For the second straight day, thunderstorms developed during the afternoon across northeast Iowa. Some of these storms produced severe wind gusts with a 60 mph gust occurring southeast of Garnavillo (Clayton County).
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.
For the second straight day, thunderstorms developed during the afternoon across northeast Iowa. Some of these storms produced severe wind gusts with a 60 mph gust occurring southeast of Garnavillo (Clayton 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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 30, 2:07 PM CST, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
307 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT AND FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 307 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
IMMEDIATE CONCERN WILL BE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM/FLASH FLOOD THREAT THIS
EVENING.
WATER VAPOR IMAGERY THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS A FAIRLY DEEP/NEGATIVELY
TILTED MID-LEVEL LONG WAVE TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS.
EMBEDDED WITH THIS TROUGH WAS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH EJECTING OUT OF
EASTERN KS/WESTERN MO. THIS WAS KICKING OFF CONVECTION ACROSS THAT
AREA. AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM...ACROSS OUR AREA...MODERATE/STRONG 850MB
MOISTURE TRANSPORT WAS PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
IN PRETTY MUCH UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW THROUGH THE LOWEST 6 KM PER
PROFILER DATA.
EXPECTING CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS/BOWING SEGMENTS TO LIFT THROUGH
THE AREA INTO THIS EVENING. WILL ALSO HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON
TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS WITH IMPRESSIVE HELICITY IN PLACE WITH
NEGATIVELY TILTED SURFACE TROUGH//GOOD TURNING IN THE LOWEST 3KM//
PUSHING THROUGH. EXPECTING SEVERE THREAT TO LAST UNTIL 9 PM...THEN
SIMMERING DOWN AFTERWARDS WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS TROUGH AND
MOISTURE TRANSPORT SHIFTING EAST OF THE AREA.
WITH A VERY MOIST AIRMASS IN PLACE AND RELATIVELY HIGH MELTING
LEVEL...LOOK FOR THE LIKELIHOOD OF TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS FROM ANY
GIVEN THUNDERSTORM. THIS WILL NO DOUBT LEAD TO MORE HYDROLOGY ISSUES
WHICH IS COVERED IN THE HYDROLOGY SECTION BELOW.
ON FRIDAY...LOOK FOR A COLD FRONT TO PUSH EAST OUT OF THE PLAINS
INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER REGION. HOWEVER...MODELS ARE TAKING
BETTER 925-850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT EAST AND SOUTH OF THE AREA. AS
SUCH...TAILORED SHOWER THUNDERSTORMS PROBABILITIES FROM LIKELY
ACROSS NORTHEAST IA INTO CENTRAL WI AND 50-55 POPS OVER THE REST OF
THE AREA. OTHERWISE...LOOK FOR HIGHS RIGHT AROUND NORMAL IN THE
70S.
.LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)
ISSUED AT 307 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
FOR FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...WILL SEE THE CLOSED LOW OVER
THE DAKOTAS MOVE THROUGH THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY REGION.
STEEP LAPSE RATES UNDER THE COOL CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE
TO PRODUCE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN
BUILD INTO THE REGION SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY FINALLY FOR A PERIOD OF
DRY WEATHER. LOOK FOR COOLER HIGHS SUNDAY AND MONDAY IN THE 60S.
THIS DRY PERIOD WILL BE BRIEF THOUGH AS MODELS SHOWING GOOD
CONSISTENCY IN BRINGING YET ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND
ASSOCIATED SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM CHANCES FROM SOUTHERN CANADA AND THE
NORTHERN PLAINS INTO THE REGION TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. COOLER
THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO RESULT WITH HIGHS CONTINUING
MAINLY IN THE 60S.
&&
.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED
AT 1225 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
FORECAST THIS PERIOD REMAINS DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. ANOTHER ROUND OF MORE WIDESPREAD SHRA/TSRA EXPECTED TO
SPREAD ACROSS THE TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING WITH PERIOD OF
MVFR CIGS AND IFR/MVFR VSBYS IN STRONGER STORM CORES. GENERALLY LEFT
TSRA MENTION IN TAFS FOR THIS AFTERNOON AS VCTS AND CB DUE TO
UNCERTAINTIES OF THE TIMING AND TSRA PASSING OVER A TAF SITE. PLAN
ON TAF UPDATES AS CONVECTION MODE/TIMING BECOME CLEARER THRU THE
AFTERNOON.
TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINS OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON FOR
SOUTH WINDS 15-20KT G25-30KTS. GRADIENT RELAXES A BIT TONIGHT BUT
WIND LOOK TO REMAIN SOUTH 10-15KTS...FOR GOOD BOUNDARY LAYER
STIRRING/MIXING TO LIMIT BR FORMATION. ONCE THE MID LEVEL TROUGH
AXIS PASSES TONIGHT...SFC TO MID LEVEL FLOW SWINGS A BIT MORE
SOUTHWEST...BRINGING SOME SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR INTO THE AREA.
GENERALLY SCT030 CLOUDS EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT/FRI MORNING BEHIND
THIS PASSING FEATURE.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT
ISSUED AT 307 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
HEAVY RAINFALL RESULTED FROM THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES REPORTED ACROSS
PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 4 INCHES WERE ALSO REPORTED IN
NORTHEAST IOWA. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED
ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING...WHICH COULD LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING. DUE TO ALREADY SATURATED SOILS...RUNOFF WILL LIKELY
PRODUCE FLOODING ISSUES. ALSO...AREA RIVERS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO
SEE RISES AND POSSIBLE FLOODING WITH ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL. HAVE
THEREFORE CONTINUED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH INTO TONIGHT FOR AREAS
MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-94.
&&
.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR WIZ032>034-041-042-
053>055-061.
MN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR MNZ079-086>088-
094>096.
IA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR IAZ008>011-018-019-
029-030.
&&
SHORT TERM...DAS
LONG TERM....DAS
AVIATION.....RRS
HYDROLOGY....DASHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1201 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 WIZ017-029-043-044-311100- ADAMS-CLARK-JUNEAU-TAYLOR- 1201 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING OR RIVER FLOODING. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES THE MAIN THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY FOR PARTS OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY...WITH ISOLATED CHANCES SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. SOME RIVERS AND STREAMS COULD RUN HIGH THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES RETURN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...MANLY BETWEEN 2 PM AND 7 PM. RAINFALL REPORTS ARE APPRECIATED. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO WEBINAR IS SCHEDULED. IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ032>034-041- 042-053>055-061-311100- ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CHICKASAW-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-DODGE-FAYETTE-FILLMORE- FLOYD-GRANT-HOUSTON-HOWARD-JACKSON-LA CROSSE-MITCHELL-MONROE-MOWER- OLMSTED-RICHLAND-TREMPEALEAU-VERNON-WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA- 1201 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...NORTHEAST IOWA...AND SOUTHWEST INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT ALONG WITH SEVERAL AREAL FLOOD AND RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN MORE FLASH FLOODING OR RIVER FLOODING. A FEW STORMS COULD BE SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...WITH DAMAGING WINDS...ISOLATED TORNADOES AND THE HEAVY RAINS THE MAIN THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY FOR PARTS OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY...WITH ISOLATED CHANCES SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THERE WILL BE A SMALL SEVERE THREAT FRIDAY...MOSTLY FOR NORTHEAST IOWA AND FAR SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. FLASH FLOODING...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE THREATS. MANY RIVERS WILL BE IN FLOOD OR RUNNING HIGH THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES RETURN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...MAINLY BETWEEN 2 PM AND 7 PM. SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED AGAIN ON FRIDAY OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA AND FAR SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. RAINFALL REPORTS ARE APPRECIATED. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO WEBINAR IS SCHEDULED. DAS/RIECK/RRS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
244 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0243 PM TSTM WND GST 1 S LANCASTER 42.83N 90.71W
05/30/2013 M70 MPH GRANT WI 911 CALL CENTER
IN THE ORCHARD MANOR AREA
&&
GLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
429 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0356 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NW BIG FLATS 44.16N 89.86W
05/30/2013 ADAMS WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
0416 PM TSTM WND DMG ADAMS 43.56N 92.72W
05/30/2013 MOWER MN 911 CALL CENTER
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
0427 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 SW GRAND MARSH 43.86N 89.77W
05/30/2013 ADAMS WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
&&
SHEASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 441 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 IAZ011-029-030-WIZ053>055-061-302345- ALLAMAKEE-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-FAYETTE-GRANT-RICHLAND-VERNON- 441 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 ...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN... AT 436 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM CEDAR RAPIDS TO NEAR THE QUAD CITIES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTHEAST IOWA BETWEEN 500 AND 515 PM...AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN BETWEEN 515 AND 530 PM. WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WILL LIKELY ACCOMPANY THESE THUNDERSTORMS. SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED AS THESE STORMS GET CLOSER. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... OELWEIN...MAYNARD...FAYETTE...ARLINGTON...WEST UNION AND STRAWBERRY POINT...VIROQUA...RICHLAND CENTER...LANCASTER...CUBA CITY...LANSING...HARPERS FERRY...BOSCOBEL A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM THURSDAY EVENING FOR NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN. PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER. MOVE INDOORS AND IF A WARNING IS ISSUED...TAKE ACTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. ZT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
459 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0416 PM TSTM WND DMG ADAMS 43.96N 89.82W
05/30/2013 ADAMS WI 911 CALL CENTER
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
&&
SHEAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
521 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0519 PM TSTM WND GST EDGEWOOD 42.65N 91.40W
05/30/2013 E50 MPH CLAYTON IA FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
NEARLY ZERO VISIBILITY WITH HEAVY RAIN
&&
SHEAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
528 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0326 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 W GOTHAM 43.21N 90.38W
05/30/2013 RICHLAND WI EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES DOWN NEAR COUNTY LINE
&&
SHEAThe La Crosse radar (KARX), 112 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:41 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
An estimated wind gust of 60 mph occurred southeast of Garnavillo.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, May 2013
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: 449855.