The National Weather Service in Des Moines spent the morning assessing the damage caused during a storm early this morning, in northwestern Adair County. One person died and another was injured during what the preliminary investigation determined was a STRONG (EF-2) Tornado, with estimated peak winds of 120-to 130 MPH.

Officials say “A tornado developed quickly 3.2 miles south southeast of Adair, Iowa early Wednesday morning, May 22nd, 2019 resulting in one fatality and one injury. A rural homestead located just south of Interstate 80 received extensive damage to a single-family residence and outbuildings. The damage survey team also found lesser damage to single family residences and outbuildings located south of the main impacted home.”

Main Residence outbuildings-1

Main Residence GrainBinFoundation-1

Main residence (Adair Tornado) – Outbuildings (All photos by NWS Damage Survey Team)

The twister’s path was 4.8-miles, and 150-yards wide. It’s estimated to have begun at 1:29-a.m. 3.2 miles south-southeast of Adair, and ended at around 1:37-a.m., 2.2-miles northeast of Adair. 74-year old Linda Lee Brownlee died at the scene. Her husband, 78-year old Harold Brownlee suffered serious injuries, and was flown to a hospital in Des Moines. Debris from their home landed on nearby Interstate 80, at mile marker 77. One semi was in the ditch at about the same location.

Meteorologist Chad Hahn, with the National Weather Service, says it’s very unusual to have a twister strike that early in the morning. He says only about five-percent of tornadoes hit during the nighttime.  While May, June and July are typically the worst months of the year for tornadoes in Iowa, this is the first confirmed tornado this year. Last year, there were 69 tornadoes statewide with the most notable hitting Bondurant, Marshalltown and Pella on July 19th. Over the past decade, Iowa has seen as few as 16 tornadoes during all of 2012 and as many as 88 tornadoes in 2014.

Law enforcement reported to KJAN that numerous power poles were down this (Wednesday) morning across rural roads in eastern Cass County. A motorist drove over one of the power lines at around 4-a.m. on Glendale/Fairview Road, between 750th (Highway 148) and 760th Streets. Building debris from a barn was scattered along Glendale Road, but has since been removed. Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon encourages residents who sustained storm damage to contact him at 254-1500.  For more information on the tornado: https://www.weather.gov/dmx/20190522_Tornadoes

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EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita scale classifies tornadoes in
the following categories.

EF0…Weak……65 TO 85 MPH
EF1…Weak……86 TO 110 MPH
EF2…Strong….111 TO 135 MPH
EF3…Strong….136 TO 165 MPH
EF4…Violent…166 TO 200 MPH
EF5…Violent…>200 MPH