Severe thunderstorms that rolled through northwest and western Iowa overnight caused a substantial amount of damage. The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports the roof was blown-off a power plant in Villisca today (Thursday) at around 3:45-a.m. There was also damage to a chicken plant southwest of Villisca, and large tree branches fell in the City.

Damage in Villisca (Photo’s by Montgomery County Emergency Mgmt. Agency)

In northwest Iowa’s Pocahontas County, extensive tree damage was reported to have occurred at around 12:50-a.m. today (Thursday), in Fonda. In Calhoun County, 12-inch diameter tree limbs succumbed to thunderstorm winds in Manson. Further north, in Palo Alto County, thunderstorm wind damage was reported to trees in Emmetsburg. Winds in Mallard gusted up to 65-mph.

In north central Iowa, extensive tree damage all across Kossuth County due to straight-line winds, with Algona, Swea City, Burt, Luverne and Bancroft specifically mentioned as hard hit areas. In Winnebago County, a large tree was uprooted near Lake Mills, with a few trees falling onto parked vehicles. Winds in the area were clocked at up to 70-mph. And, in Worth County, Highway 65 was blocked by downed power lines in both directions earlier this (Thursday) morning.