Conditions were not very supportive for the development of any severe weather with weak wind profiles, lack of a focusing mechanism, and large CAPE profiles. However, with SBCAPE around 1000-1500 J/kg (and a couple hundred in the 0-3km layer), light surface winds, and marginally steep low-level lapse rates, a few funnel clouds were reported with weak shower and storm activity across northern Iowa.
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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.
Conditions were not very supportive for the development of any severe weather with weak wind profiles, lack of a focusing mechanism, and large CAPE profiles. However, with SBCAPE around 1000-1500 J/kg (and a couple hundred in the 0-3km layer), light surface winds, and marginally steep low-level lapse rates, a few funnel clouds were reported with weak shower and storm activity across northern Iowa. Additionally, with very slow moving storms, at least one location reported 2.00 inches of heavy rainfall due to multiple storms developing over the same location near Thornton, IA.
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 Jul 30, 8:29 AM CST, 1 hour earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 929 AM CDT Sat Jul 30 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 922 AM CDT Sat Jul 30 2016 Isolated showers or sprinkles have started to develop over central Iowa at 915 am. Have updated for small chance along with some increased development in the afternoon w/small potential for iso thunder as well during the mid to late afternoon. Overall coverage expected to be small so will only go slight chance at this time. /rev && .SHORT TERM.../Today/ Issued at 334 AM CDT Sat Jul 30 2016 The situation has changed little over the past few days with interrelated cloud and temp trends still a concern. Forecast has busted on both sides of expectations recently so confidence is not great and have not strayed from guidance consensus. Hi Res ARW as well as operational and experimental HRRRs all suggest clouds will lift and go cellular by afternoon allowing for some heating. The precipitation situation is quite similar as well. Most models depict uncapped 500-1500 j/kg MLCapes by afternoon. Much of this will be unfocused but some high res models do suggest the current central IL surface trough will further build back into northeast IA toward Waterloo and enhance convergence in that area. Areal coverage is going to be minimal and the heavy rain environment is not extreme, but with very light mean winds and instability greater than yesterday, very localized heavy rain may develop much like occurred in DVN's area. Any storms would be very slow moving. Examination of soundings suggest the moister end of solutions could also be conducive for a funnel cloud/landspout environment during peak heating along the weak convergence axis with 0-3km Capes pushing 200 j/kg. .LONG TERM.../Tonight through Friday/ Issued at 334 AM CDT Sat Jul 30 2016 Little change was made to the forecast in the long term. A building ridge to the West will send shortwaves across Iowa along with warm advection increasing across the South and West. We should see something similar to what is occurring across central/Eastern Nebraska now, over Western/Southwest Iowa tonight. This activity should wane through Sunday morning. Then for Sunday night into Monday...the upper ridge begins to shift East but a shortwave drops across the area and strong warm advection takes place. In addition...much stronger forcing occurs across Southern Iowa and thunderstorm chances look much better Sunday night/Monday. In addition shear looks pretty impressive as well so a few storms could be strong and produce heavy rainfall. For Monday...a warm front will likely be near or across Iowa with strong instability and deeper shear, Monday is still looking like an interesting day and we could see some strong to severe storms late afternoon into the evening. Tuesday through Wednesday the upper ridge really amplifies over the upper midwest and temps will be very warm through this period with highs 85 to 95. For Thursday a shortwave drops through the Northern Plains and flattens the ridge bringing with it not only cooler temps North but at least some potential for storms but better chances will come later Thursday through Friday as a cold front drops through the state. Strong to severe storms are possible along with the frontal passage. Cooler temps will follow for Friday night into Saturday but models diverge here. The GFS is more bullish on a shortwave coming across Southern Iowa while the Euro wants to rebuild the ridge. The GFS is suggesting that the front stalls over Missouri on Friday then begins to lift back as a warm front Friday night/Saturday which would also suggest a better chance for storms during this period but confidence is low on any one solution at this point. Seems like the ridge rebuilding is more plausible but for now I went with persistence and kept the model blended chance pops going across the South. Will watch for trends again tomorrow. && .AVIATION.../For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Sunday morning/ Issued at 709 AM CDT Sat Jul 30 2016 MVFR ceilings blanket much of the northeast half of Iowa this morning with a few spots down to IFR/LIFR conditions. These degraded conditions continue to drift south across the state behind southern Great Lakes low pressure, but should improve toward midday lifting to VFR in most locations. Scattered convection may also form during peak heating but confidence not there for anything beyond KMCW VCSH. Expect radiation fog development early Sun morning, down to at least MVFR is most spots. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && UPDATE...REV SHORT TERM...Small LONG TERM...FAB AVIATION...Small
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 347 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2016 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-311200- 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- 347 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED NON-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EAST TODAY AND WEST TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ISOLATED NON-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY MORNING. MORE WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ARE FORECAST FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING AND AGAIN LATE THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER MAY BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES. STORM CHANCES CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHERN SECTIONS FOR SATURDAY BUT THE SEVERE THREAT IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL RETURN TO CENTRAL IOWA BY TUESDAY AND ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY WITH HEAT INDEX VALUES APPROACHING 100 DEGREES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED AT TIMES NEXT WEEK. FAB
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 146 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:25 UTC.
3 funnel cloud, 1 tornado, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
This was a brief landspout that was photographed from both the air and the ground. Surface circulation was visible via the aerial photos.
Public reported multiple funnel clouds, with some lasting as long as 10 minutes.
Trained spotter reported a funnel cloud.
Multiple photos on social media of a small and brief funnel north of Fort Dodge. Location and time estimated by radar.
Public reported heavy rainfall of 2.00 inches along 150th st. Reported via social media and times estimated from radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2016Warnings in Iowa, July 2016
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: 657996, 643436, 643435, 643434, 643433.