT ON OVERALL SPEED OF SYSTEM. GUIDANCE WISE...FAN MINS JUST LOOK TOO COOL AND HAVE BEEN TOSSED IN FAVOR OF FWC/MAV. MAX TEMPERATURE WISE NORMAL SPREAD NOTED WITH FWC/MAV BUT COOLER MAV TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY LOOK TO BE JUST A LITTLE TOO COOL. IN THE EXTENDED THE THIRD SYSTEM TO ZIP THROUGH ON SUNDAY. COLD POOL COMBINED WITH LIFT AND SOME CYCLONIC FLOW SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR AFTERNOON SHOWERS. AFTER THAT DRY CONDITIONS UNTIL ABOUT THURSDAY. COORDINATED WITH DSM...LSE...CHI...ILX...AND STL. .DVN... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE.
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 146 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:03 UTC.
2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Tornado reported by emergency manager.
Tornado reported by emergency manager
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2001Warnings in Iowa, September 2001
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: 5268899, 5268900.