Remembering the May 25, 2008 Iowa Storm

Ten years ago a powerful storm tragically blew through the northern part of Iowa, leaving in its wake serious destruction and anguish in the towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford. The .7-mile wide EF5 tornado that impacted the communities was responsible for 7 fatalities in Parkersburg and 2 in New Hartford. The radar image above shows Parkersburg (circled) about five minutes after the tornado entered town (5:00 pm CDT, Sunday, May 25, 2008).

By chance, I was on my way back home to Cedar Rapids with friends following a fishing trip in northeast Minnesota when we happened upon the storm. Our route back home took us across its track, though about an hour and a half following the Parkersburg event. Above, the camera looks southeast while eastbound on US Highway 18, about one mile west of Floyd, Iowa at 6:24 pm. A still-potent looking supercell dominates the background.

A minute later, entering the town of Floyd. The most intense area of the storm at this time was about 53 miles distant.

This image was not previously posted and I pulled it from some of my leftover images. Camera looks due south at 6:28 pm along US Highway 218, just south of 185th Street, and about 1.75-mile northwest of Charles City. The storm clouds here were a trailing line from the main system and about 15 miles distant. Parkersburg was actually located another 20 miles behind it.

Radar screen capture corresponding to the image above it. The target icon at left indicates our vehicle's mobile position, with black arrows pointing to Parkersburg, the closer line of clouds, and the most intense area of the storm system. The white arrows show the storm's track.

6:45 pm. Stopped for gas at the Casey's General Store in Nashua, Iowa. Note the wall of clouds in the eastern sky from the retreating storm. Around 5:20 pm, we were told, patrons and employees alike at this convenience store were forced to seek shelter as the sirens sounded. Later we noted sporadic areas of damage along US Highway 20 near Cedar Falls as we continued home. Kodak Z812 Digital camera.