Iowa tornado outbreak of November 2005
Photograph from NWS damage survey in Woodward, Iowa
TypeTornado outbreak
DurationNovember 1213 2005
Tornadoes
confirmed
14
Max. rating1F3 tornado
Duration of
tornado outbreak2
6 hours, 22 minutes
Fatalities1 fatality, 7 injuries
Damage$18.607 million (2005 USD)[1]
Areas affectedIowa, Arkansas, Missouri

1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale
2Time from first tornado to last tornado

A large and exceptionally rare late autumn season tornado outbreak occurred during the afternoon and evening hours of November 12, 2005 with the majority of them concentrated in central Iowa. One person was killed and there was extensive damage in several communities.

There were preliminary reports of as many as twenty tornadoes in Iowa, and 14 were later confirmed, including 12 in Iowa alone. It is the largest ever tornado outbreak in Iowa in November; and among the largest outbreaks that far north and west in the United States that late in the year. Only 23 confirmed tornadoes have been recorded in Iowa in November from 1950 to 2004. There were also many reports of very large hail and strong straight-line winds, starting in southeast South Dakota.

In addition, the tornado sirens sounded just before an Iowa State University Cyclones football game incurring an evacuation of the stadium. The tornado was visible from the stadium. The Iowa State Cyclones, named partly for a violent tornado in the early 20th century returned to the field and were victorious. Another tornado struck the actual ISU campus a couple months prior on September 8 with minor damage.

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 5 6 2 1 0 0 14
F# Location County State Time (UTC) Path length Damage
F1 S of Scranton Greene IA 2150 1 mile (1.6 km) Brief tornado caused little damage as it moved through fields.
F3 S of Boxholm to NE of Stratford Boone, Webster, Hamilton IA 2227 17.6 miles (28.3 km) 1 death – In Boone County, the tornado struck a farm at F1 intensity, damaging the home and some outbuildings. It also flipped over one pickup truck and killed two horses at this location. The tornado reached F2 intensity in Webster County, where a home was heavily damaged and a large outbuilding was destroyed. A machine shed was also destroyed, along with most of its contents. In Hamilton County, the tornado reached F3 intensity as it struck Stratford, where many homes were heavily damaged or destroyed and one person was killed. Vehicles were flipped and trees were snapped as well. A gas leak forced an evacuation of the town. Three farms were damaged outside of town before the tornado dissipated. Three people were injured.
F2 W of Minburn to E of Woodward Dallas, Boone IA 2228 12 miles (19 km) Dozens of homes in Woodward were damaged or destroyed, including several homes shifted off their foundations. A double wide mobile home was flipped upside down into the middle of a street. One farm was also destroyed outside of town. Two people were injured.
F1 Hospers Sioux IA 2230 1 mile (1.6 km) Tornado destroyed the wall and part of the roof of a business in Hospers, and caused minor damage to contents in the building.
F1 NW of Madrid Boone IA 2248 6 miles (9.7 km) Heavy damage to one farm site and moderate damage to one home.
F0 Ames Story IA 2256 0.2 miles (0.32 km) Anticyclonic tornado lifted lawn chairs and caused shingle damage to homes in Ames.
F2 W of Ames to NE of Gilbert Boone, Story IA 2258 12 miles (19 km) Tornado caused considerable damage to homes on the northwestern fringes of Ames. Tornado was visible from Iowa State University and forced the evacuation of the stadium during a football game. A farm was also heavily damaged near Gilbert. One person was injured.
F0 SW of Story City Story IA 2315 1.6 miles (2.6 km) Aerial surveys showed minor damage.
F1 W of Roland to N of Radcliffe Story, Hamilton, Hardin IA 2320 8 miles (13 km) Several farm sites were damaged along the path.
F0 S of Williams Hamilton IA 2327 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Brief touchdown. No damage was reported.
F0 N of Steamboat Rock Hardin IA 2350 0.7 miles (1.1 km) Brief tornado with little damage.
F1 Blakesburg area Monroe IA 0040 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Destroyed a barn along its short track.
F1 NE of Hoburg Lawrence MO 0140 5 miles (8.0 km) Several homes suffered moderate to significant damage. Most damage was predominantly to roofs while several trees were uprooted. One woman was injured in her home.
F0 W of Mena Polk AR 0427 3.5 miles (5.6 km) A couple of older chicken houses sustained structural damage. A number of trees were also snapped off along the path of the tornado.
Sources: NCDC database Des Moines office

See also

References

  1. "Tornado Summaries". National Weather Service. National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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