Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, April 18, 2002

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, April 18, 2002
Start: 2002-04-18T16:13
End: 2002-04-18T19:21
Location: Iowa

April 18, 2002 · NWS DMX · 55 events in 19 counties and zones

S. Temperatures pushed well into the 80s during the afternoon.

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: $538,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 55

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 DMX wrote it up.

A strong southerly flow was well established over the central U.S. Temperatures pushed well into the 80s during the afternoon. Surface dew point temperatures rose into the mid 60s to low 70s across the state. Initially, the atmosphere was capped. By the late afternoon hours the cap broke as the cold front pushed into the state from the northwest. Thunderstorms developed rapidly into a scattered to broken line. Hail was widespread with the storms with sizes ranging up to 2 inches in diameter. Two inch hail was reported at Brooklyn in Poweshiek County as well as southwest of Bedford in Taylor County. There were numerous reports of golf ball size hail with the storms. Windows were shattered with some of the larger hail with a few reports of damage to vinyl siding on houses. A few of the storms produced high winds. Winds of 65 MPH were reported in Hardin County south of Hubbard. Winds were around 80 MPH in Madison County, toppling power poles. There were several tornadoes with the squall line. The first tornadoes touched down in the northeast part of the state. They did not cause much damage as one touched down briefly in Hardin County, another in Grundy County. A short time later a tornado made a brief touch down north of Altoona in Polk County. Another tornado touched down between Bondurant and Elkhart. This tornado was the strongest of the afternoon and tracked southeast toward the Mitchellville area. Damage was reported to power lines and out buildings along the path. Fortunately the track did not move through a populated area. The last tornado touched down near the Waterloo area southwest of Eagle Center. This was also a brief touch down.

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 Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 18, 1:25 PM CST, 2 hours 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 1:25 PM CST, 2 hours 48 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
225 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

MAIN CONCERN IS EARLY THREAT FOR SVR WX.  OTHER CONCERN IS LINGERING
PCPN FRI AND COOL DOWN.  THEN IN LONGER TERM ATTEMPT TO PICK RAIN
FREE DAYS WITH ACTIVE PATTERN.

GENERAL PATTERNS OF MODELS REMAIN THE SAME WITH UPPER LO IN SWRN U.S
SENDING MINOR S/W NEWRD INTO THE AREA.  UPPER LO REMAIN IN THE SW
BFR LIFTING NEWRD BY SUN WITH RETURN TO WNW FLO AND MINOR S/W THRU
THIS FLO INTO NEXT WEEK.  IN SHORT TERM SFC FEATURES TIMING OF DRY
LINE AND FNT VERY CLOSE.  ATTM WITH DRY LN IN ERN NE MESOETA HAS GD
POSTIONING OF THIS FEATURE.  CLDNS HAS SOMEWHAT SURPRESSED DVLPMNT
ATTM HWVR STLT TRENDS SHOW BREAKING UP OF CLDNS NEAER TO DRY LN.
AREA INVOF LN PRIMED AS VERY HI CAPE ENVIRONMENT 4-5K WITH NO CAP
AND -8 TO -14 LI FM LTST GOES SOUNDINGS.  PRBLEM HERE IS HOW FAR
WILL DRY LN MOVE BFR DVLPMNT.  ATTM DRY LN MAYBE EAST OF MUCH OF THE
CWA HWVR NXT FEW HRS SHULD TELL WHETHER DVLPMNT TAKES OFF.
EVERYTHING IN PLACE WITH STG DYNAMICAL FIELDS FOR WINDS AND HAIL.
WILL WATCH CLOSELY AND LEAVE OPEN ENDED.  AS EVIDENT BY SFC MAP MUCH
COLDER AIR REMAIN IN THE DAKS THO SOME INTITIAL COOLING TAKES PLACE
BEHIND DRY LN.  ETA 850 HAS GD HANDLE ON THIS FOR TMW.  WITH CLDS
AND DECENT CAA WL LEAN TWD LWR MAVS NOT ONLY TMW BUT MUCH OF THE
FCST PD.  CONTINUES TO LOOK WET THRU MUCH OF THE FCST IN LONG TERM.
APPEARS ATTM WITH SLIGHT RIDGING INTO SAT THAT DRY DAY MAYBE  FRI
NGT THRU SAT DAY.

INTO THE EXTENDED PD AS STATED BFR AFTER SWRN FLO TRANSITIONS TO WNW
FLO XPCT WET PATTERN UNTIL NXT THU.  TIMING OF SYSTEMS AS USUAL UP
IN THE AIR WITH MRF THO FAIRLY GD AGREEMENT WITH CANADIAN MODELS.
COOL DOWN BEING STRETCHED OUT WITH LTST RUNS BUT WET PATTERN DOES
CONTINUE.  PSBLE WET SNW CULD BE MXED IN PCPN EARLY SUN. ATTM THO
WILL JUST MENTION SHOWERS.  MEXS LOOK GD WITH SLO WAMRUP DUE TO
CLDNS AND PCPN.

WL CANCEL WIND ADVSRY AT 4PM.

.DSM...NONE

FORSTER

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 18, 10:46 AM CST, 5 hours 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1146 AM CDT THU APR 18 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1255 AM    FENTON                    IA   .88 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   KOSSUTH                        REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.  HAIL TO
                                          NICKEL SIZE OVER 2-3
                                          MILE PATH. TREE LIMBS
                                          DOWN.

0225 AM    WAVERLY                   IA   .75 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   BREMER                         REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, Apr 18, 2:27 PM CST, 1 hour 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
327 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

LATE REPORTS FROM 4/17-4/18 EVENT

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1005 PM    3 W DEDHAM                IA   1 INCH HAIL
04/17/02   CARROLL                        REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1008 PM    1 W MANNING               IA   1 INCH HAIL
04/17/02   CARROLL                        REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1200 AM    HAVELOCK                  IA   1 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   POCAHONTAS                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 57 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:15 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

45 hail, 5 tornado, 5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Hamilton

When: April 18, 4:13 PM CST
Where: Hamilton County, 1 mi E of Randall
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.233, -93.583

Hail, Boone

When: April 18, 4:23 PM CST
Where: Boone County, 1 mi W of Boone
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 42.067, -93.900

Hail, Guthrie

When: April 18, 4:25 PM CST
Where: Guthrie County, Panora
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.700, -94.533

Hail, Adams

When: April 18, 4:25 PM CST
Where: Adams County, 1 mi W of Nodaway
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.933, -94.900

Hail, Guthrie

When: April 18, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Guthrie County, Yale
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.783, -94.533

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 4:31 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, Linden
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 41.650, -94.267

Hail, Guthrie

When: April 18, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Guthrie County, 4 mi S of Panora
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.650, -94.533

Hail, Adams

When: April 18, 4:37 PM CST
Where: Adams County, Nodaway
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.933, -94.883

Hail, Boone

When: April 18, 4:39 PM CST
Where: Boone County, 1 mi N of Boone
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.083, -93.883

Hail, Hardin

When: April 18, 4:43 PM CST
Where: Hardin County, Hubbard
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.300, -93.300

Hail, Boone

When: April 18, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Boone County, 6 mi NE of Boone
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.133, -93.800

Hail, Greene

When: April 18, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Greene County, 2 mi SW of Rippey
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.917, -94.233

Hail, Boone

When: April 18, 4:45 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Boone County, 5 mi E of Boone
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.067, -93.800

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 4:46 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, 1 mi W of Minburn
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.767, -94.050

Hail, Story

When: April 18, 4:48 PM CST
Where: Story County, Gilbert
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.117, -93.650

Hail, Hardin

When: April 18, 4:51 PM CST
Where: Hardin County, New Providence
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.283, -93.167

Hail, Story

When: April 18, 4:55 PM CST
Where: Story County, 1 mi N of Story City
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.200, -93.600

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 4:56 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, 3 mi W of Minburn
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.767, -94.083

Tornado, Hardin

When: April 18, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Hardin County, 1 mi SE of New Providence
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.267, -93.150

Brief touchdown with little damage.

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, Dallas Center
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.683, -93.967

Hail, Taylor

When: April 18, 5:07 PM CST
Where: Taylor County, 2 mi SW of Bedford
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.650, -94.733

Hail, Story

When: April 18, 5:08 PM CST
Where: Story County, Roland
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.167, -93.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Story

When: April 18, 5:08 PM CST
Where: Story County, 1 mi SW of Ames
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.017, -93.633

Hail, Taylor

When: April 18, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Taylor County, Bedford
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.667, -94.717

Hail, Guthrie

When: April 18, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Guthrie County, 6 mi S of Panora
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.617, -94.533

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 5:12 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, 1 mi W of Dallas Center
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.683, -93.983

Hail, Boone

When: April 18, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Boone County, 1 mi E of Boone
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.067, -93.867

Hail, Hardin

When: April 18, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Hardin County, Eldora
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $7,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.367, -93.100

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, Redfield
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.583, -94.200

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 5:16 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, 1 mi S of Redfield
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.567, -94.200

Hail, Story

When: April 18, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Story County, 1 mi W of Huxley
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.900, -93.633

Hail, Madison

When: April 18, 5:24 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 2 mi S of Earlham
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.467, -94.133

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 5:26 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, Granger
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.767, -93.833

Hail, Dallas

When: April 18, 5:27 PM CST
Where: Dallas County, 3 mi N of Adel
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.667, -94.017

Tornado, Grundy

When: April 18, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Grundy County, 1 mi N of Dike
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.483, -92.633

Touched down briefly in open area north of town, causing little damage.

Hail, Polk

When: April 18, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Grimes
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.683, -93.800

Hail, Polk

When: April 18, 5:35 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Alleman
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.817, -93.617

Hail, Ringgold

When: April 18, 5:37 PM CST
Where: Ringgold County, 10 mi W of Mt Ayr
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.717, -94.417

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: April 18, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Polk County, 3 mi ENE of Ankeny
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.750, -93.567

Hail, Polk

When: April 18, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Johnston
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.667, -93.700

Tornado, Polk

When: April 18, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Polk County, 1 mi N of Altoona
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.667, -93.467

Tornado touched down briefly in onepn area north of town.

Tornado, Polk

When: April 18, 5:50 PM CST to 6:02 PM CST
Where: Polk County, 3 mi NW of Bondurant
Rating: F1
Path length: 8.5 mi
Path width: 60 yd
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.733, -93.500

Tornado tracked over open country for the most part. Some outbuildings were damaged, along with power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: April 18, 5:52 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 2 mi E of Earlham
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.500, -94.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When: April 18, 5:53 PM CST
Where: Hardin County, 4 mi S of Hubbard
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.250, -93.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: April 18, 5:59 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Bondurant
Measured: 75 kt (86 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.700, -93.467

Hail, Madison

When: April 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 5 mi E of Earlham
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.500, -94.033

Tornado, Black Hawk

When: April 18, 6:08 PM CST
Where: Black Hawk County, 3 mi SW of Eagle Center
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.300, -92.567

Tornado touched down briefly in open country.

Hail, Marshall

When: April 18, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Marshall County, 8 mi E of Liscomb
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.200, -92.850

Hail, Black Hawk

When: April 18, 6:16 PM CST
Where: Black Hawk County, Hudson
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.417, -92.450

Hail, Jasper

When: April 18, 6:42 PM CST
Where: Jasper County, Reasnor
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.583, -93.017

Hail, Marion

When: April 18, 6:46 PM CST
Where: Marion County, 1 mi E of Swan
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.467, -93.300

Hail, Decatur

When: April 18, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Decatur County, Lamoni
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.617, -93.933

Hail, Decatur

When: April 18, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Decatur County, Decatur City
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.733, -93.817

Hail, Jasper

When: April 18, 7:06 PM CST
Where: Jasper County, 6 mi S of Newton
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.617, -93.050

Hail, Poweshiek

When: April 18, 7:21 PM CST
Where: Poweshiek County, Brooklyn
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.733, -92.450

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
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 The tornado archive for Iowa, 2002 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: 5284137, 5284244, 5284245, 5284246, 5284247, 5284248, 5284249, 5284250, 5284251, 5284252, 5284253, 5284366, 5284372, 5284254, 5284255, 5284256, 5284257, 5284258, 5284259, 5284260, 5284263, 5284261, 5284262, 5284264, 5284367, 5284265, 5284266, 5284267, 5284268, 5284269, 5284270, 5284368, 5284271, 5284272, 5284273, 5284274, 5284275, 5284276, 5284277, 5284278, and more.