Severe storms with punishing winds and possible tornadoes struck Iowa on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in multiple deaths and significant damage in the town of Greenfield. The storm, which hit Greenfield, a small city of about 2,000 residents in Adair County, left at least a dozen people injured, with the death toll still unknown as search and rescue operations continued. Social media footage showed extensive damage in residential areas, with video showing homes reduced to rubble and people being escorted by emergency officials. In nearby Adams County, another storm-related death was reported, with images showing the destruction caused by reported tornadoes, including wind turbines that had toppled.
The Adair County Health System hospital in Greenfield was evacuated due to storm damage, with patients being transported to other hospitals as a precaution. Governor Kim Reynolds issued an emergency disaster proclamation in 15 counties, including Adams and Adair, allowing state resources to aid in storm response efforts. The storm activity was expected to impact a wide range of areas from Kansas City to Milwaukee, with Iowa, including Iowa City and Davenport, facing the highest risk of tornadoes and damaging winds. Pea-size hail, heavy rains, and strong winds were reported in Madison County southwest of Des Moines during the morning storms.
Schools districts closed early or canceled classes altogether in anticipation of the severe weather. This region has experienced a higher number of tornadoes this year, with over 150 preliminary reports in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. The peak period for tornadic weather in these states typically falls in May and June, with most reports occurring earlier in the year. There was uncertainty about how the morning storms would impact the severity of the afternoon storms, as conditions needed for damaging storms to occur could potentially rebound after the morning storms passed.
The risk of severe storms was forecasted to persist in the Upper Great Lakes region overnight into Wednesday morning. This ongoing severe weather activity has been part of a series of storms hitting the Midwest in recent weeks, with reports of tornadoes in the Chicago area adding to the overall devastation. As the cleanup and recovery efforts continue in the affected areas, state resources have been mobilized to assist in the response to the storm damage.
