(Wilton, Iowa) – A collision at an intersection southeast of Wilton, in eastern Iowa’s Muscatine County, Sunday, resulted in one person dead and two others injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee was traveling east on 120th Street a little after 6-p.m., when the driver failed to obey a stop sign at the intersection with Taylor Avenue.

The SUV entered the intersection and struck a southbound 2017 Chevy Equinox broadside. The impact caused the Chevy to roll over. One of the occupants of the vehicles died at the scene. One person was transported by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, while another was transported by EMS to Genesis East Hospital.

All of the accident victims were wearing their seat belts. No names were immediately released. The accident remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, Wilton Police Department and Iowa DNR.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman was arrested this (Sunday) afternoon, on an Assault charge. Authorities say Deputies in Adams County arrested 34-year-old Cassandra Kate Mitchell, of Corning, for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Mitchell was taken into custody at around 1:35-p.m., and transported to the Adams County Jail, where she was being held without bond.

(Omaha/Valley, NE) – Officials with the National Weather Service in Omaha, Sunday, said they had confirmed 12 EF-0 spin-up tornadoes associated with the derecho that moved through the region on Friday, May 24th. The Weather Service says “Quasi-Linear Convective System (QLCS) moved acrossthe area during the late night hours where several scattered tornado spin-ups were reported. QLCS tornadoes tend to be weaker and shorter-lived on average than those associated with supercell thunderstorms.”

In southwest Iowa, tornadoes occurred Friday south of Treynor, 3-miles east of Henderson, and two-miles north of Westphalia. Details are posted below:

..South of Treynor Tornado…

Survey Summary:
This very brief spin up remained near Aspen Road and 300th street south of Treynor. Three grain bins were destroyed as well as numerous trees.

Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 83 mph
Path Length /statute/: 0.25 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 60 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 05/24/2024
Start Time: 03:00 AM CDT
Start Location: 4 S Treynor / Pottawattamie County / IA
Start Lat/Lon: 41.175 / -95.6151

End Date: 05/26/2024
End Time: 03:01 AM CDT
End Location: 3 S Treynor / Pottawattamie County / IA
End Lat/Lon: 41.1782 / -95.613

..Henderson Tornado…

Survey Summary:
This brief spin up tornado damaged trees at a farmstead as well as outbuildings.

Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 74 mph
Path Length /statute/: 2.09 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 60 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 05/24/2024
Start Time: 03:10 AM CDT
Start Location: 3 E Henderson / Montgomery County / IA
Start Lat/Lon: 41.1316 / -95.3649

End Date: 05/24/2024
End Time: 03:10 AM CDT
End Location: 4 ENE Henderson / Montgomery County / IA
End Lat/Lon: 41.1582 / -95.3457

..Westphalia/Earling Tornado…

Survey Summary:
This brief spin-up tornado damaged roofs off an outbuilding and downed several trees.

Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 80 mph
Path Length /statute/: 0.09 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 40 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0

Start Date: 05/24/2024
Start Time: 03:13 AM CDT
Start Location: 2 N Westphalia / Shelby County / IA
Start Lat/Lon: 41.7524 / -95.3859

End Date: 05/24/2024
End Time: 03:13 AM CDT
End Location: 2 N Westphalia / Shelby County / IA
End Lat/Lon: 41.7531 / -95.3844

*********

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into 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

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the events and publication in
NWS Storm Data.

DES MOINES, Iowa (WHO-TV] – Ryan Hall is a YouTuber and Meteorologist who live-streams severe storms. He and his team were live-streaming Tuesday (May 21st), when an EF4 tornado hit the town of Greenfield in Iowa.

Andy Hill, one of the storm chasers part of Hall’s team was on the ground Tuesday and said that they started raising money as soon as they saw the damage to the town. The non-profit Y’all Squad stream was activated following the Greenfield tornado event, and made available to everyone watching. In the next few hours, they raised $93,000 from those people watching the stream and talking about it.

The Y’all Squad is a charity that Ryan Hall created to help support victims of tornadoes and other severe storms. Caleb Beacham, the Y’all Squad Field Coordinator, said that the charity was formed about 17-months ago for severe storm events, to make it possible for live-stream viewers to donate.

The Y’all Squad arrived hours after the tornado stuck Greenfield and provided critical supplies and meals. They also gave one of the families whose home was destroyed by the tornado $30,000 to help recover.

To learn more about the Y’all Squad, visit the charity’s website.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report the driver of a 1999 Chevy Suburban was cited for Driving without a valid license and arrested for OWI, following a property damage accident Saturday night. Authorities say the vehicle driven by 34-year-old Christopher Roland Bird, of Creston, was traveling south on Spruce Street near the intersection of Prairie and Spruce, when Bird turned left off of Spruce to continue east on Prairie. As the Suburban was turning east, it struck a legally parked 2008 Chevy pickup and trailer. The trailer was loaded with two UTV’s. The truck, trailer and both UTV’s were damaged. The damage to those items were estimated at $10,000 altogether, according to Police.

The accident happened at around 10:17-p.m. Police say Bird was unable to provide proof of financial liability (Insurance). His vehicle sustained $5,000 damage. No injuries were reported. Authorities said contributing factors in the crash included “Operating [a] vehicle in a reckless, erratic, careless [or] negligent manner.”

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — The line of severe storms that swept across Iowa Friday morning was in fact a derecho (pronounced “duh-RAY-cho”). That confirmation came from the Storm Prediction Center, which determined the powerful system met its criteria after plowing through the Midwest from Nebraska all the way to Illinois.

In simple terms, a derecho is a complex of thunderstorms that produces straight-line wind damage over a very long path. That damage path has to exceed 400 miles in length and must be at least 60 miles wide. Wind gusts have to exceed 58 mph (severe thunderstorm criteria) over most of the path, with occasional gusts above 75 mph.

The derecho that walloped Iowa Friday morning checked all those boxes. Reports of 60-70 mph gusts first came out of southwest Nebraska Thursday night. By 3 a.m. Friday, severe winds had arrived in western Iowa and would persist all the way into Illinois.

In Iowa, gusts above the 58 mph threshold were reported as far north as Estherville, and as far south as Highway 92, making the damage swath well over 100 miles wide. Finally, the system produced multiple high-end wind gusts (75+ mph) along its path, including an 83 mph gust in Monona County, 75 mph winds in Greenfield, and an 84 mph gust recorded near Newton.

Many Iowans hadn’t heard of derechos until a particularly powerful one struck Aug. 10, 2020.

Derechos actually happen with some regularity but are rarely as strong as the 2020 storm.

Historically, part of Iowa experiences a derecho every 1-2 years. Since 2010, a total of 14 derechos have hit somewhere in the state.

• May 24, 2024
• June 29, 2023 (southern Iowa)
• July 5, 2022 (northern Iowa)
• May 12, 2022 (northwest Iowa)
• Dec. 15, 2021
• Aug. 10, 2020
• July 20, 2019 (northern Iowa)
• June 28, 2018
• July 19, 2017 (northeast Iowa)
• June 22, 2015
• June 30, 2014
• June 24, 2013
• July 11, 2011
• June 18, 2010

DES MOINES, Iowa — Two people are in custody following a shooting Saturday evening outside of the Knapp Center in Des Moines. KCCI report Police said officers heard gunfire and recovered one firearm. No one was injured. Several officers with the Des Moines Police Department were already at the Knapp Center due to Roosevelt High School’s graduation ceremony, which was going on inside. Des Moines police said officers heard gunfire around 5:35 p.m. outside of the Knapp Center.

Investigators say a handgun was found on one suspect, while a second one was found in one of their vehicles. Police said they were able to lock down the area quickly, thanks to the police already present. Following the gunshots, Des Moines police said a fight involving more than five individuals broke out inside the arena. Pepper spray was used to break up the fight.

Des Moines Public Schools released the following statement on the incident:

“Late this [Saturday] afternoon, while honoring Roosevelt High School’s graduating class, a number of people ran into Drake University’s Knapp Center and began telling attendees there had been a shooting outside. This caused commotion and a brief disruption to the ceremony while Des Moines Police and Drake Public Safety responded quickly to the scene to ensure everyone inside was safe.

Superintendent Ian Roberts was informed there was no immediate threat to the commencement, shared with the crowd that it was safe inside the arena, and the ceremony resumed so that every graduate present was able to walk across the stage and receive their diploma.

While the incident is not believed to have any direct connection to the Roosevelt commencement ceremony, Principal Steven Schappaugh informed Roosevelt families of changes to [Saturday night’s] Senior Night celebration were made as a precaution and the school district would have additional security in place for two commencement ceremonies on Sunday.”

OMAHA, Neb. [KETV]  — Omaha police early Saturday morning, responded to a crowd call near Carter Lake, Iowa, which later turned into a potential shooting incident. KETV says authorities reported that according to officers, one victim told their parents that she may have been shot. Both victims, identified as females, self-transported to the hospital for treatment.

Police said one victim sustained a gunshot wound to the arm, while the other was shot near the head; she is currently in critical condition. Felony assault charges are pending at this time. As of the latest report, no suspects were in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Officials with the Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency have released the name of the fourth person who died as the result the May 21st tornado, EF-4 rated tornado, in Greenfield. 70-year-old Lee* Williamson, of Greenfield, lived in the 200 Block of S. 5th Street when the tornado struck. He was transported from residence to Greater Regional Health Center in Creston, where he succumbed to his injuries. (*corrects first name from original news release)

As previously announced, the three other tornado victims in Greenfield were 78-year-old Dean Wiggins and 77-year-old Pamela Wiggins, who lived in the 800 block of E. Iowa Street, and 73-year-old Michael Jensen, who lived on SE Jackson Street.

The tornado claimed its fifth victim in Adams County, where 49-year-old Monica Irma Zamarron, of Shenandoah, was ejected from her vehicle as it traveled on Highway 148, near Corning.