Parkersburg, Iowa Tornado 2008
Massive Twister Also Struck New Hartford and Dunkerton With an EF5 Force
May 5, 2009
Iowa is located in Tornado Alley and it experiences several tornadoes each year but the May, 2008 tornado in Parkersburg was the second deadliest in Iowa since the official weather record keeping began in 1950.
The deadliest tornado in Iowa occurred in Charles City on May 15, 1968 where the death toll was 13 people. The Parkersburg tornado was the first EF5 tornado since June 13, 1976 when a twister hit Jordan, Iowa.
Path of the Parkersburg Tornado
As recorded by the National Weather Service in Des Moines, Iowa:
- On May 25, 2008, a strong supercell developed over northwest Iowa in the late afternoon. A supercell is a severe thunderstorm that contains rotating updrafts. These updrafts create tornadoes.
- At 4:22 pm, the first tornado warning was issued for the Parkersburg district. A tornado that was spawned from the supercell touched down near Aplington at 4:48 pm.
- By 5:00 pm, the tornado reached the southern end of Parkersburg. The funnel was approximately ¾ of a mile wide.
- The tornado proceeded eastward and struck New Hartford at 5:09 pm, then it brushed north of Waterloo and Cedar Falls. At this point, the funnel shrunk to ¼ mile wide.
- When the tornado reached Dunkerton, it curved to the northeast and the funnel expanded to just over 1 mile wide and then it dissipated.
Destruction Caused by the Parkersburg Tornado
The most severe damage was in Parkersburg where most of the town was flattened. There were 21 commercial buildings destroyed, including the city hall. In addition, four businesses suffered major damage. More than 400 homes were damaged and 222 homes were totally destroyed. Because of a gas leak, the residents of Parkersburg were evacuated.
A housing development in New Hartford was hit and 88 homes were flattened. A few houses were destroyed north of the Waterloo Regional Airport. Several homes were flattened in Dunkerton.
KCCI News in Des Moines, Iowa reported; “Seven people were killed and about 50 people were injured in the storm, which also hit New Hartford and Dunkerton. In an estimate by FEMA and Iowa Homeland Security, about $5.8 million in damage was done during the storm which hit late Sunday afternoon and destroyed nearly half of Parkersburg.”
The strong winds and quick movement of the supercell produced an interesting event. Residents in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin found greeting cards, business records, and pictures from a Walgreen’s in Waterloo, which was located over 100 miles away!
Related Articles on Tornadoes:
North America Tornado Swarm 1974
1965 Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak
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