Damaging Winds in Iowa, June 2, 2020

Name: Damaging Winds in Iowa, June 2, 2020
Start: 2020-06-02T18:50
End: 2020-06-02T19:05
Location: Iowa

June 2, 2020 · NWS ARX · 3 events in 1 county or zone

A complex of storms rolled across portions of northeast Iowa during the evening of June 2nd. Some of these storms produced damaging wind gusts.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $9,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 ARX wrote it up.

A complex of storms rolled across portions of northeast Iowa during the evening of June 2nd. Some of these storms produced damaging wind gusts. Trees were blown down in St. Ansgar and Osage (Mitchell County) and power lines were downed in Stacyville (Mitchell County).

What forecasters said that day

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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 2, 5:22 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 2, 5:22 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
622 PM CDT Tue Jun 2 2020

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tonight)
Updated at 615 PM CDT Tue Jun 2 2020

Very steep mid level lapse rates (700-500 mb around 8 C/km) with
FAT CAPE profiles (SBCAPES in excess 3500 J/kg) is supporting
vigorous convection with large hail. With numerous outflow
boundaries and some drier air aloft, damaging wind gusts are also
likely. With wind shear not very impressive (deeper, stronger
removed to the north in the cooler air), tornado risk appears low
at this time. Storms should clear the area by midnight as the
surface front clears the area.

.LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Tuesday)
Issued at 239 PM CDT Tue Jun 2 2020

Surface ridge builds into the Upper Midwest Wednesday. Subsidence
underneath surface ridge will provide slightly cooler
temperatures and dry weather across the forecast area.

Next concern is Thursday afternoon into Friday morning...The  02.12z
are in decent agreement tracking a surface front across the forecast
area. The deterministic 02.12z models suggest enough 20 to 30 knots
of 0-3km shear...however the higher instability axis (2000-2500
j/kg) will be over the southern forecast area and lesser
instability (<500 j/kg) over the northern half where the
higher/deeper shear. Combined with the timing of the surface front
late Thursday evening/night...organized severe threat appears to
be low at this time. Diminishing chances of showers/storms are
expected Friday...as surface ridge builds north to south across
the region.

Main forecast concerns Friday night through Tuesday are on and off
small chances of showers/storms mainly Sunday into Tuesday. The
GFS/ECMWF/GEM 02.12z are in good agreement digging upper level
trough over the eastern Great Lakes Region and amplifying ridge
across the central United States through the period. As upper
level ridge builds east over the western Great Lakes
Region...southerly flow aloft advects warmer air and moisture into
the forecast area Sunday into Tuesday. Pieces of energy embedded
in the southwesterly flow aloft over the Rocky Mountains will
allow for on and off small chances of showers/storms Sunday into
Tuesday. High temperatures are expected to warm well into the 80s
by Monday and Tuesday...as both 02.12z GFS/ECMWF show 925mb
temperatures warming to plus 20 to plus 25 degrees celsius by 00z
Monday.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening)
Issued at 613 PM CDT Tue Jun 2 2020

Main aviation concern this evening is widespread, rapid, and
intense thunderstorm development. With abundant instability,
storms are producing large hail and strong surface winds. Periods
of storms will continue for the next several hours, and should
move out of the area by midnight.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
MN...None.
IA...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...DMD
LONG TERM...DTJ
AVIATION...DMD

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 2, 11:58 AM CST, 6 hours 52 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1258 PM CDT Tue Jun 2 2020

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-
032>034-041>044-053>055-061-031000-
Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-
Clayton-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-
Taylor-Clark-Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-
Adams-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-Grant-
1258 PM CDT Tue Jun 2 2020

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast
Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Storms will develop across southeast Minnesota early this
evening, quickly becoming severe. The storms will spread east and
south through the evening.

Very large hail and damaging winds are the main threats. Locally
heavy rain can also be expected and an isolated tornado cannot be
ruled out.

The severe risk will generally be confined between 7 pm and
midnight with the storms gradually weakening and exiting the area
by daybreak Wednesday.

In addition, near record or record high temperatures in the low
to mid 90s are expected this afternoon, resulting in maximum heat
indices of 95 to 100 degrees.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Additional periodic chances for thunderstorms will occur Thursday
afternoon into early next week. Severe storms appear unlikely at
this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this evening.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

Rieck

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 2, 5:46 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
646 PM CDT TUE JUN 2 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0640 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MOUND PRAIRIE           43.78N 91.45W
06/02/2020                   HOUSTON            MN   PUBLIC

            POWER LINES DOWN.

&&

Local storm report, Jun 2, 5:52 PM CST, 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
652 PM CDT TUE JUN 2 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0652 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 NE MOUND PRAIRIE      43.81N 91.42W
06/02/2020  U57 MPH          HOUSTON            MN   PUBLIC

&&

Local storm report, Jun 2, 5:54 PM CST, 56 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
654 PM CDT TUE JUN 2 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0650 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 NNE STODDARD          43.72N 91.17W
06/02/2020                   VERNON             WI   NWS EMPLOYEE

            LARGE TREE DOWN AND OTHER BRANCHES.

&&

Local storm report, Jun 2, 5:55 PM CST, 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
655 PM CDT TUE JUN 2 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0654 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 SSW BARRE MILLS       43.79N 91.14W
06/02/2020  M59 MPH          LA CROSSE          WI   NWS EMPLOYEE

&&

Local storm report, Jun 2, 6:09 PM CST, 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
709 PM CDT TUE JUN 2 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0707 PM     TSTM WND GST     HARMONY                 43.55N 92.01W
06/02/2020  E50 MPH          FILLMORE           MN   PUBLIC

&&

Local storm report, Jun 2, 6:17 PM CST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
717 PM CDT TUE JUN 2 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0715 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 NNW VIROQUA           43.58N 90.90W
06/02/2020  M63 MPH          VERNON             WI   AWOS

            63.3 MPH REPORTED AT AIRPORT AWOS.

&&

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:52 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mitchell

When: June 2, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Mitchell County, 0.5 mi E of Osage
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.280, -92.810

Trees were blown down in Osage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mitchell

When: June 2, 6:55 PM CST
Where: Mitchell County, 0.5 mi E of St Ansgar
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.380, -92.920

Several large trees and branches were blown down in St. Ansgar.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mitchell

When: June 2, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Mitchell County, 0.69 mi N of Stacyville
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.440, -92.780

Power lines were downed in Stacyville.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, June 2020

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: 896770, 896366, 896397.