A low pressure system with an accompanying cool front produced showers and thunderstorms. Several reports of damaging winds of 60 to 70 MPH occurred, along with isolated reports of large hail.
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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 DVN wrote it up.
A low pressure system with an accompanying cool front produced showers and thunderstorms. Several reports of damaging winds of 60 to 70 MPH occurred, along with isolated reports of large hail.
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 May 28, 1:45 PM CST, 11 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 245 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 230 PM CDT Sat May 28 2016 SPC has a Slight risk for severe thunderstorms for the entire DVN forecast area into this evening. A NNW to SSE broken line of storms is ongoing and will continue to move to the NNE at 30-40 mph. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH Sunday) ISSUED AT 230 PM CDT Sat May 28 2016 Through this Evening...Scattered showers and thunderstorms will affect a large portion of E Iowa/W Illinois. A few storms may become strong to severe. Thunderstorm Timing: Storms should occur through the late aftn and early evening, exiting the NE forecast area by 6-7 PM CDT. Thunderstorm Risks: Environmental parameters of 35 kt effective shear, 1500-2000 J/kg SBCAPE, 900 J/kg DCAPE, and dry mid-levels with a wet-bulb zero height of 9000 ft are supportive of isolated wind gusts near 60 mph and hail up near quarter size with the strongest storms. Additionally, an isolated tornado is possible. Low-level shear is 10-15 kts (0-1 km) and 0-1 km SRH is close to 100 m2/s2. Uttech .LONG TERM...(Sunday NIGHT THROUGH Saturday) ISSUED AT 230 PM CDT Sat May 28 2016 Tonight...Showers and storms diminish early. Lows will be in the 60s and sfc winds will be light. Sunday and Sunday Night...Dry and warm for the majority of E Iowa/W Illinois. Slight chance for an isolated shower or storm across the northern third of the forecast area. Highs are forecast in the 80-85 F range. The slight shower chances also exist for the overnight period for most of the CWA but coverage and probability are very low. Monday through Wednesday...Models have an active pattern developing - especially by Tuesday and Wednesday - as a mid-level shortwave/vorticity max slowly moves through the Central Plains. A moist atmosphere will surge northward causing PWATS to spike to 1.50-1.75 inches. Weak mid-level winds would yield low deep layer shear. Therefore, overall severe weather threat is low with localized heavy rainfall becoming the most likely concern. The best chances for widespread rain are Tuesday Night and Wednesday ahead of a cold front. Thursday through Saturday...High pressure builds into the Midwest resulting in a much drier forecast, lower humidity, and cooler temps in the lower to upper 70s. Uttech && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z Sunday AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1217 PM CDT Sat May 28 2016 Broken line of thunderstorms expected this aftn. Brief periods of IFR VSBYS (possibly CIGS) are likely with the strongest storms. Also, there is potential for isolated wind gusts over 40 kts and hail up to quarter size. General convection timing is between 19Z-22Z with any one terminal receiving TSRA for only an hour or two in this window. After the storms pass, a return to MVFR/VFR is anticipated. Uttech && .DVN Watches/Warnings/Advisories... IA...None. IL...None. MO...None. && SYNOPSIS...Uttech SHORT TERM...Uttech LONG TERM...Uttech AVIATION...Uttech
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 346 AM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-290900- 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- 346 AM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 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...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE AREA. THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE STORMS BUT THE RISK CURRENTLY APPEARS TO BE LOW. IF SEVERE STORMS DO DEVELOP...THE MOST LIKELY TIME PERIOD WOULD BE FROM 1 TO 8 PM. THE PRIMARY THREATS WOULD BE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AFTER A DRY DAY SUNDAY...THERE IS A LOW CHANCE THAT THUNDERSTORMS RETURN TO PORTIONS OF EASTERN IOWA SUNDAY NIGHT. STRONG STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE OVER THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. AT THIS TIME...IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS DURING THIS EARLY TO MID WEEK PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THERE IS A LOW CHANCE OF SPOTTER ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 08/ERVIN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 1214 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 IAZ041-042-052>054-064>068-ILZ001-002-007-009-015>018-281915- DELAWARE-DUBUQUE-LINN-JONES-JACKSON-JOHNSON-CEDAR-CLINTON- MUSCATINE-SCOTT-JO DAVIESS-STEPHENSON-CARROLL-WHITESIDE- ROCK ISLAND-HENRY IL-BUREAU-PUTNAM- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MANCHESTER...DUBUQUE...CEDAR RAPIDS... ANAMOSA...MAQUOKETA...IOWA CITY...TIPTON...CLINTON...MUSCATINE... DAVENPORT...BETTENDORF...GALENA...FREEPORT...MOUNT CARROLL... STERLING...MOLINE...ROCK ISLAND...GENESEO...PRINCETON...HENNEPIN 1214 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 ...BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING... THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING FROM SOUTH OF MEMPHIS MISSOURI EXTENDING NORTH TO NORTHWEST TO NEAR NEWTON IOWA AND ARE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HAIL WITH PEA TO PENNY SIZED HAIL EXPECTED. THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL OVER 1 INCH IN DIAMETER WITH GUSTY WINDS OVER 45 MPH. ISOLATED FUNNEL CLOUDS MAY BE POSSIBLE BUT CONDITIONS CURRENTLY APPEAR MARGINAL FOR TORNADOES AT THIS TIME. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH LOCALLY RAIN TOTALS OF OVER A HALF INCH OR MORE IN 10 MINUTES POSSIBLE. NICHOLS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 1229 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 IAZ040-041-051>053-063>065-067-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ034- MOZ009-010-281900- BUCHANAN-DELAWARE-BENTON-LINN-JONES-IOWA-JOHNSON-CEDAR-MUSCATINE- KEOKUK-WASHINGTON-LOUISA-JEFFERSON-HENRY IA-DES MOINES-VAN BUREN- LEE-HANCOCK-SCOTLAND-CLARK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INDEPENDENCE...MANCHESTER...VINTON... CEDAR RAPIDS...ANAMOSA...MARENGO...IOWA CITY...TIPTON... MUSCATINE...SIGOURNEY...WASHINGTON...WAPELLO...FAIRFIELD... MOUNT PLEASANT...BURLINGTON...KEOSAUQUA...FORT MADISON... CARTHAGE...MEMPHIS...KAHOKA 1229 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 ...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING... THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING FROM SOUTH OF MEMPHIS MISSOURI EXTENDING NORTH TO NORTHWEST TO NEAR NEWTON IOWA AND ARE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HAIL WITH PEA TO PENNY SIZED HAIL EXPECTED. THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL OVER 1 INCH IN DIAMETER WITH GUSTY WINDS OVER 45 MPH. ISOLATED FUNNEL CLOUDS MAY BE POSSIBLE BUT CONDITIONS CURRENTLY APPEAR MARGINAL FOR TORNADOES AT THIS TIME. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH LOCALLY RAIN TOTALS OF OVER A HALF INCH OR MORE IN 10 MINUTES POSSIBLE. NICHOLS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
128 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0120 PM HAIL SE BONAPARTE 40.70N 91.79W
05/28/2016 E0.50 INCH VAN BUREN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
DIME SIZE HAIL.
&&
DLSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 200 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 IAZ040-041-051>053-063>065-067-077-078-088-089-099-ILZ025-034- MOZ010-282100- BUCHANAN-DELAWARE-BENTON-LINN-JONES-IOWA-JOHNSON-CEDAR-MUSCATINE- WASHINGTON-LOUISA-HENRY IA-DES MOINES-LEE-HENDERSON-HANCOCK-CLARK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INDEPENDENCE...MANCHESTER...VINTON... CEDAR RAPIDS...ANAMOSA...MARENGO...IOWA CITY...TIPTON... MUSCATINE...WASHINGTON...WAPELLO...MOUNT PLEASANT...BURLINGTON... FORT MADISON...OQUAWKA...CARTHAGE...KAHOKA 200 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 ...THUNDERSTORMS...SOME STRONG MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST... AT 2 PM CST...A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR KAHOKA MISSOURI NORTH NORTHWEST TO SOUTH OF INDEPENDENCE IOWA. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HAIL WITH PEA TO PENNY SIZED HAIL EXPECTED. THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL OVER 1 INCH IN DIAMETER WITH GUSTY WINDS OVER 45 MPH. ISOLATED FUNNEL CLOUDS MAY BE POSSIBLE BUT CONDITIONS CURRENTLY APPEAR MARGINAL FOR TORNADOES AT THIS TIME. BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH LOCALLY RAIN TOTALS OF OVER A HALF INCH OR MORE IN 10 MINUTES POSSIBLE. NICHOLS
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:53 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The county emergency manager reported power lines down and the roof blown off a machine shed at the intersection of county road X44 and highway 64 south of Amber.
The fire department reported an estimated wind gust of 60 MPH and was relayed by the Dubuque County EOC.
The emergency manager reported a two foot diameter tree was snapped off.
The emergency manager reported a roof was partially ripped off of a school.
Received via social media reports of power lines down and roof damage on the northwest side of Dubuque.
The emergency manager reported wires were down along old highway road near Hilldale Lane west of the fairgrounds.
The emergency manager reported a tree fell onto an occupied vehicle near 5200 N and Rupp Hollow Road.
Reports of multiple trees down in the area. One tree fell onto a bicyclist on a bike path along highway 52. The person was not injured but was temporarily trapped.
A large tree branch down was also reported.
Received via local media a report of dime sized hail in Davenport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, May 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: 638991, 638995, 639007, 639005, 638999, 639011, 639013, 639017, 639060, 638986.