Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Iowa, June 11 to 13, 2008

Thunderstorms dropped heavy rain on the Boyer River basin on June 11th. The heavy rain caused flooding along the Boyer River from around Woodbine to Missouri Valley. The river at Logan crested at 19.7 feet at 215am CDT on June 12th. Flood stage at Logan is 19 feet. The flooding affected mainly agricultural lowlands in the area.

This is a continuation of the tornado that initially touched down in Burt county Nebraska, about 4.5 miles west of Little Sioux Iowa. The tornado eventually reached EF3 strength in Monona county when it hit a boyscout camp where 4 fatalities and 48 injuries occurred. The tornado crossed into Harrison county near mile marker 97 on Interstate 29 where a semi-truck was flipped. The tornado snapped power poles northeast of there with an estimated strength of EF2 in Harrison county. The tornado then crossed into Monona county Iowa about 4 miles north of Little Sioux.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph knocked down large tree limbs and toppled a dead tree knocking power out to the area.

This tornado tragically hit a boyscout camp north of Little Sioux Iowa killing 4 young scouts. The tornado initially touched down in Burt county Nebraska, crossed into Harrison county Iowa near mile marker 97 on Interstate 29, and then finally crossed into Monona county Iowa about 4 miles north of Little Sioux. In Monona county the tornado entered the Little Sioux Scout Ranch, destroying the rangers home near the entrance of the park giving it a rating of EF3. The storm then blew down trees and destroyed bunk houses at the camp. Four scouts were killed in one bunk house when a brick chimney collapsed on them. In total 48 people were injured at the camp. The tornado continued to topple trees as it tracked into Preparation Canyon State Park. Just before it entered the park a farmstead sustained damage. The tornado hit another farmstead about 2.5 miles southwest of Moorhead where trees were blown down and sheds damaged. The tornado then began to weaken and finally lifted about 2 miles southwest of Moorhead. The total path length was around 14 miles.

A brief tornado touched down 6 miles northeast of Castana causing mainly just tree damage.

According to researchers tracking this storm, who were using DOW - a mobile radar system, this brief tornado touched down around 2 miles west southwest of exit 72 on Interstate 29 and lifted about 1/2 mile east of the exit. The tornado downed 1 tree but did little other damage. Besides being visually seen by the researchers, it also produced a tornadic signature on the DOW system.

This was the second tornado that was observed by researchers tracking this storm. The tornado touched down briefly just northeast of exit 72 on Interstate 29 and lifted a little to the northeast, doing no apparent damage. The researchers were using DOW, a mobile radar system, and besides being visually seen by the researches, it also produced a tornadic signature on the DOW system.

A tornado touched down briefly northwest of Defiance. The tornado caused mainly just tree damage.

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph blew 2 windows out of a house and knocked down a few branches.

An apparent tornado downed 30 to 40 trees and damaged a farm outbuilding 4 miles south of Defiance.

Local law enforcement reported that flash flooding occurred over a few roads in south Council Bluffs.

A week of heavy rain producing thunderstorms through June 11th fell across the Nishnabotna River basin in southwest Iowa. The heavy rain caused flooding along the West Nishnabotna from around Hancock, in Pottawattamie county, through Randolph in Fremont county to its merger with the East Nishnabotna River near Hamburg. The river at Randolph reached a 23.8 foot crest around 815pm CDT on June 12th, flood stage is 19 feet. The river at Randolph fell below flood stage during the evening hours of June 13th. The flooding closed several county roads and also flooded agricultural lowlands in the area.

A week of heavy rain producing thunderstorms through June 11th fell across the Nishnabotna, Tarkio and Nodaway River basins in southwest Iowa causing some flooding along each. Flooding along the East Nishnabotna River was noted from around Elliott downstream through the Red Oak area and then into Fremont county where it merges with the West Nishnabotna River near Hamburg. The river at Red Oak reached a 24 foot crest around 415am CDT on June 13th, flood stage is 18 feet. The river at Red Oak fell below flood stage in the mid afternoon hours of June 13th. The flooding closed several county roads and also flooded agricultural lowlands in the area. Flooding was also observed along the Tarkio River near Stanton which submerged boat docks and caused the closure of 6 campsites at a local State Park. Flooding along the East Nodaway River near Villisca prompted the closing of a county road in the area.

A week of heavy rain producing thunderstorms through June 11th fell across the Nishnabotna River basin in southwest Iowa. The heavy rain caused flooding along the East Nishnabotna from around Elliott downstream through the Red Oak area and then into Fremont county where it merges with the West Nishnabotna River near Hamburg. The river at Red Oak reached a 24 foot crest around 415am CDT on June 13th, flood stage is 18 feet. The river at Red Oak fell below flood stage in the mid afternoon hours of June 13th. The flooding closed a four-mile stretch of Highway 275 near Hamburg from the Missouri state line north, and also closed several county roads, especially around Riverton. Agricultural lowlands in the area were also flooded.

A week of heavy rain producing thunderstorms through June 11th fell across the Nishnabotna River basin in southwest Iowa. The heavy rain caused flooding along the West Nishnabotna from around Hancock, in Pottawattamie county, through Randolph in Fremont county to its merger with the East Nishnabotna River near Hamburg. The river at Hancock in Pottawattamie county reached an 18.5 foot crest around 1215pm CDT on June 12th, flood stage is 14 feet. The river at Hancock fell below flood stage during the evening hours of June 12th. The flooding closed several county roads and also flooded agricultural lowlands in the area.

Flash flooding was reported across a road a mile west of Oakland.

A week of heavy rain producing thunderstorms through June 11th fell across the Nodaway River basin in southwest Iowa. The heavy rain caused flooding along the Nodaway River from around Villisca downstream through Clarinda to around Braddyville. The river at Clarinda reached a 22.7 foot crest at 430pm CDT on June 12, flood stage is 19 feet. The river fell below flood stage at Clarinda during the early morning hours of June 13th. The flooding closed several county roads and also flooded farm fields in eastern Page county.