The cold front mentioned in the previous narrative continued to progress east across Iowa. Temperatures warmed into the mid to upper 70s over the southeast third of the state, with dew points in the mid 60s.
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 DMX wrote it up.
The cold front mentioned in the previous narrative continued to progress east across Iowa. Temperatures warmed into the mid to upper 70s over the southeast third of the state, with dew points in the mid 60s. This created unstable conditions with MUCAPE of 2000 J/kg by mid day. The effective shear was in the 35 kt range with a relatively low LCL of around 700 meters. A line of thunderstorms formed by the early afternoon hours. One of the storms produced a brief tornado west of Floris in Davis County. Trees were downed, a garage was damaged and a roof was blown off of a building.
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 25, 11:35 AM CST, 1 hour earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1235 PM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 .UPDATED FORECAST AND 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION... UPPER LOW HAS MOVED INTO NORTHEAST IOWA...WITH MOST OF CWA BENEATH POST-FRONTAL STRATUS DECK. COLD FRONT TO MOVE THROUGH REMAINING AREA OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST CWA THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS...WITH SOME THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. POSSIBILITY OF SOME SEVERE EXISTS...BUT WITH THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXPECTED TO BE EAST OF THE AREA BY MID AFTERNOON...MAJORITY OF SEVERE THREAT LIES EAST OF THE CWA. DRIZZLE POSSIBLE ACROSS CWA BENEATH STRATUS DECK...BUT EXPECT THAT TO TAPER OFF AS DRY SLOT CONTINUES TO PUSH THROUGH CWA AND CEILINGS LIFT A BIT. RAIN MIXING WITH SNOW STILL POSSIBLE WITH INCREASING CHANCES TOWARD LATE AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING ACROSS FAR NORTH/NORTHWEST WITH WRAP-AROUND AREA JUST CLIPPING NORTHERN CWA. .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM /TODAY/... STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BOTH AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT TO MOVE OVER THE AREA TODAY. AS OF 2 AM...THE SFC LOW WAS IN CENTRAL KANSAS AND POISED TO MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING NORTHEAST THROUGH WESTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA. WARM AND MOIST AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE LOW ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA...BUT ALREADY COOLING OFF TO THE NW WITH KEST ALREADY DOWN TO 43 DEGREES AND A NORTH WIND GUSTING TO 35 MPH. EARLIER CONVECTIVE COMPLEX EXITING NORTHEAST IOWA...BUT A LARGER MCS MOVING INTO SW IOWA WITH MANY WARNINGS BEING ISSUED UPSTREAM. SVR TSTM THREAT WILL CONTINUE EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS SOUTHERN IA AS MUCAPES REMAIN AROUND 1000 J/KG AND BULK SHEAR SUPPORTIVE OF STORM ORGANIZATION. SFC LOW WILL MOVE RAPIDLY INTO NRN IA BY MIDDAY WITH COLD FRONT SWEEPING EAST...AND LIKELY OUT OF CENTRAL IA BY MID AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF SFC LOW AND COLD FRONT...BUT DRY SLOT WILL MOVE RAPIDLY UP THROUGH CENTRAL IA DURING THE MORNING. DEFORMATION ZONE RAIN WILL OCCUR OVER NW IA WHERE TEMPERATURES WILL BE FALLING INTO THE 30S. WILL HAVE TO WATCH THIS AREA CAREFULLY FOR THE POTENTIAL OF LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES WILL FALL DRAMATICALLY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WITH SOME PLACES IN CENTRAL IA SOME 20 DEGREES COLDER AT SUPPER TIME THAN AT BREAKFAST TODAY. WINDS WILL ALSO PICK UP BEHIND THE FRONT AND COULD BE FLIRTING WITH ADVISORY CRITERIA. FLASH FLOOD THREAT STILL THERE AS LONG AS THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST...THOUGH THE NW EXTENT OF THE WATCH MAY NOT HAVE THE BEST CHANCES FOR REALIZING FLOODING. .LONG TERM /TONIGHT-THURSDAY/... WILL DEAL WITH SOME WRAP AROUND PRECIP ACROSS THE NORTH EARLY TONIGHT...WHICH WILL LIKELY FALL AS SNOW. BUT...WITH ONLY LIGHT QPF EXPECTED...ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE LIGHT. TREND IN THE FORECAST WAS TO COOL TEMPS A BIT MORE OVER THE WEEKEND AND INCREASE POPS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT. MODELS CONTINUE TO COME FARTHER SOUTH WITH UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND A BIT STRONGER ON THE SFC CYCLOGENESIS SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF NORTHERN MISSOURI. MODEL CROSS SECTIONS PRETTY EMPHATIC WITH STRONG LIFT OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IA IN DEF ZONE. THIS HAS ME A BIT WORRIED WITH MUCH OF THE SOUNDINGS BELOW ZERO UNTIL THE VERY LOWEST 25 TO 50 MB. WILL CONTINUE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CLIMATOLOGY AND KEEP PRECIP MAINLY LIQUID. BUT THIS DOES BEAR WATCHING. SUNDAY WILL BE THE COOLEST DAY IN THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM WITH TEMPS 15 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY SOME THUNDER AND GRAUPEL. MADE NO CHANGES AND DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT MUCH BEYOND MONDAY. && .AVIATION...25/18Z MAJORITY OF PRECIP HAS MOVED OUT AS DRY SLOT MOVES ACROSS AREA. COLD FRONT TO STILL PASS THROUGH KOTM WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...AND HAVE LINE OF DEVELOPING TSRA ALONG AND JUST AHEAD OF THAT FRONT...THEREFORE INCLUDED MENTION OF THUNDER AT KOTM. OTHERWISE SCATTERED IFR/LIFR CIGS REMAIN A PROBLEM WITH THE LOW LEVEL STRATUS DECK BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH A GRADUAL LIFTING OF CEILINGS EXPECTED THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. DO EXPECT LOW CLOUD DECK TO LINGER THROUGH THE NIGHT WITH SOME POSSIBLE CLEARING LATE TONIGHT AT KFOD...KOTM...AND KDSM. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS TO REMAIN STRONG WITH COLD AIR SINKING SOUTHWARD...SO KEPT WINDS UP THROUGH THE NIGHT AT MOST SITES. POSSIBILITY OF SOME WRAP AROUND PRECIP IMPACTING KMCW LATE THIS EVENING...AND MAY EVEN SEE SOME SNOW MIXING IN. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && PUBLIC...MOYER/ALBRECHT AVIATION...ALBRECHT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 959 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 IAZ074-075-085-086-096-097-261000- MARION-MAHASKA-MONROE-WAPELLO-APPANOOSE-DAVIS- 959 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE THE MAIN THREATS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...AND SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. MANY RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA...PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS FALLING ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. NORTH TO WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL RETURN NEXT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>073- 081>084-092>095-261000- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN- WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE- BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER- POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS- TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE- 959 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NORTH TO WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS TODAY. MANY RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA...PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL RETURN NEXT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. ALBRECHT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
908 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 AM FLASH FLOOD DENVER 42.67N 92.33W
04/25/2008 BREMER IA EMERGENCY MNGR
PART OF TOWN EVACUTED DUE TO FLOODING. TIME ESTIMATED.
&&
MRUSSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
922 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM FLASH FLOOD 2 S ALLISON 42.72N 92.80W
04/25/2008 BUTLER IA COUNTY OFFICIAL
WATER OVER ROAD ALONG COUNTY ROAD C45 2 MILES EAST OF
HIGHWAY 14. TIME ESTIMATED.
&&
MRUSSELLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
940 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0930 AM FLASH FLOOD 5 SSW IOWA FALLS 42.45N 93.31W
04/25/2008 HARDIN IA NWS EMPLOYEE
A SMALL TRIBUTARY WAS REPORTED TO BE WELL OUT OF ITS
BANKS WHERE IT INTERSECTED HIGHWAY 20. NO ROADS OR
BUILDINGS WERE IMPACTED.
&&
KJPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
950 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 PM TORNADO 3 WNW BLAIRSBURG 42.49N 93.70W
04/24/2008 HAMILTON IA TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER SENT A PHOTO OF A TORNADO AND HAS DRIVEN
BACK TO THE AREA AND FOUND TREE DAMAGE AND MINOR SHED
DAMAGE ON THREE FARMS. INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY BUT
TRACK APPEARED TO BE TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST. EVENT OCCURRED
THURSDAY EVENING.
&&
KJPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1147 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0828 PM TORNADO 1 S BLAIRSBURG 42.47N 93.64W
04/24/2008 HAMILTON IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
DELAYED REPORT OF A PUBLIC SIGHTING OF A TORNADOFROM LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
0835 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW BLAIRSBURG 42.49N 93.65W
04/24/2008 HAMILTON IA EMERGENCY MNGR
DELAYED REPORT FROM EMERGENCY MANAGER OF A POWER POLE
SNAPPED AT 210TH STREET AND QUINN AVENUE.
0850 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 N BLAIRSBURG 42.50N 93.64W
04/24/2008 HAMILTON IA EMERGENCY MNGR
DELAYED REPORT FROM EMERGENCY MANAGER OF METAL DEBRIS ON
THE ROAD NEAR 200TH STREET AND HIGHWAY 69 INTERSECTION.
&&
KJPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
117 PM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0114 PM FLOOD 3 W CEDAR FALLS 42.52N 92.51W
04/25/2008 BLACK HAWK IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
FLOODING CONTINUES ALONG BLACK HAWK CREEK...AND IN
BENSON.
&&
MRUSSELLThe Des Moines radar (KDMX), 146 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:33 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Public reports indicated a tornado with an intermittent track. Trees were downed and a roof was blown off. A garage was possibly down 1 mile west of the Floris turnoff of Highway 63, to the turnoff of Highway 63.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2008Warnings in Iowa, April 2008
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: 83794.