On July 3rd, thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and into the evening. Some of these storms became severe and produced large hail and damaging winds in Delaware, Dubuque, and Jones 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 July 3rd, thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and into the evening. Some of these storms became severe and produced large hail and damaging winds in Delaware, Dubuque, and Jones Counties. These storms also produced heavy rainfall that led to flash flooding along a creek in a golf course south of Peosta, Iowa.
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 Jul 3, 5:29 PM CST, 31 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 629 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - A low chance for thunderstorms late this afternoon and early this evening. There is a low severe threat should thunderstorms develop along and north of Interstate 80, with winds and hail being the main hazards. - The Fourth of July holiday will be hot and humid with temperatures in the low to mid 90s and heat indices between 95 and 100. - An active weather pattern begins this weekend and continues into next week. Warm and moist conditions return, supporting nearly daily shower and thunderstorm chances for the area. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Issued at 148 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025 Temperatures continue their rise this afternoon as the upper ridge builds to the west of our area. Many locations reach 90 with upper 80s for the remaining areas. The overwhelming majority remain dry today and tonight, allowing for holiday festivities to go uninterrupted. There remains at least a low (<30%) chance for thunderstorms during the late afternoon and early evening near the Iowa I-80 corridor. A weak disturbance may be enough to get thunderstorms going with a limited cap in place. Confidence remains low on any thunderstorms actually developing. If thunderstorms do develop, they are expected to remain largely isolated with minimal impacts likely. That being said, a Marginal Risk (Level 1 of 5) for severe weather applies to any thunderstorms as well, with hail and winds the main hazards. Skies slowly clear tonight as temperatures fall into the upper 60s and low 70s by Friday morning. The Fourth of July holiday remains dry for the region. Unfortunately, the tradeoff is heat and humidity. Widespread low 90s with heat indices pushing the upper 90s to near 100 will be sweltering. Precautions should be taken with this heat, especially for outdoor activities. Clear skies with morning temperatures in the low 70s start this weekend. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 148 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025 This weekend is forecast to be the start of a more active weather period for the region. Several disturbances move through the area this weekend through early next week. These disturbances may result in near daily thunderstorm chances, especially during the afternoon and evening. Saturday currently appears to be the most active of these days. The deepest shortwave in the series of disturbances moves across during Saturday afternoon, likely resulting in scattered thunderstorms. With southwesterly winds keeping the area warm and moist, a non-zero threat of severe weather can be anticipated. It is too early for more details, but expect more information on this as the day draws near. After Saturday, weaker disturbances and more isolated thunderstorms remain in the forecast. Temperatures start hot in the 90s for Saturday before cooling slightly into the mid to upper 80s for Sunday and beyond. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/... Issued at 627 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025 Diurnal convection over eastern Iowa will persist through sunset and then slowly dissipate. Brief IFR conditions are expected with the TSRA. Otherwise expect VFR conditions. Density altitudes will likely climb to or above 3 kft after 18z/04. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...None. IL...None. MO...None. && SHORT TERM...NWS LONG TERM...NWS AVIATION...08
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 147 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-041900- 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- 147 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT There is a Marginal Risk (Level 1 of 5) for severe weather this afternoon and early this evening for areas along and north of Interstate 80. The main hazards are winds and hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY There is a near daily chance for showers and thunderstorms from Saturday through the middle of next week. A non-zero severe weather risk is possible, but it is too soon to determine the exact details. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL
618 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025
IAZ042-054-040000-
Jackson IA-Dubuque IA-
618 PM CDT Thu Jul 3 2025
...A slow-moving thunderstorm will impact portions of northwest
Jackson and south central Dubuque Counties through 700 PM CDT...
At 618 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a slow-moving thunderstorm
near Peosta, or 10 miles southwest of Dubuque, moving southeast at 5
mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and minor flooding.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could cause minor tree limb damage and blow
around unsecured objects. Slowing or redirecting of traffic
due to ponding or flowing water. Closure of waterfront
access due to flooding.
Locations impacted include...
Bernard, Washington Mills, and Garry Owen.
Rainfall amounts of 1 to 1.5 inches have fallen and an additional
1 to 2 inches of rain are possible.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is occurring and may lead to localized flooding.
Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Stay away from
flooded areas. Report any flooding to local law enforcement.
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 4241 9094 4245 9079 4229 9069 4223 9087
TIME...MOT...LOC 2318Z 325DEG 5KT 4240 9086
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
McClureThe Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 90 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:03 UTC.
2 hail, 1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency Manager reported damage to a bridge and another bridge washed out at the Timberline Golf Course. The Emergency Manager estimated the time of the report.
The Emergence Manager reported an outbuilding damaged and a large tree down.
A trained spotter reported that hail ranged in size from half an inch to a quarter of an inch.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, July 2025
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: 1280577, 1280581, 1280578, 1280579.