November 2005 Iowa tornado outbreak

Iowa Tornado Outbreak of November 2005

Photograph from NWS damage survey in Woodward, Iowa
Date(s) November 12—13 2005
Duration 6 hours, 22 minutes
Confirmed tornadoes 14
Maximum rated tornado F3 (Fujita scale)
Damages $18.6 million
Casualties 1

The Iowa Tornado Outbreak of November 2005 was a large and exceptionally rare late autumn season tornado outbreak on the afternoon and evening of November 12, 2005 across the central United States but concentrated in central Iowa. One person was killed and there was extensive damage in several communities.

There were preliminary reports of as many as twenty tornadoes in Iowa, and 14 were later confirmed, including 12 in Iowa alone. It is the largest ever tornado outbreak in Iowa in November; and among the largest outbreaks that far north and west in the United States that late in the year. Only 23 confirmed tornadoes have been recorded in Iowa in November from 1950-2004. There were also many reports of very large hail and strong straight-line winds, starting in southeast South Dakota.

In addition, the tornado sirens sounded just before an Iowa State University Cyclones football game incurring an evacuation of the stadium. The tornado was visible from the stadium. The Iowa State Cyclones, named partly for a violent tornado in the early 20th century returned to the field and were shockingly victorious. Another tornado struck the actual ISU campus a couple months prior on September 8 with minor damage.

Tornado table

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
5 6 2 1 0 0 14

Confirmed tornadoes

F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
Iowa
F1 S of Scranton Greene 2150 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 Brief tornado caused little damage as it moved through fields.[1]
F3 S of Boxholm to NE of Stratford Boone, Webster, Hamilton 2227 17.6 miles
(28.2 km)		 1 death - In Boone County, the tornado struck a farm at F1 intensity, damaging the home and some outbuildings. It also flipped over one pickup truck and killed two horses at this location. The tornado reached F2 intensity in Webster County, where a home was heavily damaged and a large outbuilding was destroyed. A machine shed was also destroyed, along with most of its contents. In Hamilton County, the tornado reached F3 intensity as it struck Stratford, where many homes were heavily damaged or destroyed and one person was killed. Vehicles were flipped and trees were snapped as well. A gas leak forced an evacuation of the town. Three farms were damaged outside of town before the tornado dissipated. Three people were injured.[2][3]
F2 W of Minburn to E of Woodward Dallas, Boone 2228 12 miles
(19.2 km)		 Dozens of homes in Woodward were damaged or destroyed, including several homes shifted off their foundations. A double wide mobile home was flipped upside down into the middle a street. One farm was also destroyed outside of town. Two people were injured.[4]
F1 Hospers Sioux 2230 1 miles
(1.6 km)		 Tornado destroyed the wall and part of the roof of a business in Hospers, and caused minor damage to contents in the building.[5]
F1 NW of Madrid Boone 2248 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Heavy damage to one farm site and moderate damage to one home.[6]
F0 Ames Story 2256 0.2 miles
(0.32 km)		 Anticyclonic tornado lifted lawn chairs and caused shingle damage to homes in Ames.[7]
F2 E of Ames to NE of Gilbert Boone, Story 2258 12 miles
(19.2 km)		 Tornado caused considerable damage to homes on the northwestern fringes of Ames. Tornado was visible from Iowa State University and forced the evacuation of the stadium during a football game. A farm was also heavily damaged near Gilbert. One person was injured.[8]
F0 SW of Story City Story 2315 1.6 miles
(2.6 km)		 Aerial surveys showed minor damage.[9]
F1 W of Roland to N of Radcliffe Story, Hamilton, Hardin 2320 8 miles
(12.8 km)		 Several farm sites were damaged along the path.[10]
F0 S of Williams Hamilton 2327 1.5 miles
(2.4 km)		 Brief touchdown. No damage was reported.
F0 N of Steamboat Rock Hardin 2350 0.7 miles
(1.1 km)		 Brief tornado with little damage.[11]
F1 Blakesburg area Monroe 0040 1.5 miles
(2.4 km)		 Destroyed a barn along its short track.
Missouri
F1 NE of Hoburg Lawrence 0140 5 miles
(8 km)		 Several homes suffered moderate to significant damage. Most damage was predominantly to roofs while several trees were uprooted. One woman was injured in her home.[12]
Arkansas
F0 W of Mena Polk 0427 3.5 miles
(5.6 km)		 A couple of older chicken houses sustained structural damage. A number of trees were also snapped off along the path of the tornado.[13]
Sources: Des Moines office Tornado History Project Storm Data - November 12, 2005

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5480755
  2. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5482151
  3. ↑ http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dmx/?n=stratford-woodward-11122005
  4. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5482153
  5. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5484936
  6. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5480745
  7. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5480756
  8. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5480747
  9. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5480748
  10. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5480749
  11. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5480754
  12. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5479431
  13. ↑ http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5485180

External links