A strong cold front pushed into a very warm unstable air mass as a significant upper level storm system tracked into the northern Great Lakes on June 29-30, 2014. A major severe weather and flash flood event unfolded across the area.
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 strong cold front pushed into a very warm unstable air mass as a significant upper level storm system tracked into the northern Great Lakes on June 29-30, 2014. A major severe weather and flash flood event unfolded across the area. This event resulted in the direct deaths of 2 people and direct injuries to 7 others. Three weak tornadoes, widespread damaging winds of 60 to 80 mph, and life-threatening flash flooding due to 4 to 6 inches of rainfall was reported. Two of the tornadoes were in northeast Iowa while another tornado was spotted in northwest Illinois. Law enforcement reported a business building destroyed by high winds from a severe thunderstorm in Fairfax, Iowa. One person was killed and another injured due to the collapsed structure. A severe thunderstorm packing 80 mph winds blew a tarp on top of several people trying to cover the infield at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Three people suffered concussions while another person had a dislocated shoulder. In North Liberty, Iowa a tree fell on a person who was then transported to a local hospital. Severe flash flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa resulted in the drowning death of a teenage boy with another boy injured. They were swept into a storm sewer and were found a mile away in a lake.
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 29, 5:31 PM CST, 4 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 631 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 SOME HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE STORMS MOVING INTO FAR WESTERN COUNTIES AROUND 23-00Z...WHILE OTHERS DELAY MORE SIGNIFICANT STORMS UNTIL LATER IN THE EVENING. OVERALL CONFIDENCE IS RATHER LOW IN ANY PARTICULAR SOLUTION...BUT HAVE TAILORED THE POPS FOR THE EARLIER SCENARIO. SOUTHWEST COUNTIES REMAIN OUTLOOKED IN MODERATE RISK...WITH SLIGHT RISK ELSEWHERE. ISOLATED TORNADOES CANNOT BE RULED OUT WITH STORMS INTERACTING WITH VARIOUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. HOWEVER...THE MAIN THREAT THROUGH THE EVENT WILL LIKELY BE VERY STRONG STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...POTENTIALLY IN THE 70 TO 80 MPH RANGE. THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT FOR TONIGHT LOOKS TO BE RATHER LOCALIZED AS RAINFALL AMOUNTS LAST NIGHT WERE LIMITED TO 1-1.5 INCHES...AND MOST AREAS CAN TAKE ANOTHER SHOT OF RAIN. LOOKING AHEAD TO MONDAY...DEEP LAYER SHEAR AND MOISTURE LOOK EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE...INCLUDING PWAT VALUES PROGGED AOA 2 INCHES. THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA IS IN A HIGHER END SLIGHT RISK FOR MONDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING...AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A LATER UPGRADE FOR AT LEAST PARTS OF THE CWA TO A MOD RISK. ALL MODES OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE A THREAT...INCLUDING ISOLATED TORNADOES. AFTER TWO ROUNDS OF RAIN SAT/SUN...A MORE WIDESPREAD THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED MONDAY...POSSIBLY NECESSITATING A FLASH FLOOD WATCH BY LATER SHIFTS. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL HAVE IMPLICATIONS LATER THIS WEEK FOR AREA TRIBUTARIES AND THE MAINSTEM MISSISSIPPI. SEE HYDRO DISCUSSION BELOW. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH NEXT SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 MONDAY NIGHT...CHANCES ARE THAT A SVR MCS WILL BE ONGOING ACRS PORTIONS OR MOST OF THE DVN CWA EARLY IN THE PERIOD...WITH HIGHER COVERAGE AREAS SHIFTING ACRS THE MS RVR AND INTO NW IL THROUGH 02Z BEFORE PROPAGATING OUT OF THE CWA. THIS SIDING WITH MORE PROGRESSIVE SOLUTIONS. SHEAR PROFILES...UPPER JET FORCING UNDER RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION...PWATS AT 2 INCHES OR HIGHER...AND CAPE FOR THE STORMS TO CONTINUE TO FEED ON ARE ALL STILL VERY IMPRESSIVE MON EVENING TO FUEL SVR STORMS WITH ALL MODES STILL CAPABLE OF BEING MET...MAYBE TRANSITIONING MORE TO THE DAMAGING WIND AS A PRIMARY THREAT. THAT AND FLASH FLOODING WITH STILL EXPECTED INTENSE RAINFALL RATES AT OVER 2 INCHES AN HOUR THROUGH MID MON EVENING WITH ANY STORM CLUSTERS OR BOWING SEGMENTS. POST FRONTAL WESTERLIES/SFC WINDS LOOK TO BE BRISK ENOUGH TO PREVENT FOG FROM FORMING AS COOLER AIR SURGES INTO THE AREA BY TUE MORNING. MAY HAVE TO WATCH FOR WAKE LOW STRONG WINDS GUSHING BACK OUT OF DEPARTING MCS DURING THE MID TO LATE EVENING PERIOD. LOWS IN THE 60S IN MOST OF THE CWA BY TUE MORNING. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...COOL CORE L/W TROF-UPPER LOW ESTABLISHES ACRS THE NORTHERN GRT LKS/JAMES BAY REGIONS THIS PERIOD. STEERING NORTHWEST FLOW TO STILL LOOK TO USHER COOLER CANADIAN AIR MASSES DOWN ACRS THE UPPER MIDWEST THROUGH MID WEEK. TIMING OF A VORT SPOKE AND POSSIBLY SOME SHOWERS/STORMS KICKED UP BY IT STILL UNCERTAIN FOR TUE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BUT WILL KEEP LOW CHC POPS GOING IN THE NORTH. HIGHS TUE IN THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S...AND LOW 60S TO AT LEAST MID 50S TUE NIGHT IF ENOUGH BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER CAN OCCUR. BRUNT OF COOL INFLUX LOOKS TO BE ON WED WITH H85 MB TEMPS PROGGED TO ONLY BE IN THE +8C TO +12C RANGE DEPENDING ON THE MODEL. IF ENOUGH CLOUD COVER CAN LINGER OR REDEVELOP IN UNSTABLE LLVLS WITH COOL POOL ALOFT DURING THE DAY ON WED...HIGHS MAY BE HELD DOWN WELL BELOW NORMAL IN THE LOW TO MID 70S...EVEN SOME UPPER 60S POSSIBLE IN THE NORTH. ANOTHER VORT SPOKE POSSIBLE ON WE KICKING UP SCTRD SHOWERS WHICH MAY ALSO KEEP A LID ON TEMP TRENDS. LARGE CANADIAN SFC RIDGE BUILDS DOWN ACRS THE UPPER MIDWEST FOR WED NIGHT...CLEAR OUT AND SFC WIND DECOUPLE COULD ALLOW FOR SOME FOG... AS WELL AS WIDESPREAD 50S FOR LOWS. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY/HOLIDAY...LATEST RUN MEDIUM RANGE PROGS SUGGEST BOTH SFC AND UPPER RIDGING SIDING ACRS THE WESTERN GRT LKS THIS PERIOD TO MAKE FOR DRY AND CONTINUED BELOW NORMAL TEMP REGIME THROUGH THE 4TH OF JULY. HIGHS THU POSSIBLY ONLY IN THE MID 70S EVEN WITH SOME SUNSHINE DO TO LINGERING COOL POOL AND WEAK MIXING REGIME UNDER HIGH CENTER. LIGHT RETURN FLOW BEHIND EASTWARD MIGRATING HIGH PRESSURE TO BRING ABOUT SOME AIRMASS MODERATION FRI WITH HIGHS BACK INT THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S. PREFER THE DRY SOLUTIONS/ECMWF FOR FRI NIGHT WITH LITTLE MOISTURE ALOFT EVIDENT AT THIS JUNCTURE TO FUEL AND ELEVATED WARM AIR ADVECTION WING. NEXT WEEKEND/SAT-SUN/...LONG RANGE TRENDS SUGGEST BROADENING UPPER RIDGE ACRS THE ROCKIES AND WESTERN PLAINS TO POSSIBLY DUMP A WAVE DOWN ACRS THE REGION SOMETIME THIS PERIOD WHICH MAY KICK UP STORM CLUSTERS OR EVEN AN MCS TYPE OCCURRENCE. MOST SOLUTIONS SUGGEST LATE SAT AND ESPECIALLY SAT NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY AS THE WINDOW FOR THIS POTENTIAL. INCREASING RETURN FLOW INTO REMNANTS/BOUNDARIES OF WHAT CAN OCCUR SAT NIGHT MAY ALLOW FOR MORE CONVECTION TO FIRE LATER SUNDAY AND INTO SUNDAY NIGHT. ..12.. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 624 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 ANOTHER CONVECTIVE COMPLEX WILL FIRE THIS EVENING ACROSS IOWA WITH THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY AT ALL THE TERMINALS THROUGH 30/06Z. TEMPO GROUPS FOR IFR CONDITIONS AND GUSTY WINDS TO 40 KTS USED AT ALL THE TERMINALS. PARTLY CLOUDY AFTER 30/06Z...SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT WITH SCT-BKN COVERAGE OF LOW CLOUDS THROUGH 30/15Z WITH BASES 2K AGL OR LESS. AN EVEN STRONGER CONVECTIVE COMPLEX WILL IMPACT THE TERMINALS AFTER 30/18Z WITH WINDS OF 45 KTS OR POSSIBLY MORE WITH IFR AND POSSIBLY LIFR CONDITIONS IN HEAVY RAIN. SOUTH WINDS EXPECTED AT 5 TO 15 KTS EXCEPT MUCH HIGHER IN STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 327 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 WILL KEEP WITH THE IDEA INTRODUCED EARLIER BY THE MIDNIGHT CREW OF BOTH FLASH FLOODING AND ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF RIVER FLOODING TO BE POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT 30 HOURS. STILL THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LOCALIZED TO ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR WITH HEAVY RAIN RATES TONIGHT...BUT MAY BE A BETTER CHANCE MONDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING IN AREAS THAT GET HIT BY HEAVY RAIN TONIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE STILL BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA DEPENDING ON WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS TONIGHT. ALL FCST POINTS ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ARE NOW IN FLOOD OR PROJECTED TO BE IN FLOOD SOON...WITH MANY IN MODERATE TO MAJOR CATEGORY. MORE TRIBS COULD BE ADDED FROM TOMORROW INTO TUE...DEPENDING ON WHERE THE HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING MCS/COMPLEXES OCCUR OR TRAIN ACRS THE SAME AREAS. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && SHORT TERM...RP KINNEY LONG TERM...12 AVIATION...NICHOLS HYDROLOGY...12
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 351 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-301100- 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- 351 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO EASTERN IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...THEN SPREAD EAST THROUGH LATE EVENING. SOME SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED...WITH THE HIGHEST THREAT AREA LOCATED ALONG AND SOUTHWEST OF A LINE FROM VINTON...TO IOWA CITY AND KEOKUK. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 70 TO 80 MPH. THERE IS A LESSER RISK OF AN ISOLATED TORNADO AND LARGE HAIL. ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE. AREA RIVERS ARE EXPERIENCING FLOODING. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS AND FLOOD WARNINGS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER THE OUTLOOK AREA. MORE WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING MAY ALSO BE A THREAT DUE TO RECENT RAIN AND EXTREME RAINFALL RATES. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN CENTRAL IOWA MONDAY AFTERNOON...AND MAY FORM INTO A LARGE LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY MOVE ACROSS EASTERN IOWA INTO ALL OF ILLINOIS AND MISSOURI MONDAY EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL BE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGING WIND OVER THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES. HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 95 TO 100 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 MONDAY AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL RISES ARE FORECAST ON MANY RIVERS DUE TO SEVERAL DAYS OF RAIN EXPECTED. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN MAY WORSEN ONGOING RIVER FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY FROM LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE EVENING...AND AGAIN ON MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RP KINNEY/ERVIN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 811 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>066-300400- BUCHANAN-DELAWARE-DUBUQUE-BENTON-LINN-JONES-JACKSON-IOWA-JOHNSON- CEDAR-CLINTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INDEPENDENCE...MANCHESTER...DUBUQUE... VINTON...CEDAR RAPIDS...ANAMOSA...MAQUOKETA...MARENGO... IOWA CITY...TIPTON...CLINTON 811 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014 ...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME STRONG TO DEVELOP THE NEXT FEW HOURS... AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL IOWA IS MOVING EAST AND DEVELOPING TOWARD EASTERN IOWA. THESE STORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THROUGH AT LEAST 10 PM. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO TWO INCHES AN HOUR ARE POSSIBLE. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF A HALF TO OVER 1.5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL RATES AND ANY RAIN TOTALS WELL OVER AN INCH COULD PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT PONDING IN LOW LYING AREAS. NICHOLS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1007 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1004 PM HAIL ANAMOSA 42.11N 91.28W
06/29/2014 M1.00 INCH JONES IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
THE EMERGENCY MANAGER RELAYED A REPORT OF QUARTER SIZE
HAIL IN THE CITY OF ANAMOSA.
&&
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1015 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1010 PM HAIL 4 ENE ANAMOSA 42.14N 91.21W
06/29/2014 M1.00 INCH JONES IA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1033 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1033 PM HEAVY RAIN ASBURY 42.51N 90.76W
06/29/2014 M1.75 INCH DUBUQUE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1040 PM CDT SUN JUN 29 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1036 PM TORNADO 3 NE WYOMING 42.09N 90.96W
06/29/2014 JONES IA PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORT OF A TORNADO TOUCHDOWN. RELAYED BY THE
JONES COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER.
&&
DCThe Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:44 UTC.
28 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported water 2 to 3 feet deep on 17th street and Kaufmann avenue.
A trained spotter reported water flowing over Richland Avenue and nearby driveways.
The emergency manager reported flash flooding in Olin, Onslow and 3 miles north of Onslow. A report of 3.30 inches of rain in a short time was received 3 miles north of Scotch Grove.
Total washout of Highway 1 north of Mount Vernon with a vehicle falling into the washed out road, but no injuries reported.
A trained spotter reported widespread flash flooding along with basements flooded.
The emergency manager reported cars fully submerged and several fire trucks stranded in the water. Boat rescues were underway.
The COOP observer reported street washouts in Lowden along with basements flooded.
The emergency manager reported basements and roads flooded in West Branch with widespread flash flooding throughout Cedar County.
The emergency manager reported the low lying town of Morley was evacuated.
The emergency manager reported the low lying town of Langworthy was evacuated.
A trained spotter reported major stream flooding on Bears Creek due to 5.20 inches of rain.
The fire department reported significant damage at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids due to flash flooding. Water was filling the first floor.
The emergency manager reported motorists rescued from vehicles stranded in flood waters.
Amateur Radio reported urban flash flooding along Kimberly Road near Harbor Freight.
A trained spotter reported creeks out of their banks and Highway 22 was closed from 6th Street to Highway 1. Major flash flooding was reported in the Kalona area.
Many roads closed due to flash flooding and fields flooded.
Law enforcement reported the intersection of 22nd and Central was closed due to flooding.
Law enforcement reported 140th street at 110th avenue closed due to high water.
One teenager drowned and another was injured when they were swept into a large storm sewer during heavy rains. Three 17-year-olds were playing Frisbee near Arthur Elementary School when one of the boys was swept into the storm sewer and another boy went to try rescue him but was also swept in. The first boy drowned but the second boy came out of the sewer drain more than a mile away in Cedar Lake.
Flash flooding reported with water knee deep in places.
Law enforcement reported several streets closed due to water over the roads.
Law enforcement reported several streets closed due to water over the roads.
Law enforcement reported several streets closed due to water over the roads.
A trained spotter reported Lower Deer Creek out of its banks and flowing over 540th Street. Rainfall for the day was more than 5 inches.
A trained spotter reported major flash flooding in the southeast portion of Iowa City with many roads closed.
A trained spotter reported water up to a foot deep in downtown Davenport.
A trained spotter reported flash flooding on East 35th Street west of Brady Stadium and east of Harrison Street.
A trained spotter reported the entire town of Atalissa was flooded with water 1 foot deep in places. Highway 6 was closed west of town.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Linn | 2014-06-30 | 17 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, June 2014
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: 525931, 525933, 525934, 525935, 525937, 525938, 525940, 525941, 525942, 525943, 525945, 525947, 525951, 525949, 525950, 525953, 525962, 525966, 527561, 525954, 525963, 525964, 525965, 525956, 525957, 525958, 525960, 525961.