On the morning of September 3rd, a thunderstorm complex moved across northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin into northwest Illinois. This produced damaging winds with speeds of 50 to 70 mph across Jo Daviess and Stephenson Counties.
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.
On the morning of September 3rd, a thunderstorm complex moved across northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin into northwest Illinois. This produced damaging winds with speeds of 50 to 70 mph across Jo Daviess and Stephenson Counties. In addition to the damaging winds, trained spotters reported rainfall amounts ranging from 3 to 4 inches.
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 Sep 3, 2:11 AM CST, 2 hours 29 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 311 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 309 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 A warm and humid airmass is in place across the area early this morning, with dew points in the mid and upper 60s and temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s. Storms to the north have slowly progressed ESE into NE Iowa ATTM. Additional convection has developed further SW into parts of central/east central Iowa. && .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 309 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 Main focus is on the ongoing thunderstorm clusters and possible redevelopment this afternoon with a cold front. Storms will move east across areas mainly north of I 80 early this morning, with gusty winds up to 40 MPH the primary threat. At this time, these storms are not expected to be severe, but will be monitoring closely. A cold front will drop through the area today which may spark more storms for this afternoon and into the early evening. With the front moving a little faster, diurnally the threat for severe storms will be mainly along and east of the Mississippi River and more so in northern IL east of a line from Geneseo to Freeport. SPC has a slight risk for areas east of that aforementioned line, with a marginal risk west to a line from Ottumwa to Dubuque. There remains some uncertainty with the redevelopment along the front this afternoon and have reduced POPS slightly. Temperatures will again push well into the 80s, possibly around 90 south of I 80. Heat indices will be in the low to mid 90s south of Highway 20. .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Monday) ISSUED AT 309 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 Tuesday night Assessment...high confidence There may or may not be some lingering showers/storms in the far east and south areas early in the evening. The cold front will sweep through the remainder of the area by mid-evening and leave dry conditions with decreasing humidity levels the remainder of the night. Wednesday through Thursday night Assessment...medium to high confidence The model consensus has mainly dry conditions as cool Canadian high pressure moves through the Midwest. Temperatures will average below normal with comfortable humidity levels. Friday on... Friday and Friday night Assessment...high confidence The model consensus has quiet and dry conditions as the Canadian high moves into the Ohio Valley and another cool front sweeps through the area. Temperatures will be close to normal. Saturday through Monday Assessment...low confidence The models diverge with their respect solutions over next weekend. The ECMWF and CMC global develop a frontal boundary across the area and has one or more low pressure systems moving along it keeping the weather active. The GFS has no frontal boundary but does bring an upper level disturbance through the area Saturday and Saturday night followed by dry conditions Sunday through Monday. As a result of these differences the model consensus has slight chance pops west of the Mississippi Saturday, chance pops Saturday night and Sunday across the entire area, then slight chance to chance pops Sunday night into Monday. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Tuesday Night) ISSUED AT 1259 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 VFR conditions are expected through much of the TAF cycle. Storms to the north may affect DBQ this am, but confidence is low. With a cold front passing through this afternoon, redevelopment if possible and have some prob30s at CID, DBQ, and MLI for the afternoon. Some wind shear is possible this AM at CID and DBQ. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...14 SHORT TERM...14 LONG TERM...08 AVIATION...14
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 339 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-040845- 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- 339 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 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 will move across the area early this morning. Wind gusts to 30 miles an hour will be possible with the stronger storms. A cold front will move across the area this afternoon and evening with scattered showers and thunderstorms redeveloping along it. The Storm Prediction Center has placed areas east of the Mississippi River in a slight risk for severe storms, with areas to the west in a marginal risk. The main threats will be large hail and damaging winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY Saturday through Monday there is a chance for thunderstorms each day. It is too early to determine any severe risk. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL
227 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019
IAC019-055-030800-
Buchanan-Delaware-
227 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN BUCHANAN AND
NORTHWESTERN DELAWARE COUNTIES UNTIL 300 AM CDT...
At 226 AM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Stanley, or
near Oelwein, moving east at 40 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph and half inch hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Edgewood, Hazleton, Lamont, Greeley, Aurora, Dundee, Stanley, Oneida,
Twin Bridges Park, Backbone State Park and Jakway Park.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
LAT...LON 4264 9127 4250 9129 4255 9191 4264 9190
4265 9160
TIME...MOT...LOC 0726Z 279DEG 37KT 4261 9181
08Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL 532 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 ILC085-177-031100- Jo Daviess-Stephenson- 532 AM CDT Tue Sep 3 2019 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN JO DAVIESS AND NORTHERN STEPHENSON COUNTIES UNTIL 600 AM CDT... At 531 AM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Warren, or 11 miles southeast of Darlington, moving east at 60 mph. Winds in excess of 30 mph and nickel size hail are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Warren, Cedarville, Davis, Dakota, Apple River, Winslow, Rock City, Nora, Buena Vista, Rock Grove, Oneco, Orangeville, Red Oak, Lake Le-Aqua-na State Park, Mc Connell, Afolkey, Winneshiek, Dakota Dornink Airport, Jo Daviess County Fairgrounds and Lake Summerset. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 4250 8940 4231 8940 4248 9015 4251 9013 TIME...MOT...LOC 1031Z 280DEG 53KT 4252 9002 08
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:39 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down at the corner of Apple River Canyon Road and East Stagecoach road. Report relayed by 911 call center.
A spotter reported tree limbs broken off due to the early morning storms.
Electric and phone wires blown down on the southeast side of Stockton Illinois. The report was relayed by the 911 call center.
Corn was flattened due to strong thunderstorm winds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, September 2019
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: 853868, 853869, 853870, 853872.