(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the National Weather Service, Saturday confirmed their data indicates at least two tornadoes formed over Iowa, Friday afternoon. The first occurred in southwest Iowa at around 3:45-p.m., northeast of Clarinda. That tornado was short-lived, and therefore was not rated. Officials said it was not part of a Super-Cell thunderstorm, and no damage was reported.

A second, damage producing tornado formed on the southwest side of Davenport, at around 5-p.m., Friday. It was 7.6-miles long and 50o-yards wide. The twister traveled up the western edge of the city for about 10-minutes before it dissipated. While it was on the ground, it hit an RV dealership, blew-over multiple motorhomes and campers, and snapped or uprooted many trees.

The Davenport tornado was rated an EF-2 on the Fujita Scale, with peak winds estimated at 120 miles per hour. Survey crews from the National Weather Service in Davenport planned to make additional storm assessments in the area today (Sunday).

Friday’s tornadoes bring the total number of twisters in Iowa this year, to eight, which is significantly less than the 112 tornadoes that formed during by this time last year. 2024 saw the highest number of tornadoes ever recorded in the State.

Friday’ storms also brought widespread flash flooding to several locations in eastern Iowa, with significant flash flooding in Davenport, where a rare, Flash Flood Emergency warning was issued just before 5:30-p.m., Friday, with water rising rapidly in homes and businesses in downtown Davenport. Rainfall of anywhere from 2- to 6-inches in less than four-hours fell across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri during the severe weather event.