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Storm damage report (Updated 11-a.m., 9/10/19)

News, Weather

September 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Severe storms that blew through southwest and Central Iowa Monday afternoon and evening, causing extensive damage to a rural property five-miles West/Northwest of Hepburn, in Page County. Emergency Management officials say two large metal buildings were damaged by strong thunderstorm winds at around 4:40-p.m., and there was varying degress of tree damage. The farm is located between Stanton and Bethesda, or in the area of 120th and Q Avenue. You can see Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency drone pictures of the damage on the Weather page at kjan.com.

At about the same time as that damage was taking place, thunderstorm winds estimated at 51 mph were recorded by the AWOS (Automated Weather Observation System), two-mile South/Southeast of Clarinda.

At around 4-p.m., the Adair-Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency reported 4-to 6-inch diameter tree limbs were down in Menlo. Just before 5-p.m., winds gusting up to 57-mph were reported by a Cooperative Weather Observer, four-miles North of Nodaway, in Adams County. And, at around 5:46-p.m. EMA officials reported a power pole was broken a White Pole Road and Adair Streets, in Menlo.

In Central Iowa’ Story County, an estimated 70-mph gust of wind at around 5:50-p.m. Near Colo, caused a 10-inch diameter tree limb to snap on a older tree, and several 3-to 4-inch limbs to break on newer trees. Winds gusted up to 61 mph near Collins, as well. Two miles east of Ames, Law Enforcement reported the wall of a building was pushed-in six-feet, and the contents of the building were blown around. The event was estimated by radar to have occurred at around 5:11-p.m.

In Polk County, winds gusted upwards of 60 mph Monday evening about two-miles west of West Des Moines. One-mile southeast of Sheldahl, law enforcement reported a telephone pole and a No Passing sign were leaned-over at around 4:48-p.m. Elsewhere, multiple trees were downed in the Hardin County town of Hubbard. One of the trees was 24-inches in diameter. In Black Hawk County, the skirting for a mobile home was damaged two-miles north/northwest of Washburn, and numerous tree limbs were down. Shingles were also reported blown off a home north of Hudson. Tree and power line damage was also reported in Grundy, Dallas, Boone, and Butler Counties. In Butler County, a couple of trees reportedly fell on homes in Parkersburg and Clarksville.

The storms also caused damage early this (Tuesday) morning in central Iowa. A spotter reported trees down 2 miles southeast of the Des Moines International Airport at around 3:50-a.m. Five minutes later, Public Safety Officials said a tree fell on a power line in the same area, causing power flashes in south Des Moines.