High Wind in Iowa, February 29, 2012

Name: High Wind in Iowa, February 29, 2012
Start: 2012-02-29T06:00
End: 2012-02-29T16:00
Location: Iowa

February 29, 2012 · NWS DMX · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $300,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.

An intense low pressure area moved from northeast Nebraska, across southern Minnesota, into southern Wisconsin during the night of the 28th through the day on the 29th. The dry low pushed over Iowa during the night and produced gusty southwest winds. During the day, a tropospheric fold developed with the fold reaching down to 540 mb. This helped to enhance wind speeds across the state. High winds begin around sunrise with wind gusts of 69 MPH in the Rockwell City area of Calhoun County by 0740 CST. In Carroll County, the Carroll Mesonet site recorded a 61 MPH wind gust by 0618 CST. Other strong gusts included a 67 MPH wind gust in Dawson, a 61 MPH wind gust in Webster County, and a 60 MPH wind gust near Webster City in Hamilton County. The winds in Hamilton County were accompanied by 2 inches of snow and a brief visibility restriction to about 500 feet. Spotty reports of winds of 55 to 60 MPH were also received, such as a 58 MPH wind gust at Fontanelle in Adair County. Sustained winds of 40 to 45 MPH were common across the high wind warning area through much of the morning into the mid afternoon hours. Winds diminished by the mid to late afternoon hours. Spotty reports of damage were received. A canopy of a gas station was blown off in Calhoun County in Manson. In addition, part of the roof of a school in Manson was ripped off. Tree and power line damage was reported in Carroll and Guthrie Counties in the Coon Rapids area.

What forecasters said that day

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 Feb 29, 5:48 AM CST, 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 29, 5:48 AM CST, 12 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
547 CST WED FEB 29 2012

...UPDATED FOR THE 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION...

.SHORT TERM /TODAY/...
988 MB LOW PRESSURE CENTERED NEAR ESTHERVILLE AT 3 AM THIS MORNING
IS SHIFTING EAST NORTHEAST THIS MORNING. LEAD TROUGH EXTENDING
SOUTHEAST OF THE LOW IS STRETCHED THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA WITH GUSTY
SOUTHWEST WINDS AND COLD ADVECTION SPILLING INTO THE STATE. HOW
OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN! THE LOW WILL BE OVER CNTRL WISCONSIN BY LATE
THIS AFTERNOON. AS THIS OCCURS...THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN
OVER THE STATE AND WILL BE 40-50 UBARS/KM OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF
THE AREA MUCH OF THE DAY. STRONG DIFFERENTIAL COLD ADVECTION WILL
CREATE A WELL MIXED LOW LEVELS TODAY AND COMBINED WITH THE COLD
ADVECTION AND SUBSIDENCE OVER THE SOUTH...WILL YIELD HIGHLY
EFFICIENT MOMENTUM TRANSFER OF THE TOP LAYER OF THE MIXED LAYER
WINDS TO THE SURFACE. THIS WILL RESULT IN SOME WIND GUSTS
APPROACHING 55 MPH SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 20. FARTHER NORTH...WIND GUSTS
IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH STILL POSSIBLE DESPITE MORE SHALLOW MIXING AS
THIS IS THE REGION WITH THE STRONGER PRESSURE GRADIENT AND FOCUS
AREA FOR SUBSTANTIAL HEIGHT RISES THIS AFTERNOON.

THE WINDS ARE A GIVEN TODAY. THE PRIMARY CHALLENGE TODAY IS SNOW
POTENTIAL OVER THE NORTH. LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE HAS SHIFTED THE LOWS
TRACK A BIT FURTHER SOUTH. SUGGESTIONS THAT A PORTION OF THE WARM
CONVEYOR BELT TO THE NORTH IS GOING TO WRAP AROUND THE SOUTHWEST
QUAD OF THE SYSTEM WITH SNOW DEVELOPING. SOUNDING PROFILES SHOW
THERMAL PROFILES COOL WELL BELOW 0C THROUGH MUCH OF THE LAYER THOUGH
SHALLOW WARM LAYER NEAR SFC LIKELY EXAGGERATED. TIME HEIGHT CROSS
SECTIONS THROUGH THE REGION PRIMARY FORCING WILL BE NEAR PRIME
DENDRITIC GROWTH REGION. WITH THIS...HAVE SNOW WITH A LITTLE OVER AN
INCH ACCUMULATION OVER THE NORTH THOUGH LATEST GUIDANCE SUGGEST
POSSIBLY A BIT MORE. THANKFULLY...NO SNOW COVER CURRENTLY OVER THE
REGION THEREFORE ANY STUBBLE AND REMAINING TALL GRASS WILL LIMIT
BLOWING WITH ANY SNOW UNDER AN INCH. IF ACCUMULATIONS EXCEED
CURRENT FORECAST...THEN WINTER WEATHER HEADLINES FOR BLOWING SNOW
WILL BE REQUIRED. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TRENDS BUT AS OF
NOW...WIND HEADLINES REMAIN IN PLACE.

.LONG TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
FOCUS FOR THE MID/LONG RANGE WILL BE ON WARMING THURSDAY AND THEN
SYSTEM TO PUSH INTO THE CWA THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT.
BRIEF UPPER LEVEL RIDGING...AND STRONG WAA TO PUSH INTO THE CWA
THURSDAY WITH H85 TEMPS CLIMBING TO AROUND +6C OR WARMER. WITH SOUTH
TO SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AT THE SURFACE AND SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW
ALOFT...SHOULD WARM NICELY INTO THE 40S ACROSS NORTHERN CWA AND 50S
TO AROUND 60 ACROSS SOUTHERN CWA. TEMPERATURES A LITTLE COOLER
ACROSS NORTHWEST/NORTH WHERE GREATER CLOUD COVER IS EXPECTED.

UPPER RIDGE THEN SHIFTS EAST LATER THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY...AS BROAD
UPPER TROUGH DIGS INTO THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. ENERGY ALOFT
CONTINUES TO STREAM NORTHEASTWARD LIFTING OUT OF THE BASE OF THE
WESTERN US TROUGH AND THROUGH THE REGION. ELONGATED SFC LOW
STRETCHING FROM CENTRAL OK TO CENTRAL MO BY THURSDAY EVENING...WITH
IT DEEPENING CONSOLIDATING AND LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO THE OHIO
VALLEY BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. MAY SEE A CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT PRECIP
ACROSS FAR NORTHEASTERN CWA IN AREA OF WAA THURSDAY EVENING.
OTHERWISE GREATER CHANCE FOR PRECIP COMES FRIDAY ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN
HALF OF CWA AS BAROCLINIC ZONE SETS UP ACROSS THE STATE...AND
STRONGER UPPER WAVE LIFTS NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE STATE. EVEN WITH
TEMPERATURES ALOFT BELOW FREEZING...NEAR SURFACE TEMPS MAY BE WARM
ENOUGH FOR RAIN/RASN MIX WITH TRANSITION TO SNOW FURTHER NORTH
ACROSS THE CWA.

UPPER TROUGH SHIFTS EAST ACROSS THE REGION INTO THE WEEKEND...WITH
COOLER AIRMASS IN PLACE AND ANY PRECIPITATION EXPECTED TO REMAIN TO
THE NORTH/EAST OF THE CWA. BROAD UPPER RIDGE TO BUILD INTO THE CWA
FOR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK WITH MUCH WARMER TEMPS ALOFT PUSHING
INTO THE STATE. THEREFORE HAVE A WARMING TREND INTO THE WORK WEEK.
MODELS TRYING TO BRING ANOTHER SYSTEM THROUGH THE AREA JUST BEYOND
THE CURRENT FORECAST PERIOD...SO WILL HAVE TO MONITOR OVER THE NEXT
FEW DAYS. OTHERWISE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK LOOKING DRY AT THIS
TIME.

&&

.AVIATION...29/12
LOW PRESSURE THROUGH SRN MN TO CNTRL WI TODAY WILL BRING STRONG
WINDS TO IOWA TODAY WITH A FEW GUSTS OVER 45 KT POSSIBLE. IN
ADDITION...A BAND OF LIGHT SNOW WILL AFFECT THE NORTHERN SITES
THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW LEVEL BLOWING TO OCCUR.
THE WIND WILL DIMINISH A BIT WITH SUNSET THEN DROP OFF TO BELOW 10
KTS OVERNIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE ARRIVES FROM THE WEST. CIGS TODAY
WILL BE MVFR TO IFR OVER THE NORTH AND BECOMING MVFR TO THE SOUTH.
SOME BREAKS POSSIBLE IN THE CLOUDS OVERNIGHT. FOG COULD DEVELOP IF
CLEARING DOES OCCUR. DID NOT MENTION YET WITH THIS FORECAST.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

WIND ADVISORY FOR ENTIRE CWA UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING.

&&

SHORT TERM...DONAVON
LONG TERM...BEERENDS
AVIATION...DONAVON

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 29, 5:19 AM CST, 41 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
519 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-011100-
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-
519 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR
FURTHER DETAILS.

LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TODAY...WITH LOCALIZED AREAS OF BLOWING
SNOW POSSIBLE DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS AND LIGHT SNOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

IAZ033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-011100-
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-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS-
UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-
APPANOOSE-DAVIS-
519 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE REFER
TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

MJB

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Calhoun

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Calhoun forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.385, -94.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Webster

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.428, -94.182 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hamilton

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.384, -93.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Carroll

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Carroll forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.036, -94.861 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Greene

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Greene forecast zone
Measured: 37 kt (43 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.036, -94.397 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Boone

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.037, -93.932 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Story

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Story forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.036, -93.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Audubon

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Audubon forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 41.685, -94.906 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Guthrie

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Guthrie forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 41.684, -94.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dallas

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Dallas forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.685, -94.040 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Polk

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Measured: 37 kt (43 mph) measured sustained
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 41.686, -93.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cass

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) measured sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 41.332, -94.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Adair

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Adair forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 41.331, -94.471 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Madison

When: February 29, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 36 kt (41 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 41.331, -94.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, February 2012

Sources

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: 358832, 358833, 358834, 358835, 358836, 358837, 358838, 358839, 358840, 358842, 358843, 358844, 358845, 358847.