Iowa, 2020Wildfire in Iowa, October 11, 2020
October 11, 2020 · NWS FSD · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Drought conditions worsened early in the month due to very warm temperatures and lack of precipitation. Extremely low-moisture fuels in the form of dormant grasses and unharvested and cured crops were in place as southerly winds reached a gusty 30 to 50 mph during the afternoon, producing a very high fire danger despite somewhat higher humidity levels.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $300,000
- Crop damage
- $20,000
- 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.
Drought conditions worsened early in the month due to very warm temperatures and lack of precipitation. Extremely low-moisture fuels in the form of dormant grasses and unharvested and cured crops were in place as southerly winds reached a gusty 30 to 50 mph during the afternoon, producing a very high fire danger despite somewhat higher humidity levels. The fire near Anthon was the largest and most destructive fire of the day, which saw numerous smaller fires in northwest Iowa and surrounding areas.
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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 11, 10:52 AM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Oct 11, 10:52 AM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 11, 5:11 AM CST, 6 hours 49 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
611 AM CDT Sun Oct 11 2020
SDZ038-039-050-052>055-057>061-063>066-068-069-121200-
Beadle-Kingsbury-Gregory-Jerauld-Sanborn-Miner-Lake-Brule-Aurora-
Davison-Hanson-McCook-Charles Mix-Douglas-Hutchinson-Turner-
Bon Homme-Yankton-
611 AM CDT Sun Oct 11 2020
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central South Dakota, east
central South Dakota, south central South Dakota and southeast
South Dakota.
.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.
Gusty winds today, south initially, then turning to the west-
northwest this afternoon, will result in high to very high fire
danger.
There is a small chance of thunderstorm development 3pm-6pm toward
the Highway 81 corridor. If storms develop, an isolated strong to
severe storm could produce hail to quarter size.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.
Breezy afternoons and a return to dry conditions will lead to
periods of elevated fire danger through the week ahead, even as
temperatures cool to near or below seasonal normals.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-
098-NEZ013-014-SDZ040-056-062-067-070-071-121200-
Lyon-Osceola-Dickinson-Sioux-O'Brien-Clay-Plymouth-Cherokee-
Buena Vista-Woodbury-Ida-Lincoln-Murray-Cottonwood-Nobles-Jackson-
Pipestone-Rock-Dixon-Dakota-Brookings-Moody-Minnehaha-Union-
611 AM CDT Sun Oct 11 2020
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Iowa, west central
Iowa, southwest Minnesota, northeast Nebraska, east central South
Dakota and southeast South Dakota.
.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.
Strong southerly winds, gusting as high as 40 to 45 mph at times,
will result in very high fire danger today.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop near the I-29
corridor late this afternoon, between 4 pm and 6 pm, expanding into
a line as the storms move east into southwest Minnesota and
northwest Iowa this evening. Large hail will be possible with
initial storm development, but the primary threat will transition to
damaging winds in excess of 60 mph as the storms move east. Storms
are expected to move east of the area by around 10 pm.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.
Breezy afternoons and a return to dry conditions will lead to
periods of elevated fire danger through the week ahead, even as
temperatures cool to near or below seasonal normals.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation may be needed between 4 pm and 10 pm.
Wildfire, Woodbury
- When
- October 11, 12:00 PM CST to 4:30 PM CST
- Where
- Woodbury forecast zone
- Property damage
- $300,000
- Crop damage
- $20,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 42.390, -96.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Around 1200LST, a spark from a combine in harvest operations ignited a fire around two miles south of the intersection of county highway D38 and Lee Avenue. Explosive northward spread occurred due to dry crops and southerly winds which gusted to over 40 mph. The fire crossed several roads, consuming over 3000 acres of crops, numerous power poles, a semi-truck and a few pieces of farm equipment. At the peak, around 1200 acres were engulfed in flame. Area farmers plowed fire breaks, and fire departments from seven surrounding communities were activated to protect residences. Property damage amounts are rough estimates. Crop damage estimates computed from crop value and destroyed acreage.
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Wildfire and Dust Storm in Kansas, October 11, 2020$1.5 million · 70 kt wind · 22 events
- Tornadoes in South Carolina, October 11, 20201 injured · $200,000 · EF1 · 3 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, October 11, 2020$119,000 · 1 in hail · 20 events
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Georgia, October 11, 2020$221,000 · 4 events
- Tornado in North Carolina, October 11, 2020$60,000 · EF1 · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, October 11, 20202.75 in hail · 37 events
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Kansas, October 11, 2020$25,000 · 57 kt wind · 6 events
- Heavy Rain in Virginia, October 11 to 12, 202023 events
- Dust Storm and High Wind in Kansas, October 11, 202065 kt wind · 20 events
- Dust Storm and High Wind in Colorado, October 11, 202065 kt wind · 15 events
- High Wind in Colorado, October 11, 202071 kt wind · 9 events
- High Wind in Kansas, October 11 to 12, 2020$10,000 · 61 kt wind · 9 events
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 923926.