Iowa, 2015

Lightning Strike in Iowa, October 20, 2015

October 20, 2015 · NWS DVN · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A slow moving area of thunderstorms produced several hours of frequent cloud to ground lightning in eastern Iowa the evening of October 20th. The lightning caused several fires in the Iowa City metro area, and caused firefighters to take defensive action against lightning while fighting the structure fires.

Where it happened

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 DVN wrote it up.

A slow moving area of thunderstorms produced several hours of frequent cloud to ground lightning in eastern Iowa the evening of October 20th. The lightning caused several fires in the Iowa City metro area, and caused firefighters to take defensive action against lightning while fighting the structure fires.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Johnson

When
October 20, 5:15 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Johnson County, Iowa City
Injuries
0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
41.670, -91.550

Iowa City's fire department reported that they had three buildings, and one tree set on fire by lightning. Two of the three building fires resulted in fire fighting efforts. One significant structure fire at 623 E. College St had mutual support called from nearby city departments, and sustained significant fire damage. Fire fighters were forced to take the defensive action of pulling firefighters from ladders, due to the continued frequent lightning in the area.

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Iowa in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, October 2015

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: 599459.