Heavy rain-producing showers and thunderstorms moved across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois during the evening and overnight hours of July 18th. A bowing segment of thunderstorms pushed east southeast across areas from just south of Waterloo, IA to the Quad Cities producing widespread wind damage, torrential rainfall, and an isolated tornado near Paris, IA.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
Heavy rain-producing showers and thunderstorms moved across eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois during the evening and overnight hours of July 18th. A bowing segment of thunderstorms pushed east southeast across areas from just south of Waterloo, IA to the Quad Cities producing widespread wind damage, torrential rainfall, and an isolated tornado near Paris, IA. Rainfall totals ranged between three quarters of an inch to just under 3 inches, but due to saturated soils some flooding problems developed.
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 18, 10:30 AM CST, 7 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1130 AM CDT WED JUL 18 2007
.UPDATE...
HAVE UPDATED FORECAST GRIDS FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT TO REFLECT
CURRENT CONDITIONS AND THINKING FOR CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION LATER.
16Z SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATES BOUNDARY EXTENDING FROM NEAR
THUNDER BAY TO KAEL TO FAR SERN SD. SURFACE DEWPOINTS ARE HAVING
NO TROUBLE REACHING THE 70S AHEAD OF THE FRONT SEEING AN OCCASIONAL
SPRINKLE OUT OF THE VERY HIGH CLOUDS OVER THE CWA...SO HAVE
DROPPED POPS FOR THE REST OF MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON INTO THE
ISOLATED CATEGORY. DECK OF THICK CI IS PUSHING SELY THROUGH THE
AREA...WITH BREAKS BEHIND IT ALREADY WORKING INTO THE NRN TIER
AHEAD FO THINNER CI. TEMPS TODAY ARE JUMPING UP FASTER THAN
FCST...AND WITH THINKING OF THINNER CLOUDS AND LESS PRECIP DURING
THE DAYTIME...HAVE INCREASED MAX TEMPS A DEGREE OR TWO ACROSS MUCH
OF THE AREA. BELIEVE MOST FAVORED AREA FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT
THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE WEST OF THE CWA IN NW/N CTRL IA...EVOLVING
INTO AN MCS THAT MOVES ACROSS THE BDRY INTO THE CWA IN THE LATER
AFTERNOON/EVENING HOURS. SHORTWAVE DIVING OUT OF THE DAKOTAS WILL
PROVIDE UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT...AND INSTABILITY WILL BE RATHER HIGH
IF CLOUDS BREAK UP ENOUGH TO ALLOW AT LEAST INTERMITTENT SUN. SPC
MODERATE RISK REMAINS OVER THE CWA MAINLY FOR WIND THREAT THIS
EVENING ASSOCIATED WITH THE MCS...AS HIGH FREEZING LEVELS AND
FAIRLY MOIST ATMOSPHERE MAY KEEP HAIL IN CHECK. HEAVY RAIN REMAINS
A THREAT...AND WITH MANY PARTS OF THE CWA SEEING 2-5 INCHES OF
RAIN SO FAR THIS WEEK...WILL NEED TO MONITOR FLOODING THREAT
CLOSELY AS MCS EVOLVES.
&&
.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR BENTON-BUCHANAN-
CEDAR-CLINTON-DELAWARE-DES MOINES-DUBUQUE-HENRY IA-IOWA-
JACKSON-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-JONES-KEOKUK-LINN-LOUISA-
MUSCATINE-SCOTT-WASHINGTON.
IL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR BUREAU-CARROLL-
HENDERSON-HENRY IL-JO DAVIESS-MERCER-PUTNAM-ROCK ISLAND-
STEPHENSON-WARREN-WHITESIDE.
MO...NONE.
&&
MAYESHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 852 AM CDT WED JUL 18 2007 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-191400- 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- 852 AM CDT WED JUL 18 2007 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 THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...AS WELL AS A CONTINUED POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN IOWA AS A FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA...AIDED BY A STRONGER UPPER-LEVEL SYSTEM. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM INTO A COMPLEX THAT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE FROM DAMAGING WINDS...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR WINDS UP TO OR EXCEEDING 70-80 MPH...AND HEAVY RAINFALL THAT WILL COMPOUND CURRENT FLOODING CONDITIONS. THE SATURATED GROUND WILL MAKE THE AREA PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO FLASH FLOODING AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO VEGETATION. A SECONDARY THREAT FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FROM HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO COULD ALSO OCCUR IF ANY ISOLATED STORMS DEVELOP IN THE AREA NEAR THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON THURSDAY...MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MEMPHIS TO MACOMB. IN ADDITION...THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 AS STORMS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ONGOING ON THURSDAY MORNING FROM THE OVERNIGHT ACTIVITY AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH OUT OF THE AREA THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE MAIN THREATS WOULD BE FROM HEAVY RAINFALL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT HEAVY RAINFALL OVER ONE INCH AND ANY FLOODING AS WELL AS SEVERE WEATHER. A CONFERENCE CALL FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATORS WILL BE CONDUCTED AT 1230 PM CDT. MAYES
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
347 PM CDT WED JUL 18 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0620 AM HEAVY RAIN ENE STERLING 41.80N 89.69W
07/18/2007 M1.71 INCH WHITESIDE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
COCORAHS OBSERVER. 24 HR TOTAL.
0650 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 SSW COLETA 41.89N 89.81W
07/18/2007 M1.35 INCH WHITESIDE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 WSW CHADWICK 42.00N 89.94W
07/18/2007 M1.23 INCH CARROLL IL TRAINED SPOTTER
COCORAHS OBSERVER. 24 HR TOTAL.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 N FREEPORT 42.35N 89.63W
07/18/2007 M1.25 INCH STEPHENSON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
COCORAHS OBSERVER. 24 HR TOTAL.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NW FREEPORT 42.31N 89.66W
07/18/2007 M1.46 INCH STEPHENSON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
COCORAHS OBSERVER. 24 HR TOTAL.
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 W GERMAN VALLEY 42.22N 89.50W
07/18/2007 M1.81 INCH STEPHENSON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
COCORAHS OBSERVER. 24 HR TOTAL.
1100 AM HEAVY RAIN WSW LADD 41.38N 89.21W
07/18/2007 M2.53 INCH BUREAU IL TRAINED SPOTTER
COCORAHS OBSERVER. 24 HR TOTAL.
&&
MAYESSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 554 PM CDT WED JUL 18 2007 IAZ040>042-051>053-063>065-076-077-190100- BENTON IA-BUCHANAN IA-CEDAR IA-DELAWARE IA-DUBUQUE IA-IOWA IA- JOHNSON IA-JONES IA-KEOKUK IA-LINN IA-WASHINGTON IA- 554 PM CDT WED JUL 18 2007 ...SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE THROUGH 8 PM... THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE ENTERING THE REGION. THEY ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR FLOODED ROADS AND STREAMS. TURN AROUND...DO NOT DROWN. JAZ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
627 PM CDT WED JUL 18 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0627 PM TSTM WND GST 8 W GARRISON 42.14N 92.30W
07/18/2007 E50 MPH BENTON IA EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
TERRYSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 628 PM CDT WED JUL 18 2007 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087-088-ILZ015-190200- BENTON IA-BUCHANAN IA-CEDAR IA-CLINTON IA-DELAWARE IA-DUBUQUE IA- HENRY IA-IOWA IA-JACKSON IA-JEFFERSON IA-JOHNSON IA-JONES IA- KEOKUK IA-LINN IA-LOUISA IA-MUSCATINE IA-ROCK ISLAND IL-SCOTT IA- WASHINGTON IA- 628 PM CDT WED JUL 18 2007 ...SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE THROUGH 9 PM... THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE ENTERING THE REGION. THEY ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 TO 50 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR FLOODED ROADS AND STREAMS. TURN AROUND...DO NOT DROWN. JAZ
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 127 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:29 UTC.
28 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 1 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees and damaged some signs.
Winds estimated to be at least 75 mph.
Winds estimated to be 80 mph.
Winds estimated to be 75 mph flattened some corn fields between Mount Auburn and Urbana.
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees.
Winds estimated to be 75 mph blew the roof off a hog confinement building, flattened most corn fields just west of town. In addition, a few trees and power lines were blown down in town, as well as numerous tree limbs.|
A wind gust of 68 mph was measured.
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down numerous trees, blew shingles off roofs, and blew newer fences down. Visibility was reduced to zero miles due to very heavy rain. |
Winds estimated to be 70 mph blew down some trees on top of a few houses and vehicles. One house had a hole in its roof from a fallen tree. In addition, a six foot wooden fence was blown down.
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down some trees. Time estimated.
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down several tree limbs 6-8 inches in diameter. In the area, numerous trees were toppled completely.
Winds estimated to be 70 mph blew down several large trees damaging some homes. Time estimated.
Winds estimated to be 70 mph blew down several large maple trees and power lines. Time estimated.
A tornado briefly touched down just west of Paris, IA, or about 14.5 miles north of Cedar Rapids, IA around 7:15 PM on July 18th. It destroyed a farm shed completely, ripped part of a roof off of another farm shed, and damaged several trees and crops in the area.
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees across streets making them impassible.|
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees on Ireland and James Ave. Time estimated.
Winds estimated to be 70 mph blew down some trees and power poles and flattened some crops.|
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down some power lines.
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down a tree.
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down a tree. Time estimated.|
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down a tree.
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down a tree on a power line.
Torrential rains have resulted in several wash-outs on gravel roads across the eastern part of Jackson County. In addition, trees fell over due to saturated soils and sloped areas eroded. Time estimated.
Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew down some power lines on the northwest side of De Witt.
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees on 120th Ave near Donahue.
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down some trees on Utica Ridge Rd. south of 210th St.
Winds estimated to be 65 mph blew down a tree on County Road F55 just west of Jersey Ridge Rd. Time estimated.
Lightning struck a home on Iwv Rd SW south of Oxford, IA around 2 AM causing a fire. The homeowner was able to extinguish most of the fire. Minor fire and smoke damage was reported. Time estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2007Warnings in Iowa, July 2007
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: 49966, 49967, 49968, 49969, 49970, 49971, 49974, 49977, 49979, 49987, 49989, 49992, 50028, 50029, 49993, 52635, 49994, 49996, 49997, 49998, 49999, 50000, 50003, 50005, 50006, 52647, 50008, 50010, 50011, 50012, 52675.