An MCS rolled through northern Iowa in the AM hours bringing with it numerous reports of high/damaging winds and some hail. The damaging winds brought down large tree limbs, power lines, large trees and damaged chicken and hog facilities.
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.
An MCS rolled through northern Iowa in the AM hours bringing with it numerous reports of high/damaging winds and some hail. The damaging winds brought down large tree limbs, power lines, large trees and damaged chicken and hog facilities. Lightning struck a house in Kossuth County damaging the chimney.
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 21, 10:59 PM CST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1159 PM CDT SUN JUN 21 2015 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/... ISSUED AT 321 PM CDT SUN JUN 21 2015 COMPLEX FORECAST TONIGHT AS WE WILL BE DEALING WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. ACROSS SOUTHERN IOWA...THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT WENT THROUGH US YESTERDAY HAS STALLED ACROSS NORTHERN MISSOURI AND WILL BEGIN TO SHIFT NORTH AS A WARM FRONT AT SOME POINT THIS EVENING. MODELS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS AS EARLY AS LATE AFTERNOON WITH EACH UPDATE BUT THE FRONT HAS NOT BUDGED ALL DAY AND HAS BEEN RAKING NORTHERN MISSOURI ALL DAY. EVENTUALLY THIS WILL WORK NORTH...THOUGH PROBABLY NOT UNTIL MID EVENING AT THE EARLIEST THEN LIFT ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST HALF BY 12Z MONDAY. SOME STRONG STORMS COULD DEVELOP ALONG THIS BOUNDARY AND ALSO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA WE ARE EXPECTING TO DEVELOP IN EARNEST ACROSS THE DAKOTAS THIS EVENING THEN MERGE INTO AN MCS TONIGHT AND ROLL INTO MN AND POSSIBLY BRUSH NORTHERN IA LATE TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. SO FAR ALL THE MODELS SUGGEST THIS SCENARIO HOWEVER IT IS WORTH A MENTION THAT THE NAMDNG IS THE ONLY MODEL THAT DROPS THIS MCS INTO NORTHERN IOWA...WHICH WOULD BRING SEVERE STORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL INTO THE AREA. THIS IS NOT THE LIKELY SCENARIO GIVEN THE STRONG WARM ADVECTION FORECAST TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS SOUTHERN/SOUTHWEST IOWA BUT IT IS WORTH WATCHING. CONSEQUENTLY POPS ARE THE TRICKIEST PART OF THE FORECAST...BOTH IN TIMING AND LOCATION. I WENT WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WARM ADVECTION AS THE FAVORED AREAS FOR PRECIP AND SHIFT POPS GRADUALLY NORTHEAST WITH TIME WHICH IS KIND OF A BLEND OF THE NAM AND HI-RES MODELS. .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... ISSUED AT 321 PM CDT SUN JUN 21 2015 SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL END FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE MONDAY WITH SHORTWAVE TROUGH EXITING TO THE UPPER MIDWEST. MUCH OF THE STATE WILL REMAIN IN THE WARM SECTOR MONDAY AHEAD OF AN ADVANCING WEAK FRONT BRINGING WARMER TEMPERATURES AND MUGGY CONDITIONS. DRIER AND COOLER AIR SETTLES INTO MOST OF IOWA BEHIND THE FRONT ON TUESDAY. THE FRONT BEGINS TO LIFT NORTH AGAIN LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR THE FRONT AIDED BY SHORTWAVES MOVING THROUGH WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. UPPER TROUGH DEEPENS LATE IN THE WEEK WITH SHORTWAVE ENERGY DIGGING THROUGH THE UPPER FLOW OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR AN ADVANCING COLD FRONT WITH TEMPERATURES TRENDING BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION...22/06Z ISSUED AT 1157 PM CDT SUN JUN 21 2015 MOISTURE SURGE ONGOING ACROSS THE STATE WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. WILL SEE MAINLY VFR CEILINGS ACROSS MUCH OF THE STATE WITH ANY MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS IN AND AROUND THUNDERSTORMS. WINDS WILL INCREASE FROM THE SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH OVERNIGHT WITH STRONG LOW LEVEL JET COMING INTO THE STATE BY DAYBREAK. CONVECTION IS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA IN THE MORNING AFFECTING KALO AND KMCW WITH MVFR TO POSSIBLY IFR CONDITIONS FOR A FEW HOURS IN THE MORNING. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE WIDESPREAD INTO MONDAY WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS EVENTUALLY BECOMING NORTHWEST BY EVENING. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...FAB LONG TERM...ANGLE AVIATION...COGIL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 402 PM CDT SUN JUN 21 2015 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-222115- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-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- 402 PM CDT SUN JUN 21 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY MORNING AND LATE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA EARLY MONDAY.
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:39 UTC.
32 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Public reported golf ball sized hail via photo posted to the KCCI ulocal page.
Public reported nickel to quarter sized hail 2 miles north of Woden. Report via social media.
Public reported quarter size hail and relayed by the Sheriff's office.
Emergency Manager reported trees down in Estherville and SW of town.
ASOS reported 59 mph wind gust at Estherville Municipal Airport.
Public reported lightning struck a house and destroyed the chimney. Photo came from the KCCI ulocal page and time radar estimated.
Public reported winds estimated at 70 mph. Multiple tree limbs down in the area as well. The best measured winds were from a personal weather station with poor siting at 58 mph.
Trained spotter reported multiple power poles down. Time radar estimated.
Emergency Manager reported power poles down within the city. Some minor flooding occurring in a known low area in the city.
Emergency Manager reported tree damage and equipment blown around in the yard. Tin siding was pulled from the outbuildings.
Emergency Manager reported widespread trees and power lines down within the city. Time radar estimated.
Emergency Manager reported lots of large trees down, a mobile home moved from its foundation, tree limbs blown through a porch, grain bin blown over, power poles blown over, and large tree limbs down.
Emergency Manager reported large trees of around 1 to 2 feet in diameter down, tree branches down, and power poles down in Wesley and St. Benedict.
Public reported trees snapped in town. Report came via social media and time radar estimated.
Trained spotter reported numerous large trees down including a one to two foot diameter tree on a house.
Trained spotter reported numerous six to eight inch tree limbs down. Time radar estimated.
Public report of trees down across town. Report and photos via social media and time radar estimated.
Public reported power lines and tree limbs down throughout town. Report via WOI and time radar estimated.
Emergency Manager reported prefabricated house moved off its foundation and significant hog facility damage done at the same location. Time radar estimated.
Emergency Manager reported numerous trees uprooted throughout town along with tree damage throughout the county. Grain bins blown down as well.
ASOS reported 50 knot wind gusts at Mason City Municipal Airport.
Emergency Manager reported significant damage to chicken facilities just north of intersection of 250th and Quincy Ave. Time radar estimated.
Emergency Manager reported Highway 69 closed from 250th to 260th Ave due to downed power lines and power poles.
Trained spotter reported 6 to 8 inch diameter tree limbs down.
Trained spotter reported power lines down along Highway 65 between Hampton and Sheffield. Also reported up to 12 inch diameter limbs down in Hampton.
Trained spotter reported power lines down in the city.
Trained spotter reports large trees down across driveway.
Emergency Manager reported trees blown down in and around town.
Public reported large trees down in Iowa Falls. Report received via post to WHO TV Facebook page.
Emergency Manager reported trees across road at 130th and Hickory Tree Road.
Emergency Manager reported intermittent trees down from Allison south through Aplington.
Emergency Manager reported grain elevator damage. Extent of damage unknown at the time.
Emergency Manager reported power lines and trees down throughout town.
Emergency Manager reported a tree uprooted and on a house in town. Many large limbs down throughout the county.
ASOS measured 50 knot wind gust at Waterloo Regional Airport.
Public reported several large trees down. Report via social media.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, June 2015
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: 576355, 576356, 576357, 576359, 576360, 576362, 576363, 588000, 576369, 588466, 576370, 588465, 576371, 576373, 576374, 576375, 576376, 576378, 576380, 576381, 576382, 576383, 576384, 576387, 576388, 576390, 576391, 576393, 576395, 576397, 576399, 576400, 576401, 576402, 576405, 576406.