A few isolated thunderstorms moved across parts of eastern Iowa into portions of northwest Illinois during the late afternoon and early evening of June 14 producing large hail and damaging winds.
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.
A few isolated thunderstorms moved across parts of eastern Iowa into portions of northwest Illinois during the late afternoon and early evening of June 14 producing large hail and damaging winds.
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 Jun 14, 2:28 AM CST, 11 hours 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 328 AM CDT SAT JUN 14 2008 .SYNOPSIS... LATEST SFC ANALYSIS WAS INDICATING BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW ACRS MUCH OF THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH LIGHT SOUTH-SOUTHWEST FLOW BEING INDUCED OVER MUCH OF IA INTO NORTHWEST IL. SFC PRESSURE FALLS WERE INCREASING ACRS THE EASTERN DAKOTAS...INTO MN IN VCNTY OF MAIN SFC TROF AND WEAK LOW IN FAR SOUTHEAST MANITOBA. UPPER 50 TO LOW 60 SFC DPT POOL WAS LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS...SOUTHERN 3/4S OF MO AND SOUTH HALF OF IL. ALOFT...W/V IMAGERY WAS INDICATING A FEW UPSTREAM WAVES OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN ROCKIES. SOME MORNING GROUND FOG POSSIBLE THROUGH 8 AM...ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN CWA. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT...MOST OF THE SHORT RANGE MODELS SUGGEST INCREASING RETURN FLOW TODAY IN THE LLVLS AROUND SOUTHEAST MO/OH RVR VALLEY RIDGE...WITH MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND TAP INTO THE SOUTHERN SFC DPT POOL LEADING TO CAPES OF 1500 TO OVER 2K J/KG ACRS MUCH OF THE NORTH HALF OF IA THIS AFTERNOON WITH SFC TEMPS CLIMBING AT LEAST INTO THE LOW TO MID 80S SOUTHERN UNDER EDGE OF MID LEVEL COOL POOL. ACTUALLY PREFER THE NAM LLVL THTA-E ADVECTION AND CONVERGENT SWATH SOLUTIONS/INDICATORS OVER MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL IA LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND AS UPSTREAM VORT OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES PROPAGATES DOWN AND ALONG THE REGION BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...EXPECT SCTRD CONVECTION TO DEVELOP IN HEATING OF LATE AFTERNOON IN NORTH CENTRAL IA AND POSSIBLY INTO THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF THE DVN CWA AFTER 20-21Z. EVEN UPSTREAM ACTIVITY OVER NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL IA AND SOUTHERN MN MAY FEED RATHER QUICKLY INTO THE NORTH HALF OF THE DVN CWA THIS EVENING IN QUICK/PROGRESSIVE WEST- NORTHWESTERLY MID AND UPPER LEVEL FLOW PATTERN. PROJECTED LOW TO MID LEVEL SHEAR PATTERNS AND INSTABILITY/BUOYANCY SUPPORT THE THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...AND SPC DAY 1 SLIGHT RISK AREA LOOKS ON TARGET. WILL BANK ON SPEED OF STORMS/STORM CLUSTERS WITH MOMENTUM AIDED BY INHERENT LLVL COLD POOL...AND LOWER PW/S ON FCST SOUNDINGS TO KEEP POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY PRECIP IN CHECK AND THUS NO NEED FOR A FLASH FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME. BUT AREAS THAT RECEIVE REPEATED ACTIVITY COULD STILL SEE SEVERAL TENTHS OF AN INCH...AND AREAS MOST LIKELY ARE IN THE HARD HIT NORTHWESTERN TO NORTHERN THIRD OF THE DVN CWA...OR EVEN AREAS NORTH OF THE I80 CORRIDOR. WILL UP POPS IN THE NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON...AS WELL AS NORTH OF I80 AFTER 00Z. AS FOR TEMPS...HEATING AND MIXING SUGGEST WIDESPREAD HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 80S...WITH SOME UPPER 80S POSSIBLE. LOWS TONIGHT IN THE LOW TO MID 60S...WITH THE NORTHWEST POSSIBLY DIPPING INTO THE UPPER 50S. ..12.. .LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY... THIS PERIOD WILL SEE ACTIVE WEATHER SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL DAYS OF MUCH COOLER AND COMPARATIVELY QUIET WEATHER. SUNDAY WILL SEE DECENT DYNAMICS IN NORTHWEST FLOW...AND WITH ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE LEVELS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR SEASONAL NORMS FOR JUNE...1.20 TO 1.5 PW/S...ANOTHER ROUND OF ACTIVE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS APPEARS LIKELY. THE MAIN FORCING IS EXPECTED TO CORRESPOND WITH THE DIURNAL MAX...WITH STORMS ROLLING THROUGH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THIS PERIOD AS GUIDANCE VALUES ARE VERY LOW ACROSS THE CWA...ESPECIALLY NORTHWEST. SEVERE STORMS LOOK POSSIBLE...BUT THE MAIN FOCUS FOR THIS MAY BE FARTHER SOUTHWEST WHERE HIGHER CAPES ARE FORECAST. SUNDAY NIGHT A SEASONALLY STRONG COLD FRONT ARRIVES...ENDING THE STORMS AND USHERING IN PLEASANT AIR. THE FORECAST LOOKS RATHER QUIET INTO MID WEEK BEFORE RETURN FLOW NOSES INTO THE MIDWEST ALONG WITH POSSIBLE STORMS LATE WEEK. ..ERVIN.. && .AVIATION... SOME MORNING IFR TO MVFR FOG/GROUND FOG POSSIBLE THROUGH 14Z ESPECIALLY AT BRL...OTHERWISE EXPECT VFR DAY THROUGH 00Z WITH INCREASING SOUTHWEST BREEZE GUSTING TO OVER 20 KTS BY 17Z FROM 220- 240 DEGREES. SOME SCTRD TO BKN CU AT 3-5K FT POSSIBLE AT CID AND DBQ AFTER 18Z. SCTRD STORMS WILL BECOME MORE LIKELY IN THE VCNTY OF THE CID TERMINAL AFTER 21Z...AND AT DBQ AND MLI AFTER 00Z. ..12.. && .HYDROLOGY... MAJOR TO RECORD FLOODING IS ONGOING ON ALMOST ALL RIVERS AND FORECAST TO CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA RIVERS NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. RECORD FLOODING IS NOW FORECAST FOR GLADSTONE LD 18 AND BURLINGTON ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE WEEKEND QPF MAY ALTER SOME OF THESE FORECASTS...BUT IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MUCH IMPACT IT WILL HAVE. ..ERVIN.. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && 12/ERVIN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 449 AM CDT SAT JUN 14 2008 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-141000- 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- 449 AM CDT SAT JUN 14 2008 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 UPPER ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCE WILL COMBINE WITH BUILDING INSTABILITY TO PRODUCE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS WILL THEN LOOK TO MOVE SOUTHEAST AND IMPACT AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR THIS EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT. WIND SHEAR IN THE ATMOSPHERE COMBINED WITH AFTERNOON HEATING AND INSTABILITY WILL ALLOW FOR SOME OF THESE STORMS TO POSSIBLY PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER IN THE FORM OF DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THESE STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM WEST OF IOWA CITY...TO DUBUQUE AFTER 3 PM. TONIGHT...THERE WILL BE THE CHANCE FOR SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 THROUGH 11 PM. GENERAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SUBSTANTIAL...BUT A FEW AREAS THAT RECEIVE REPEATED STORM ACTIVITY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY GET UP TO A HALF INCH OF RAINFALL. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IS FORECASTING A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING SUNDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO FORM ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON...AND QUICKLY MOVE SOUTHEAST INTO ILLINOIS. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...AND POSSIBLY BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. ANY LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN TOTALS OVER 1 INCH MAY CAUSE FLASH FLOODING WHERE THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED. MAJOR TO RECORD FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND MOST TRIBUTARY RIVERS. DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENT PRODUCT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80. 12/ERVIN
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1148 AM CDT SAT JUN 14 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0843 AM FLASH FLOOD KEITHSBURG 41.10N 90.94W
06/14/2008 MERCER IL EMERGENCY MNGR
THE POPE CREEK LEVY NEAR JACKSON STREET BROKE...FLOODING
APPROXIMATELY 25 HOMES. DELAYED REPORT.
&&
DMDThe La Crosse radar (KARX), 149 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:01 UTC.
17 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The fire department at Fairbank reported hail ranging in size from penny to golf ball, which fell for about 10 minutes.
Hail the size of quarters was reported in Keystone.
Hail the size of quarters was reported 2 miles south of Keystone.
A trained spotter measured a thunderstorm wind gust to 62 mph.
Hail the size of quarters was observed near Luzerne.
Penny size hail was reported by the emergency manager at Vinton, along with 45 mph winds.
The emergency manager reported hail the size of quarters 1 mile south of Watkins.
A thunderstorm wind gust was estimated at 65 mph 2 miles west of Colesburg.
Law enforcement reported nickel size hail and 50 mph winds at Amana.
Law enforcement reported hail about the size of golf balls at Middle Amana.
Hail about the size of nickels was observed near Coralville.
A trained spotter estimated hail the size of quarters falling 5 miles northwest of Iowa City.
A trained spotter estimated hail the size of nickels 2 miles southeast of Iowa City, along with 40 to 50 mph winds.
A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 63 mph by the ASOS equipment at the Cedar Rapids Municipal Airport.
A trained spotter reported pea to nickel size hail that covered the ground about 5 miles southeast of Iowa City.
A spotter reported penny size hail.
A spotter estimated hail the size of pennies near Iowa City.
A spotter estimated thunderstorm wind gusts to 60 mph, which broke a flag pole and downed some tree limbs.
Penny size hail fell for 10 minutes in Muscatine.
A trained spotter reported a large 3 foot diameter tree blown down.
A trained spotter reported nickel size hail near Muscatine.
A trained spotter estimated hail the size of nickels at Tipton.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, June 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: 116989, 116976, 116978, 116985, 116979, 116981, 116982, 116993, 116994, 116995, 116997, 116998, 116999, 117007, 117004, 117006, 117001, 117023, 117010, 117016, 117012, 116992.