(Des Moines) – Officials with the National Weather Service in Johnston have issued a summary of the tornadic activity that occurred across Iowa, Wednesday. According to the report, supercells developed over portions of north-central Iowa on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 14, 2021. The environment was ripe for tornadic development and rotation was evident on radar shortly after storms formed. Generally south of along the Highway 20 corridor was the hot spot for tornadoes from around Nemaha, Lake City, Stanhope, Jewell, and Waverly. Tornadoes were reported around Dysart and south of Mason City. Heavy rain cause flash flooding in Maxwell and ping pong hail was reported in Clarksville.

• At least 12 confirmed tornadoes in our warning area of central Iowa
• Five (5) tornadoes were surveyed by NWS personnel on July 15.
• With the exception of the tornado that started west/south of Lake City and ended about 10 miles away near Lohrville, and which rated an EF-3 with winds of 136-to 145-mph, the other four tornadoes were rated EF-1 on the Fujita Scale. There were no injuries reported.
• Preliminarily, there were 26 tornadoes across the state as of today (July 16, 2021). This makes it the 3rd most tornadoes in a single day since records began in 1980. However, the total number of tornadoes from July 14, 2021 will change as further data is analyzed in the coming days and weeks.
• Additional tornadoes will be rated in the coming days in coordination with emergency management along with the use of high resolution satellite, which will help to refine track details. Those results will be available from new Public Information Statements.