A cold front moved southeast into Iowa during the afternoon hours. The airmass remained quite unstable in spite of the convection that took place during the morning.
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.
A cold front moved southeast into Iowa during the afternoon hours. The airmass remained quite unstable in spite of the convection that took place during the morning. CAPE by mid afternoon was in the 3000 to 4000 J/kg range with lifted indices in the -5 to -8 C range. Shear values were quite high, in the 50 to 70 kt range. The freezing level increased during the day and was around 14,500 feet by the afternoon. Available CAPE in the -10 to -30 C layer of the atmosphere was in the 500 to 700 J/kg range. Significant downdraft CAPE was present in the 700 to 900 J/kg range. Storms formed along the cold front and raced east quite rapidly. Though there was 1.75 inches of precipitable water, the narrowness of the line and the speed of movement limited the rainfall totals. Most of the storms produced wind gusts of 30 to 40 MPH and pea size hail. One storm east of Boone produced high winds, which moved a vehicle that was in park about 10 feet. A narrow line became more cohesive by early evening. A brief spin-up tornado touched down in Warren County east of St. Charles. VORTEX-2 observed the tornado as it crossed the Interstate just south of Highway 92. As the line of storms progressed they turned into a forward propagating system and produced high winds as they crossed Appanoose County.
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 Jun 5, 3:25 PM CST, 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 425 PM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/... CDFNT MOVG A BIT SLOWER THAN MODELS INDICATED...BUT WITH SFC WAVE ADVANCING RAPIDLY ACRS IA EXPECT TO SEE THE CDFNT PUSH SE SVR WX A POSSIBILITY OVR THE SWRN HLF OF THE STATE WITH THE BEST CHC OVR THE SWRN COUNTIES. DECENT SHEAR IN THE 0-1 KM LYR AND INC CAPE SUGGEST ATMOS BCMG MORE FAVORABLE. TSRA OVF NRN IA MAY CONSOLIDATE...BUT NOT BE THE REAL SHOW. WILL RUN A PRE-1ST PD FCST TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT INIT CONVECTION. SHOULD SEE THINGS MOVE OUT OF THE CWA FAIRLY QUICLY THIS EVE AS PUSH OF DRIER AIR ADVANCES THE CDFNT OUT OF IA BY ERY TO MID EVE. AFT THE INIT PUSH OF COOLER AIR...WINDS WILL SLACKEN AND DRY AIR ADVN WILL FAULTER SIM TO WHAT HAPPENED A FEW NGTS AGO. HELD TEMPS A BIT ABV MOS FOR THAT REASON. .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... THE LONG TERM CONTINUES TO BE A DIFFICULT PERIOD TO FORECAST WITH GENERALLY ZONAL FLOW AND NUMEROUS SHORT WAVES MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW. SINCE CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING TIMING AND THE MODELS HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH FROM THEIR PREVIOUS RUNS I MADE LITTLE CHANGE TO TIMING OF THUNDERSTORMS. I DID HOWEVER WARM TEMPS FROM THURSDAY NIGHT ON. RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST DURING THIS PERIOD AND FAIRLY STRONG WARM ADVECTION TAKES PLACE OVER IOWA. HOWEVER...THE PARADE OF SHORTWAVES ALSO CONTINUES SO I LEFT CHANCE OR SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THROUGH THE PERIOD AND EVEN INCREASED POPS FOR FRIDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 9 PM SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80. WIDESPREAD THREE TO SIX INCH RAINFALL LAST NIGHT HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS ROADS TO CLOSE WITH RECORD FLOODING ON THE EAST FORK OF THE 102 RIVER IN BEDFORD. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. MORE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING WITH AGAIN A HEAVY RAIN THREAT. THE STORMS SHOULD MOVE THROUGH MORE QUICKLY TONIGHT AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP OVER THE SAME AREA AS THEY DID LAST NIGHT. HOWEVER...SINCE FLOODING IS ALREADY UNDERWAY...ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLOODING. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ADAIR-ADAMS- APPANOOSE-CASS-CLARKE-DAVIS-DECATUR-LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION- MONROE-RINGGOLD-TAYLOR-UNION-WAPELLO-WARREN-WAYNE. && .SHORT TERM/AVIATION...MS .LONG TERM/HYDROLOGY...FAB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 553 AM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 IAZ075-085-086-096-097-061100- MAHASKA-MONROE-WAPELLO-APPANOOSE-DAVIS- 553 AM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER EXISTS TODAY. THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THIS MORNING WITH HEAVY RAINFALL...QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND 60 MPH WINDS POSSIBLE. MORE SIGNIFICANT STORMS MAY DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW TORNADOES... 2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND 75 MPH WINDS ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 3 PM AND 9 PM TODAY. ADDITIONAL AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE DURING THIS PERIOD. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR MONDAY...TUESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR THIS PERIOD WILL BE BETTER DEFINED IN THE COMING DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 3 PM AND 9 PM TODAY. IAZ047>050-057>062-070>074-081>084-092>095-061100- BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER- POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS- TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE- 553 AM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS EXIST TODAY. STORMS THIS MORNING COULD PRODUCE QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO...HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL AND 65 MPH WINDS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR MONDAY...TUESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR THIS PERIOD WILL BE BETTER DEFINED IN THE COMING DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY. IAZ044>046-061100- CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE- 553 AM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS EXIST TODAY. STORMS THIS MORNING COULD PRODUCE QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO...QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND 65 MPH WINDS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR MONDAY...TUESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR THIS PERIOD WILL BE BETTER DEFINED IN THE COMING DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY. IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-061100- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN- WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK- 553 AM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST FOR TODAY. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM WITH QUARTER SIZED HAIL IS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OCCUR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SCATTERED MAINLY NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY. ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR MONDAY...TUESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR THIS PERIOD WILL BE BETTER DEFINED IN THE COMING DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. DONAVON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
155 PM CDT SAT JUN 05 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 PM FLOOD 6 SE BEDFORD 40.61N 94.64W
06/05/2010 TAYLOR IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
WATER OVER THE ROAD...ROAD CLOSED ON 317TH BETWEEN ORANGE
AND MONTANA ST.
&&
BFSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 445 PM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 IAZ036>039-047>050-059>061-072-073-052345- HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA- DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-MADISON-WARREN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WEBSTER CITY...ELDORA...GRUNDY CENTER... WATERLOO...BOONE...AMES...MARSHALLTOWN...TOLEDO...ADEL... DES MOINES...NEWTON...WINTERSET...INDIANOLA 445 PM CDT SAT JUN 5 2010 ...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS EVENING... A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM AUDUBON TO STRATFORD...PARKERSBURG AND WAVERLY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AROUND 45 MPH LATE THIS AFTERNOON. ANY OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF QUICKLY BECOMING SEVERE...AND PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...OR EVEN A TORNADO. AREAS FROM ADEL TO AMES...GRUNDY CENTER AND WATERLOO WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS BY 530 PM...WITH THE DES MOINES METRO AREA AFFECTED AROUND 6 PM. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL OCCUR...WITH RAINFALL RATES OVER ONE INCH PER HOUR POSSIBLE. MOYER
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 57 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:51 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Vehicle moved 10 feet by winds. Vehicle was in park.
VORTEX 2 member reported a tornado crossing Interstate 35 south of Highway 92. Tornado dissappeared in the rain east of the interstate.
Power poles snapped and shingles torn off of a roof. Trees were also topped by strong straight line winds.
Power lines were downed.
Several large branches were downed and a few trees as well.
A trained spotter said a thunderstorm wind gust struck his northbound pickup truck from the west and pushed the truck over a lane.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2010Warnings 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: 223656, 223663, 223683, 223682, 223685, 223684.