(KIWA Staff File Photo -- not a current photo)Northwest Iowa — There were several reports of damage and specific reports of severe weather events after Tuesday night’s severe storms in northwest Iowa.
According to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, a thunderstorm wind gust of 81 mph was recorded nine miles north-northeast of Hawarden at 9:50 p.m. One of 64 miles per hour was received from a location four miles south-southeast of Rock Rapids at 10:12 p.m. They tell us that hail nearly the size of pennies — or 7 tenths of an inch — was recorded three miles south of Sioux Center at 10:13 p.m., and one-inch hail — about the size of a quarter — was witnessed two miles north-northwest of Orange City at 10:18 p.m.
The weather service says three more wind gust reports were sent to them: a 71 mph gust five miles south-southeast of Rock Rapids, a 73 mph gust two miles northeast of George, and a 63 mph gust five miles west-southwest of Little Rock.
Around the area, the emergency managers said the damage was spotty. Sioux County Emergency Manager Ryan DeKruyf says the east side of Hull got hit pretty hard with lots of tree branches and trees down and a widespread power outage. Lyon County Emergency Manager Rick Bos says George and Doon were both hit, with George being hit a lot harder. Both towns were also without power for a time during the night. Damage seems to have been a lot less the further east you go, with Osceola County Emergency Manager Corey Shearer reporting that Ashton, Melvin, and Sibley storm spotters went out, but they only had reports of 35-40 mph winds and heavy rain. O’Brien County Emergency Manager Jared Johnson says he knows of only one large branch that fell in Sheldon, with some Highway 18 road closure signs and barricades that blew over.
