(Radio Iowa) – The clean-up process is underway in the north central community of Rudd, as an apparent tornado caused major damage on Wednesday night. Floyd County’s emergency management director Drew Mitchell says the storm went straight through the middle of town. “It went from the south part of town up through the north. It heavily damaged some buildings, knocked down a lot of power lines and trees, stuff like that. It did damage to the water treatment plant. I know the city of Rudd will be without water and power for a few days,” according to Mitchell. Mitchell says despite the destruction there have not been any injuries reported. He says the town is already in a cleanup mode.
“The big thing is is cleanup to begin with, because there is a lot of debris, a lot of power lines down. The power lines will be taken care of by the fire department and the energy company. But cleanup is the big thing, there’s a lot of wood and stuff like that laying around town,” he says. Mitchell says people who want to volunteer as part of the cleanup effort are welcome to come to Rudd, but if you are not helping, they are asking that you stay away.
Anyone willing to help with the cleanup is asked to report to the Rudd Fire Department. The Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock school building is open for those needing showers, warmth, and meals. A team from the National Weather Service office in LaCrosse will be in Rudd today to survey the storm.
[COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA] – Emergency Management officials in Pottawattamie County today (Thursday) confirmed one tornado touchdown from yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) storms along the I-80 corridor between Council Bluffs and Neola. They will be working today to validate a likely second tornado that occurred in eastern Pottawattamie County and a swath of likely straight-line wind damages in southcentral Pottawattamie County.
The Agency is requesting assistance from the public to help confirm the severity of the events that occurred. Residents or businesses that have experience property damages related to the storm should report them on the EMA’s website at https://pcema-ia.org/. Damage assessments help officials validate and justify any potential assistance programs for those that may have unmet needs and it also contributes to the data needed to support a statewide disaster declaration if the impacts require federal recovery assistance for individuals and local governments.
Pottawattamie County EMA has submitted a request to the Governor’s Office for activation of the Iowa Individual Assistance Program and Disaster Case Management Programs to assist low-income families in their recovery. If approved, more information will be provide through local media, social media, and the emergency management website. The damage assessment survey is an easy to use online interface from any device and also allows you to submit pictures of your damage to help in the overall recovery process.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon says he has applied for a Disaster Proclamation from the State, and Governor Kim Reynolds is expected to issue a Proclamation for Cass and other counties, sometime today. Kennon said they’re just beginning to assess the damage that spans west/southwest of Atlantic to northeast of town.
Kennon says they had a total of nine semi tractor-trailer rollovers in the County, primarily along Interstate 80. There were no life-threatening injuries reported. He said just because the storm has passed, doesn’t mean there aren’t hazards people should be aware of.
He said power crews are out and about working on downed lines. The tornado sirens in Atlantic went off twice, Wednesday evening. He offered advice to residents in the County, following the storms…
Residents with damage or downed power lines should call the Cass County EMA at 712-254-1500.
(Radio Iowa) – The 14-hundred residents of the northwest Iowa town of Kingsley lost power as Wednesday’s storm damaged power lines, trees and buildings. Duane Walhof is Plymouth County’s Emergency Management director. “Parts of roofs torn off and those type things, mainly on the south side of Kingsley,” Walhof says. “…Titan Machinery had the roof torn off and tossed across the road.”
Walhof says there were reports the roofs of hog barns in rural areas around Kingsley were damaged as well. Walhof says since the storm hit at about 5 p.m., it was difficult to assess damage in the dark. “The National Weather Service will be out to try to identify whether it was straight line winds or a tornado,” Walhof says. “We’ll see what the day brings in how quickly we can get Kingsley back up and restored and back on it again.”
The Plymouth County Sheriff restricted movement within the Kingsley City Limits overnight to residents of the community, to limit the number of sightseers driving through the damage. Kingsley-Pierson School was cancelled for today (Thursday).
Today: Partly cloudy & windy. High 41. NW @ 15-30 mph.
Tonight: P/Cldy. Low 17. Winds light & variable.
Tomorrow: P/Cldy to cloudy. High 41. W @ 5-10.
Saturday: P/Cldy to cldy. High 32.
Sunday: P/Cldy. High 35.
Wednesday’s High in Atlantic of 72 broke the record of 64 set in 2002. Our Low this morning, was 25. We received .16″ of rain yesterday. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 23 and the Low was 11. The Record High on this date was 54 in 1962. The Record Low was -22 in 1951.
Here is the latest storm report compiled by the National Weather Service and KJAN, for the severe storms/wind event on Wed., Dec. 15 2021
Time of event/type of event/location/County/source of information
7:45-p.m. Cass County Communications reports Olive Street is closed north of Atlantic from Great River Road to Chicago Road, due to downed power lines. Barricades are in-place.
7:35-p.m. 66 mph thunderstorm wind gust 3 miles south of Creston.
7:15-p.m 59 mph gust 1 mile S/SE of Clarinda
5:56-p.m. Thunderstorm wind damage 1 mile N/NE of Creston: Tree fell on a house (Time estimated)
5:55-p.m. 70 mph thunderstorm wind gust 3 miles south of Creston. (MesoNet)
5:48-p.m. Accident w/minor injuries, I-80 mm59 wb
5:35-p.m. Thunderstorm wind damage: Outbuilding destroyed at 240th & Timber Ave; Carroll County.
Power lines down north of Atlantic Wed. night (Photo courtesy Ashley Skow)
5:34-p.m. Power lines down north of Atlantic on Troublesome Creek between Olive Street & Great River RD. (KJAN listener report)
534-p.m. Semi rollover on I-29 miles N/NW of Pacific Junction at mm 35.
5:34-p.m. Thunderstorm wind damage in Neola: Out buildings blown over, houses damaged, power lines down, gas leak.
5:32-p.m. Tstrm wind damage: Outbuilding destroyed near Yale (Guthrie County)
5:31-p.m. 70 mph wind gust in Ralston (Carroll County)
5:30-p.m. rollover accident on I-80 wb between 60-61mm; Atlantic Fire & Rescue/Cass EMS dispatched
517-p.m. 1/2″ diameter hail, tstrm winds up to 65 mph 8 miles W. of Guthrie Center; EMA
515-p.m. estimated 80 mph gust 2 miles S. of Adair; Zero visibility south of Adair.
5:15-p.m. semi rollover near 71968 630th St. in Cass County, near Muller Livestock.
5:15-p.m. 61 mph tstrm wind gust 1 mile S/SE of Clarinda.
5:02-p.m. Tornado on the ground 1 mile NW of Atlantic (storm chase & video confirmed)
5:02-p.m. Weather spotters confirm a tornado crossing I-80 north of Atlantic
5:02-p.m. Semi rolled over 3 miles W. of McClelland on I-80 mm
5:01-p.m. Tornado confirmed 3 miles S/SW of Brayton; Storm spotter reported flipped semi’s and power flashes.
5:00-p.m. Trees blocking one lane of 570th in the area of Whitepole Road.
4:55-p.m. Rollover accident 590th and Tucson in Cass County.
4:55-p.m. 72 mph tstrm gust at the Harlan Airport.
4:53-p.m. Semi on I-80 WB near Shelby (Twitter photo)
4:53-p.m. Tstrm wind damage 2 miles S. of Woodbine: Trees uprooted or snapped; Roof blown off
4:38-p.m. Tstrm wind damage 1 mile NE of Underwood: Large garage doors on a city building were blown-in.
4:38-p.m. Tstrm wind gust of 80 mph 2 miles SE of Underwood.
4:36-p.m. Tstrm wind gust of 79 mph 5 miles E/NE of Council Bluffs.
4:29-p.m. Tstrm wind damage 4 miles W. of Underwood: roof blown off a home on L-34.
4:27-p.m. Tstrm wind damage 1 mile NW of Treynor: Powerlines down. P
425-p.m. Tstrm wind damage 3 miles N/NW of McClelland; Major home damage in Weston.
4:24-p.m. Tstrm wind damage 5 miles W of McClelland: Fire Chief reports power lines and power poles down for about 1.4 of a mile, from Homestead to L-34 along Railroad Hwy.
4:22-p.m. Tstrm wind damage 2 miles N. of Malvern: power lines down across Hwy 34.
4:22-p.m. 81 mph gust at Offutt AFB in NE
4:22-p.m. 83 mph gust near Missouri Valley
4:22-p.m. Tstrms wind gust of 83 mph 8 miles W/SW of Sidney at I-29/Hwy 2 (MesoNet station)
4:21-p.m. Nine loaded coal cars rolled off the tracks 1 mile E/NE of Council Bluffs.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – What some meteorologists are calling an “Unprecedented” weather event is staged to sweep across Iowa this afternoon and evening, bringing destructive winds and tornadoes. Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon tells KJAN News this storm system could present as strong or stronger straight line winds than the August Derecho that caused millions of dollars in damage across the state.
The storm system is expected to push through from west to east at up to 80 miles per hour.
Kennon advises you to keep abreast of the latest developments in this fast mover.
Once the storm front passes through, you need to be prepared to encounter downed power line and tree limbs, not to mention debris from area properties. In your home or business, remember to go the interior of your structure when strong winds and tornadoes are in the area.
(Johnston, Iowa) – The National Weather Service, today (Wednesday), reports widespread very strong winds are anticipated this afternoon and this evening, but severe thunderstorms are possible as well. A line of severe thunderstorms is expected to move rapidly west to east across central Iowa between 4pm and 8pm at speeds of 60 to 70 mph. The primary severe weather threats will be damaging winds and a few tornadoes. With non-thunderstorm winds already gusting from 60 to 70 mph, winds in thunderstorms could reach 80 mph or more.
Conditions could change very rapidly today with little reaction time as storms approach. Monitor weather conditions closely with safe shelter available and nearby.
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