• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Fires/Accidents/Disasters / Nearly halfway through the tornado season and things have been quiet

Nearly halfway through the tornado season and things have been quiet

June 1, 2012 By O. Kay Henderson

A tornado destroyed about 75% of the southwest Iowa town of Thurman in mid-April, the same day a tornado smashed into Creston, doing major damage to a hospital. But State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says other than that outbreak of severe weather, it’s been “fairly quiet” in terms of tornado activity in Iowa this year.

“May and June are peak months for tornado activity and June the 9th would be kind of the mid-point to the tornado season, so we’re not quite to the very heart of tornado season — but we’re pretty darned close to it, though,” Hillaker says. “But thus far it’s been, you know, fairly quiet as far as severe weather — both tornadoes and hail, and high winds and such.”

Forecasters recently divided the country into 100-square-mile increments and mapped out tornado touch downs. The research found that in the past 20 years, Iowa has had more tornadoes touch down than all but two states. Recent forecasts indicate a period of calm weather ahead for Iowa.

“Of course that could change in just one afternoon and kind of make the season with one bad outbreak,” Hillaker says. “But so far we’ve avoided any really big, widespread events.”

According to the National Weather Service there were 50 tornadoes in Iowa last year. Twenty tornadoes were reported in Iowa on one day — April 9, 2011.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, News, Weather

Featured Stories

Final employee who was there at the launch of the Iowa Lottery to retire

No more USPS mail in Iowa prisons; inmates to get copies of mail

State officials warn of influx of fake prescription drugs laced with fentanyl

‘Brain-eating amoeba’ discovered in Taylor County lake

Cedar Rapids therapist’s relationship with student leads to years in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Hutchinson calls Iowa State a perfect fit

Northern Iowa’s Farley touts new practice facility

First minor league game gets things started tonight at Field of Dreams site

Knoxville set to host sprint car racing’s biggest event

Iowa State basketball builds on its identity

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC