Saturday night storms leave wind damage in eastern Iowa

CALMAR, Iowa (KCRG) - Severe thunderstorms late on Saturday night caused wind damage in parts of eastern Iowa, particularly in far northeast Iowa.

Lines of strong to severe thunderstorms moved across portions of the state late on Saturday night into early Sunday morning. Portions of Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties were some of the hardest hit areas, with numerous reports of damage to trees and some buildings.

Surveyors from the National Weather Service in La Crosse, Wisc. were sent to investigate the damage on Sunday. They determined that it was caused by straight-line winds, rather than a tornado. Damage in the Calmar area in Winneshiek County was determined to be caused by winds of between 75 and 80 mph. Photographs from the NWS and Calmar Police Department showed tree damage and roof damage to homes.

Significant damage was noted at the South Winneshiek Athletic Complex, where structures, fences, and lighting structures were damaged or destroyed. School district officials said, in a statement on the district’s website, that residents should stay away from the area due to safety concerns.

Damage in Waukon was caused by wind speeds of 70 to 80 mph, according to the NWS survey. Tree damage was noted in the city’s park, as well as damage to some outbuildings on a farm on the southwest side of the city.

Other reports of damage came from closer to the U.S. Highway 20 corridor, with additional tree damage in Buchanan, Delaware, and Dubuque Counties. Measured wind speeds ranged from 50 mph in Central City in Linn County to 67 mph at the Dubuque Regional Airport.

Several thousand people were without power in the state after the storms swept through, though only a few dozen were left without power as of Sunday night.

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