Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, July 17, 2006

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, July 17, 2006
Start: 2006-07-17T16:19
End: 2006-07-17T19:35
Location: Iowa

July 17, 2006 · NWS DVN · 31 events in 10 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 0
Property damage: $66,000
Crop damage: $88,000
Events: 31

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.

An upper level disturbance initiated two supercell thunderstorms in a moist to near tropical atmosphere that was ahead of a cold front in eastern Iowa. Outflow from the supercells developed a broken line of of storms that moved through Iowa and into Illinois and Missouri. The line produced sporatic pulse severe storms from east central Iowa into northwest Illinois. The more solid part of the line produced a considerable amount of severe weather from east central Iowa into northern Missouri.

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 Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 17, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
310 PM CDT MON JUL 17 2006

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT BEFORE
STALLING OUT ACROSS MISSOURI AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE PASSAGE OF
THE FRONT SHOULD BRING IN LESS HUMID AND COOLER CONDITIONS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
CAP STILL HOLDING ACROSS THE AREA AND THE MAIN QUESTION IS WILL IT
BE BROKEN. CHANCES LOOK BETTER TO THE EAST OF THE CWFA BUT GIVEN THE
EXTREME HEAT/INSTABILITY...CAN NOT RULE IT OUT HAPPENING OVER US.
THEREFORE WILL TAKE A WAIT AND SEE APPROACH. COLD FRONT SHOULD STALL
OUT/WASH OUT ACROSS NORTHERN MISSOURI/CENTRAL ILLINOIS BY TUESDAY
MORNING. AS FOR THE CURRENT HEAT ADVISORY...WILL LET IT EXPIRE AT
00Z. WE MAY STILL SEE HEAT INDICES OF 80 OR ABOVE ACROSS THE SOUTH
THIRD TONIGHT BUT HEAT INDICES SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 105 ON TUESDAY.

MODELS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE REGARDING HOW MUCH THE UPPER RIDGE
WILL BREAK DOWN. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT A RESPECTABLE MCS SHOULD FIRE
TUESDAY EVENING IN THE PLAINS AND MOVE GENERALLY EAST...BRUSHING THE
NORTHERN THIRD OR SO OF THE CWFA WEDNESDAY MORNING. ANOTHER MCS
EVENT MAY BE SEEN LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING ACROSS THE
NORTHERN THIRD. THIS SECOND MCS EVENT IS LESS CERTAIN.

FRIDAY ON...DID NOT REALLY MAKE ANY CHANGES. GLOBAL MODELS ARE
VACILLATING WITH EACH RUN REGARDING A DEVELOPING LONGWAVE TROF OVER
THE EASTERN CONUS. ONE THING THAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT NORTHWEST FLOW
WILL DEVELOP ALLOWING COOLER TEMPERATURES TO PUSH INTO THE AREA.

&&

.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...HEAT ADVISORY TODAY MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF ROUTE 30.
IL...HEAT ADVISORY TODAY.
MO...HEAT ADVISORY TODAY.

08

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 17, 11:30 AM CST, 4 hours 49 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1230 PM CDT MON JUL 17 2006

IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007-
009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-181730-
BUCHANAN-DELAWARE-DUBUQUE-BENTON-LINN-JONES-JACKSON-IOWA-JOHNSON-
CEDAR-CLINTON-MUSCATINE-SCOTT-KEOKUK-WASHINGTON-LOUISA-JEFFERSON-
HENRY IA-DES MOINES-VAN BUREN-LEE-JO DAVIESS-STEPHENSON-CARROLL-
WHITESIDE-ROCK ISLAND-HENRY IL-BUREAU-PUTNAM-MERCER-HENDERSON-
WARREN-HANCOCK-MCDONOUGH-SCOTLAND-CLARK-
1230 PM CDT MON JUL 17 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
ILLINOIS...NORTHWEST ILLINOIS...WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST
CENTRAL IOWA...NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST IOWA AND NORTHEAST
MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 30. HOT
TEMPERATURES CONTINUED THROUGH THE NIGHT LAST NIGHT AND WILL
CONTINUE DURING THE DAY TODAY. AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE UPPER
90S COMBINED WITH HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX
READINGS OF 105 TO 110 ACROSS THE AREA.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING ACROSS THE AREA. THE STRONG HEATING OF
THE DAY ALONG WITH THE HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO VERY
UNSTABLE CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION...AN UPPER-LEVEL WAVE WILL HELP
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THUNDERSTORMS AS A SURFACE COLD FRONT WORKS
ACROSS IOWA FROM THE NORTHWEST. THE INSTABILITY...ALONG WITH COLDER AIR
MOVING IN AT MID- LEVELS...IS EXPECTED TO BREAK THE CAP TODAY AND
ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. THUNDERSTORMS WILL INTENSIFY
QUICKLY INTO SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO GOLFBALL-
SIZED HAIL... WITH A FEW CELLS CAPABLE OF EVEN LARGER HAIL. AS
THE STORMS MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...CELLS MAY EVOLVE INTO SMALLER
LINES OR BOW ECHOES...AND THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL SHIFT TOWARD
DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 80 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE INTO THE AREA ON LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE STORMS MAY BE STRONG... AND THERE IS A
SMALL POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS
EVENING ACROSS THE AREA.

MAYES

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 17, 4:13 PM CST, 6 minutes before

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The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 130 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 thunderstorm wind, 11 hail, 5 heavy rain, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Buchanan

When: July 17, 4:19 PM CST to 4:21 PM CST
Where: Buchanan County, 2 mi N of Brandon
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Crop damage: $2,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.900, -92.100

dime size hail

Funnel Cloud, Benton

When: July 17, 4:23 PM CST to 4:25 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 1 mi W of Belle Plaine
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.983, -91.883

Just east of the Benton/Poweshiek line

Hail, Benton

When: July 17, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 6 mi N of Keystone
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Benton

When: July 17, 4:41 PM CST to 4:43 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Keystone
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $4,000
Crop damage: $2,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.867, -92.050

Dime then quarter to half dollar size hail

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 17, 4:46 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 7 mi SW of Vinton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Crop damage: $3,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.800, -92.067

Estimated 60 mph winds

Hail, Benton

When: July 17, 4:47 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 7 mi N of Belle Plaine
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Crop damage: $4,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.080, -92.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Also estimated 40 to 50 mph winds

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 17, 4:49 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 5 mi SSW of Vinton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Crop damage: $3,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.083, -91.567

Jct of 64th street & 23rd Ave

Hail, Benton

When: July 17, 4:59 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 2 mi W of Blairstown
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Crop damage: $3,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.700, -91.667

Blairstown Fire reports golfball size hail at the jct of 19th Ave & 77th street

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 17, 5:01 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Luzerne
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Crop damage: $4,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 41.983, -91.867

1 to 2 inch diameter limbs down; winds estimated at 60 mph

Hail, Benton

When: July 17, 5:04 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Blairstown
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Crop damage: $2,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.200, -92.150

Blairstown Fire reports dime then nickel size hail; also 0.70 inches of rain in ten minutes

Hail, Benton

When: July 17, 5:04 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 3 mi SE of Blairstown
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Crop damage: $2,000
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 41.150, -92.100

Norway Fire reports nickel size hail at the jct of 23rd Ave & 79th street

Heavy Rain, Linn

When: July 17, 5:05 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Linn County, Fairfax
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.079, -91.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

minor street flooding

Heavy Rain, Benton

When: July 17, 5:05 PM CST to 6:05 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Walford
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.350, -91.483

1.5 inches of rain in the past hour

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 17, 5:09 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 1 mi SW of Atkins
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: $8,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.200, -92.100

Estimated 70 to 80 mph winds with big trees down. A flag pole was bent at the base at the Benton/Linn line; heavy rain also reported

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 17, 5:11 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Benton County, Atkins
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.667, -91.550

Trees down on 33rd Ave south of town and on 74th street south of town

Thunderstorm Wind, Linn

When: July 17, 5:15 PM CST to 5:34 PM CST
Where: Linn County, Countywide
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $3,000
Crop damage: $20,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.583, -91.667

Across the southwest part of the county. Thunderstorm winds flattened considerable amounts of corn in rural areas. Based on radar data the following times have been established for the two cities affected; Fairfax 1723-1728 CST, southwest areas of Cedar Rapids 1728-1737 CST. Spotters also estimated winds of 60 to 70 mph near the Cedar Rapids Airport.

Thunderstorm Wind, Iowa

When: July 17, 5:24 PM CST
Where: Iowa County, Marengo
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.686, -92.065 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees & limbs down; roof partially off a business

Thunderstorm Wind, Linn

When: July 17, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Linn County, Fairfax
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 41.900, -92.133

Winds estimated at 60 mph flattened corn fields. Time is estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Linn

When: July 17, 5:37 PM CST
Where: Linn County, Cedar Rapids
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 42.100, -92.067

Wind estimated at 60 to 70 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnson

When: July 17, 5:44 PM CST
Where: Johnson County, Tiffin
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.300, -91.650

power lines down

Hail, Keokuk

When: July 17, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Keokuk County, 3 mi W of Ollie
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: $4,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.367, -90.433

quarter size hail

Heavy Rain, Washington

When: July 17, 5:45 PM CST to 6:40 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Washington
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.000, -91.650

1 inch of rain in the past hour

Hail, Delaware

When: July 17, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Delaware County, 1 mi SE of Ryan
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Crop damage: $3,000
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 41.917, -91.783

penny to nickel size hail for 5 minutes

Hail, Keokuk

When: July 17, 5:52 PM CST
Where: Keokuk County, Ollie
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.337, -92.179 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

nickel to quarter size hail

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnson

When: July 17, 5:56 PM CST to 6:08 PM CST
Where: Johnson County, Iowa City
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.672, -91.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds downed 6 to 12 inch diameter limbs, uprooted a tree, and blew the plastic out of the Hill Bank sign. Time is estimated based on radar.

Hail, Jefferson

When: July 17, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, 1 mi NNW of Packwood
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Crop damage: $3,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.350, -92.000

quarter size hail

Heavy Rain, Johnson

When: July 17, 6:00 PM CST to 6:25 PM CST
Where: Johnson County, Iowa City
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.000, -92.283

minor street flooding on Riverside Dr south of Burlington Street.

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnson

When: July 17, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Johnson County, 1 mi N of Sharon Center
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 42.083, -92.200

Corn flattened. Time is estimated based on radar.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: July 17, 6:37 PM CST to 6:45 PM CST
Where: Washington County, 3 mi E of Washington
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.000, -92.200

2 to 3 inch diameter branches down

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 17, 7:26 PM CST to 7:35 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, 8 mi NNW of Bellevue
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.900, -92.183

3 to 4 inch diameter solid branches down. Time is estimated based on radar.

Heavy Rain, Jackson

When: July 17, 7:31 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Bellevue
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.100, -92.133

street flooding with water curb deep

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, July 2006

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5527462, 5527463, 5527522, 5527523, 5527525, 5527521, 5527526, 5527527, 5527524, 5527528, 5527532, 5527530, 5527531, 5527529, 5527533, 5527535, 5527534, 5526390, 5526389, 5527536, 5527537, 5527539, 5527540, 5527538, 5526383, 5526382, 5526384, 5526385, 5526386, 5526387, 5526388.