Severe thunderstorms developed during the evening of June 17th along a warm front that was lifting north through the region. These severe thunderstorms produced some damaging winds across portions of Mitchell and Howard Counties.
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 ARX wrote it up.
Severe thunderstorms developed during the evening of June 17th along a warm front that was lifting north through the region. These severe thunderstorms produced some damaging winds across portions of Mitchell and Howard Counties.
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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 17, 2:19 PM CST, 6 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 319 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY FORECAST FOCUS IS ON STORM POTENTIAL TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...RAIN CHANCES AGAIN SUNDAY. 19Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A STRONG LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER WESTERN ND WITH A WARM FRONT REACHING EAST/SOUTHEAST INTO SOUTHERN MN...AND A DRYLINE ACROSS EASTERN SD. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS CLOUD AND CONVECTION ACROSS MUCH OF ND AND NORTHERN MN...WHERE TORNADO WATCHES WERE IN EFFECT. AHEAD OF THE DRY LINE...CONSIDERABLE CUMULUS HAS DEVELOPED...AS WELL AS SOME STRONG STORMS. ANOTHER TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT AHEAD OF IT. OBVIOUS FIRST CONCERN IS THE SEVERE POTENTIAL TONIGHT. RUC MODEL AND 12Z DETERMINISTIC MODEL RUNS INDICATE PLENTY OF CAPE ACROSS SOUTHERN MN/IA WITH 4000+ J/KG. LITTLE OR NO CIN EITHER. SHEAR IS STRONG...AND PLENTY OF FOCUS FOR CONVERGENCE. EXPECT STORMS TO CONTINUE FIRING OVER WESTERN MN...WITH DISCRETE STORMS HAVING THE POTENTIAL FOR ROTATION...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND PERHAPS EVEN A STRAY TORNADO. WITH TIME...ANTICIPATE THE STORMS CONGEALING INTO A LINE OF STORMS...WHICH WILL QUICKLY PROPAGATE EASTWARD OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. SHEAR AND MOISTURE PROFILES SUGGEST THIS WOULD EVOLVE INTO A SQUALL LINE WITH STRONG WINDS BECOMING DOMINANT. AT THIS POINT...ANTICIPATING THIS SCENARIO...WHICH WOULD PLACE A LINE OF STRONG STORMS ON THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA BOUNDARY SOMEWHERE AROUND 00Z THIS EVENING. THIS LINE SHOULD THEN MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA. FORECAST GRIDS HAVE BEEN SET UP WITH THIS IN MIND. THIS ROUND OF CONVECTION SHOULD BE EAST OF THE AREA BY MORNING... WHICH WILL BE KEY TO EXPECTED OUTCOMES ON FRIDAY. IF THE ACTIVITY IS INDEED GONE...WE SHOULD GET TIME FOR THE ATMOSPHERE TO RECOVER ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR STRONG CONVECTION TO FORM ONCE AGAIN. MODEL CAPE AGAIN FORECAST TO BE QUITE HIGH...3500+ J/KG...WITH EVEN STRONGER BULK SHEAR. LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER GOOD CHANCE FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS. COLD POOL FROM THIS SECOND ROUND OF CONVECTION...AND THE FACT THAT THE SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL HAVE MOVED INTO THE GREAT LAKES...SHOULD HELP TO PUSH THE ACTION SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA FOR A TIME. IT APPEARS SATURDAY WILL BE DRY. HAVE KEPT THIS TREND FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. BUT THE BOUNDARY WHICH WAS LURKING TO OUR SOUTH WILL START TO LIFT NORTHWARD AGAIN...FEEDING OFF THE AVAILABLE MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY TO GENERATE MORE STORMS ACROSS IOWA. SOME OF THESE COULD MOVE NORTHWARD INTO THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT...AND ESPECIALLY ON SUNDAY. .LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MEDIUM RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT AND KEEP THE AREA IN A GENERAL ZONAL FLOW REGIME ON THE NORTHERN FRINGE OF THE RIDGING WHICH DOMINATES THE SOUTHERN TIER STATES. THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONTAL BOUNDARY MEANDER NORTH AND SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION...AND WILL WORK IN CONCERT WITH PASSING SHORT WAVE TROUGHS RIPPLING THROUGH THE FLOW TO GENERATE CONVECTION FROM TIME TO TIME. LOOKS LIKE ENOUGH SURFACE RIDGING WILL NOSE IN FOR THURSDAY TO SHIFT ALL OF THE ACTION SOUTH OF THE REGION FOR THURSDAY...SO WENT WITH A DRY FORECAST. OF COURSE...WITH SCATTERED CONVECTION AND THE FRONT MEANDERING ABOUT...THE CONFIDENCE IN TIMING ANY DRY OR WET PERIODS DURING THE LONG TERM REMAINS ON THE LOW SIDE. && .HYDROLOGY... WITH REPEATED RAIN ACTIVITY OVER THE PAST WEEK AND FAIRLY MOIST SOILS...AND WITH RAIN IN THE FORECAST NEARLY EVERY DAY FOR THE NEXT WEEK...HYDROLOGIC CONCERNS CONTINUE TO BE ELEVATED. WITH MOIST SOILS...RIVERS ARE RESPONDING TO EVEN THE SMALLEST AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL. ANY AREA THAT SEES HEAVY RAINFALL...OR ANY TRAINING OF STORMS ACROSS THE SAME AREA...WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SEE RUNOFF PROBLEMS. THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED. && .AVIATION... FOCUS FOR THE TAF SITES CENTER ON THUNDERSTORM TIMING AND INTENSITY HEADING INTO THE EVENING HOURS. AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS SOUTHEAST WINDS ALSO REMAIN QUITE STRONG BUT WITH CONVECTION DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED TO THE WEST OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...HAVE ATTEMPTED TO TIME BEST THREAT FOR STRONG STORMS AT TAF LOCATIONS. CERTAINLY A RISK OF SEVERE WIND GUSTS AS WELL SO INCLUDED THAT WITH SQUALL WIND SHIFT IN FORECASTS. ONCE CONVECTION PUSHES THROUGH THIS EVENING...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL BUT COULD SEE REPEAT PERFORMANCE FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH BOUNDARY NEARBY AND STORMS EXPECTED TO FORM IN THE AREA AFTER 18.18Z. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && SHORT/LONG TERM/HYDROLOGY...MW AVIATION...SHEA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1150 AM CDT THU JUN 17 2010 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-181100- ADAMS-ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CHICKASAW-CLARK-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-DODGE- FAYETTE-FILLMORE-FLOYD-GRANT-HOUSTON-HOWARD-JACKSON-JUNEAU-LA CROSSE- MITCHELL-MONROE-MOWER-OLMSTED-RICHLAND-TAYLOR-TREMPEALEAU-VERNON- WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA- 1150 AM CDT THU JUN 17 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA... SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY THIS AFTERNOON CLOSER TO THE DAKOTAS AND THEN PROGRESS EAST BY EARLY EVENING. AS THEY APPROACH THEY COULD FORM A SQUALL LINE WHICH WILL HAVE THE GREATEST POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS BEFORE WEAKENING. LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND EVEN AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE... MAINLY WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE THREAT TIME FOR SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS TO BE 5 PM TO 10 PM WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...AND FROM 7 PM TO MIDNIGHT IN WISCONSIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ON FRIDAY ALONG AND AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. STORMS COULD FORM IN THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL... HEAVY RAIN AND EVEN TORNADOES BEFORE MOVING TO THE EAST AND SOUTH OF THE AREA FRIDAY EVENING. ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD INTO THE AREA STARTING SATURDAY NIGHT AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WITH REPEATED ROUNDS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE...THE THREAT FOR FLOODING WILL BE INCREASING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION APPEARS LIKELY LATER TODAY...ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA. A WATCH WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED LATER THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING AND AS STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS APPROACH...ASSUME ACTIVATION IS NEEDED. SPOTTERS MAY AGAIN BE NEEDED ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS STORMS DEVELOP. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO WEBINAR OR CONFERENCE CALL IS SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME. SHEA
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
902 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 PM HAIL 1 SE BYRON 44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010 M1.00 INCH OLMSTED MN AMATEUR RADIO
&&
DAVISPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
904 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0904 PM TSTM WND GST 1 SE BYRON 44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010 M80 MPH OLMSTED MN EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
DAVISPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
911 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0911 PM TSTM WND GST 1 SE BYRON 44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010 M60 MPH OLMSTED MN AMATEUR RADIO
&&
DAVISSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 919 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010 IAZ010-011-029-030-MNZ079-088-095-096-WIZ029-032>034-041-042-053>055- 061-180515- ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CLARK-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-FAYETTE-FILLMORE-GRANT- HOUSTON-JACKSON-LA CROSSE-MONROE-RICHLAND-TREMPEALEAU-VERNON-WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA- 919 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010 ...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING... AT 917 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR LAKE CITY MINNESOTA...TO OSAGE IOWA. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH....WITH THE THE LINE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THESE STORM WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS OF 55 TO 65 MPH...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS OF RAIN ALONG WITH HAIL UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM FRIDAY MORNING FOR NORTHEASTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN. RABERDING
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
926 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0920 PM TSTM WND GST POTSDAM 44.16N 92.35W
06/17/2010 E50 MPH OLMSTED MN EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
DAVISPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
928 PM CDT THU JUN 17 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0920 PM TSTM WND GST PLAINVIEW 44.17N 92.17W
06/17/2010 M48 MPH WABASHA MN EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
DAVISThe La Crosse radar (KARX), 148 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:31 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Media reports indicate several large trees were uprooted.
Numerous trees and power lines were reported down throughout the county.
A large tree limb was blown down across Highway 63.
Power lines were blown down. Media reports indicate a large tree was blown down onto a house but the house did not sustain any structural damage. Other large tree limbs were also blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, June 2010
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: 236924, 227105, 227107, 227108.