Damaging Winds in Iowa, April 16, 2002

Name: Damaging Winds in Iowa, April 16, 2002
Start: 2002-04-16T17:23
End: 2002-04-16T18:10
Location: Iowa

April 16, 2002 · NWS FSD · 3 events in 1 county or zone

3 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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: 0
Property damage: $60,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 forecasters said that day

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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 16, 2:35 PM CST, 2 hours 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 2:35 PM CST, 2 hours 48 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
335 PM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

CONVCTN FIRNG ALG FNT JUST S OF AREA AND SHUD CONT TO DVLP. WILL GO
SCT TSTMS N/S THRU FSD AND TSTMS LIKELY FRTHR E IN MN/IA...WITH
MENTN OF SVR BOTH AREAS. NO PCPN MENTN WRN THIRD. FNT HAS SLOWED AS
SHRTWV APPCHS FROM SW BUT SHUD PICK UP PROGRESS LATR THIS EVE AND
CLR OUT TSTMS BEFORE MIDNGT. WND ADVSY WILL BE KEPT FOR NWRN IA AND
MUCH OF SWRN MN XCP WRN BDR COS. SUSTAINED S WNDS AHD OF CDFNT OVER
30 MPH WILL BE SLOW TO DCRS AND WILL GO TO 7 PM CDT. SKIES SHUD GO
PTCLDY TNGT AND CONT PTCLDY WED...WITH GUIDNCE TEMPS LOOKG OK FOR
WED. SYS FOR WED NGT AND THU HAS GOOD WAA THO WILL HAVE LESS MOISTR
AND INSTBLTY. WILL CARRY CHC SHWRS/TSTMS LATE WED NGT AND IN SOME
AREAS INTO THU MRNG. WITH BETTER MOISTR RETURN THIS CUD BE A BETTR
PCPN PRODUCER...FOR NOW WILL CARRY AS WE HAVE BEEN. AFTR PASSAGE OF
THIS SYS COOL AIR SHUD REIGN FOR A FEW DAYS. WEAK WV CUD PRODUCE
SOME LGT PCPN OVER THE WEEKEND...FOR NOW WILL GO MOCLDY WITH COOL
TEMPS AS SYS TENDS TO GET SHEARED OFF. SOME WARMNG FOR MON THEN WILL
GO WITH A CHC OF SHWRS TUE AS BROAD TROF APPCHS AS PER MRF.

.FSD...WND ADVY     THIS EVE THRU 7PM    SWRN MN AWAY FROM WRN BRDR
                                         AND MOST OF NWRN IA.
WILLIAMS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 16, 11:25 AM CST, 5 hours 58 minutes before

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTION TYPO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
1225 PM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

*** THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE PERTAINS ONLY TO CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS.
***

.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW PRESSURE CENTER WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA
WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING TO EASTERN COLORADO. AS THE LOW MOVES
NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST
OVER EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA...NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...AND WESTERN PARTS OF
IOWA AND MINNESOTA. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT WERE
PULLING WARM MOIST AIR NORTH...WHILE BEHIND THE FRONT COOLER AIR WAS
MOVING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE
AREA...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE EXPECTED
TO DEVELOP ALONG IT LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THIS
EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE
THUNDERSTORMS...BUT ISOLATED STORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL.

SDZ040-055-056-062-066-067-069>071-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-
098-IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-NEZ013-014-170500-BROOKINGS-
LINCOLN-LYON-LAKE-MOODY-PIPESTONE-MURRAY-COTTONWOOD-MINNEHAHA-ROCK-
NOBLES- JACKSON-TURNER-LINCOLN-LYON-OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-YANKTON-
CLAY-UNION-SIOUX-OBRIEN-CLAY-PLYMOUTH-CHEROKEE-BUENA VISTA-
DIXON-DAKOTA-WOODBURY-IDA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BROOKINGS...PIPESTONE...SLAYTON...SIOUX
FALLS...LUVERNE...WORTHINGTON...ROCK RAPIDS...SPIRIT
LAKE...YANKTON...VERMILLION...ELK POINT...SIOUX
CENTER...SPENCER...LE MARS...STORM LAKE...SIOUX CITY...

1100 AM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

* FORECAST THROUGH MIDNIGHT:
  SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE THIS
  AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING. THERE IS A HIGH RISK
  OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING
  WINDS. HOWEVER SOME ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE
  LARGE HAIL.

* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER:
  SEVERE WINDS...GUSTS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 58 MPH.
  LARGE HAIL...DIME SIZE OR LARGER.

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION:
  SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY AFTER 400 PM.

SDZ039-054-060-061-065-068-170500-
KINGSBURY-MINER-HANSON-MCCOOK-HUTCHINSON-BON HOMME-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...
1100 AM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

* FORECAST THROUGH MIDNIGHT:
  SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS
  EVENING. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH THE MAIN
  THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS. SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COULD
  PRODUCE LARGE HAIL.

* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER:
  SEVERE WINDS...GUSTS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 58 MPH.
  LARGE HAIL...DIME SIZE OR LARGER.

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION:
  SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE AFTER 300 PM.

SDZ038-050-052-053-057>059-063-064-170500-
BEADLE-JERAULD-SANBORN-BRULE-AURORA-DAVISON-GREGORY-
CHARLES MIX-DOUGLAS-INCLUDING THE CITIES
OF...HURON...CHAMBERLAIN...MITCHELL...1100 AM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

* FORECAST THROUGH MIDNIGHT:
  SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH STRONG
  GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. HOWEVER AT THIS TIME THE THUNDERSTORMS
  ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE.

* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER:
  STRONG WINDS...GUSTS LESS THAN 58 MPH.
  SMALL HAIL...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE.

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION:
  SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

Special weather statement, Apr 16, 1:15 PM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes before

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
215 PM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

*** THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
PERTAINS ONLY TO CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS. ***

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING EAST ACROSS EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHEAST NEBRASKA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AHEAD OF THE
FRONT WARM MOIST AIR WILL BE PULLED NORTH INTO THE AREA...BEHIND THE
FRONT COOLER AIR WILL MOVE IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG
THIS FRONT. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WOULD BE
DAMAGING WINDS...ALTHOUGH LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE IN ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS.

SDZ038-039-050-052>054-057>061-063>065-068-170500-
BEADLE-KINGSBURY-JERAULD-SANBORN-MINER-BRULE-AURORA-DAVISON-HANSON-
MCCOOK-GREGORY-CHARLES MIX-DOUGLAS-HUTCHINSON-BON HOMME-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HURON...CHAMBERLAIN...MITCHELL...
215 PM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

* FORECAST THROUGH MIDNIGHT:
  SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED IN THIS AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER:
  NONE.

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION:
  SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

SDZ040-055-056-062-066-067-069-070-MNZ071-097-098-170500-
BROOKINGS-LINCOLN-LAKE-MOODY-PIPESTONE-MINNEHAHA-ROCK-TURNER-LINCOLN-
YANKTON-CLAY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BROOKINGS...PIPESTONE...SIOUX FALLS...LUVERNE...
YANKTON...VERMILLION...
215 PM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

* FORECAST THROUGH MIDNIGHT:
  SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS
  EVENING. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH THE MAIN
  THREAT OF FROM THESE STORMS BEING DAMAGING WINDS...ALTHOUGH
  LARGE HAIL MAY OCCUR IN SOME STORMS.

* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER:
  SEVERE WINDS...GUSTS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 58 MPH.
  LARGE HAIL...DIME SIZE OR LARGER.

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION:
  SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE AFTER 400 PM.

SDZ071-MNZ072-080-081-089-090-IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-
NEZ013-014-170500-
LYON-MURRAY-COTTONWOOD-NOBLES-JACKSON-LYON-OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-UNION-
SIOUX-OBRIEN-CLAY-PLYMOUTH-CHEROKEE-BUENA VISTA-DIXON-DAKOTA-WOODBURY-
IDA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SLAYTON...WORTHINGTON...ROCK RAPIDS...SPIRIT LAKE...
ELK POINT...SIOUX CENTER...SPENCER...LE MARS...STORM LAKE...
SIOUX CITY...
215 PM CDT TUE APR 16 2002

* FORECAST THROUGH MIDNIGHT:
  SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON
  AND CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING. THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGE WINDS. LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN
  ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.

* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER:
  SEVERE WINDS...GUSTS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 58 MPH.
  LARGE HAIL...DIME SIZE OR LARGER.

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION:
  SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY AFTER 500 PM.

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 120 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Woodbury

When: April 16, 5:23 PM CST
Where: Woodbury County, Sioux City Arpt
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.400, -96.383

Thunderstorm Wind, Woodbury

When: April 16, 5:34 PM CST
Where: Woodbury County, 3 mi NE of Lawton
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.517, -96.133

Thunderstorm winds blew down tree limbs and tore shingles from roofs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Woodbury

When: April 16, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Woodbury County, Sioux City
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph)
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.500, -96.383

Thunderstorm winds blew a tree onto a garage, heavily damaging the garage and a restored vehicle inside.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, April 2002

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: 5290251, 5290252, 5290253.