Winterset tornado
 The tornado, seen near Winterset at peak intensity. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | March 5, 2022, 4:26 p.m. CDT (UTC−06:00) |
| Dissipated | March 5, 2022, 6:00 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00) |
| Duration | 1 hour, 34 minutes |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Max width | 900 yards (0.51 mi; 0.82 km) |
| Path length | 70.57 miles (113.57 km) |
| Highest winds | 170 mph (270 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 6 |
| Injuries | 5 |
| Damage | $220 million (2022 USD) (Costliest tornado in 2022)[1] |
| Areas affected | Des Moines metro area, Specifically Winterset, Iowa |
Part of the Tornado outbreak of March 5–7, 2022 and Tornadoes of 2022 | |
In the afternoon hours of March 5, 2022, a large, long-track and violent tornado tracked through areas just outside of Winterset, located near Des Moines in the state of Iowa. The tornado damaged and destroyed many residences, with one home being leveled at low-end EF4 intensity. The tornado was the most intense to touch down during the tornado outbreak of March 5–7, 2022, and was the costliest tornado of the year, inflicting $220 million (2022 USD) worth of damages along a 70.57-mile (113.57 km) path.
The tornado first touched down near Macksburg at 4:26 p.m., moving northeast while rapidly strengthening. As the tornado crossed Highway 169, it reached EF4 intensity, killing six people in homes on Carver Road, located to the southwest of Winterset. The tornado continued to move through rural areas, eventually causing damage to portions of the Des Moines metropolitan area before dissipating at 6:00 p.m. northeast of Newton.
Meteorological synopsis
[edit]On March 4, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) outlined a slight risk outlook for severe weather, mostly throughout southern Iowa. The SPC stated that "Large hail, damaging winds, a few tornadoes all appear possible.". The next day, March 5, the SPC updated the outlook to include an enhanced risk that was centered in Iowa, including the 30% probability for damaging winds, and a 10% unhatched area of tornado probabilities (indicating a <10% chance of EF2 or stronger tornadoes). [2][3]
A negatively tilted shortwave trough tracked northeastward across the Central Plains, Upper Mississippi Valley, and Upper Midwest on March 5. A strong Low Level Jet, moving at around 40–50 kn (46–58 mph; 74–93 km/h), transported moisture into eastern Kansas, northern Missouri, and southern Iowa, causing dew points to reach around 50–55 °F (10–13 °C). Regional soundings reported between 500 and 1000 J/kg of mixed-layer CAPE developing below -20 C 500 mb temperatures by the early afternoon hours. However, the SPC noted uncertainty regarding morning convection. Model hodographs noted that wind profiles near the low pressure system, as well as the warm front, strongly favored super-cells with enhanced low-level curvature of around 200-250 within the first kilometer of the atmosphere. [2] The SPC in their March 5 forecast stated that strong convection would likely initiate near the triple point near the Missouri River and track across norther Missouri and south-central Iowa during the day. [2] At around noon, the SPC issued its first tornado watch, for southern Iowa and northwestern Missouri, discussing the moderate probabilities for tornadoes to occur, although a major tornado outbreak was not expected. [4]
Across the afternoon, multiple super-cells developed, with three developing into powerful tornado producing storms, with the northernmost one producing tornadoes near Corning, Iowa at 21:38 UTC, and Cromwell, Iowa at 22:01 UTC. [5][6]
Tornado summary
[edit]
Initial formation and track near Winterset
[edit]At 4:26 p.m. CST, the tornado touched down near the intersection of Deer Run Avenue and 280th Street to the north of Macksburg. The multi-vortex tornado began to cause significant tree damage as it strengthened and tracked northeast towards Winterset, mainly through open farmland, patches of forest, and Pammel State Park. As the tornado approached Carver Road near the southwestern outskirts of Winterset, it rapidly intensified and became violent. As the tornado reached Carver Road, cars were flipped and thrown, outbuildings were obliterated, debris was strewn over long distances, many large trees were snapped and denuded, and a few homes were leveled or swept from their foundations by the violent tornado. One well-built home in the area was completely leveled at low-end EF4 intensity, with winds estimated to be at least 170 miles per hour (270 km/h).[7][8] Six people who lived on Carver Road, including four members of the Bolger family, who were killed when the tornado completely destroyed the home they were sheltering in. A couple of other homes in the Carver Road area suffered loss of their roofs and exterior walls, and damage to those residences was rated EF2 to EF3. In addition to the fatalities, several people were also injured in this area. [9][10][11][12][13][14] After the large and destructive tornado exited the Winterset area, it continued to the northeast and passed through rural areas near Patterson, exhibiting a multi-vortex structure but causing little damage as moved through sparsely populated areas. Northeast of Patterson, the tornado produced low-end EF2 damage as it snapped hardwood trees along Highway 35 and began to move towards the Des Moines area.[7]
Des Moines metropolitan area to Newton
[edit]The tornado maintained low-end EF2 strength as it approached and then entered the southeastern fringes of Des Moines metropolitan area, first striking the outskirts of Norwalk. [7]
In Norwalk, the Windsor Windows and Doors vinyl production facility suffered partial destruction of its roof structure.[15] In addition, the Norwalk Public Works Department building had its garage doors blown in, and surveillance cameras captured video inside the tornado as it impacted the building. Power poles in Norwalk were snapped, tree damage occurred, some homes were damaged along Coolidge Street, and barns and outbuildings were destroyed in the Norwalk area as well. Damage in town ranged from EF1 to low-end EF2 in intensity.[16][7] Continuing through portions of the Des Moines metro, tornado then produced damage ranging from EF1 to mid-EF2 in intensity as it impacted portions of Avon and Pleasant Hill. Multiple houses in this area were heavily damaged, a few of which sustained roof loss. Outbuildings and garages were destroyed, many trees and power poles were snapped, and a MidAmerican Energy Company building suffered damage to its roof and garage doors.[7] The tornado became increasingly rain-wrapped as it then exited the metro and moved into rural areas south of Mitchellville in Jasper County.[7]
The tornado maintained low-end EF2 intensity as it tracked through Jasper County, damaging or destroying multiple large barns and outbuildings, as well as snapping wooden power poles as the tornado passed to the south and southeast of Colfax. One two-story farmhouse in this area had its entire roof structure torn off. [7] As the tornado crossed the South Skunk River, it weakened to EF1 intensity, snapping trees as it moved through Lambs Grove, and into Newton. The tornado downed trees, damaged a baseball field, and caused damage to several structures in Newton, ranging from destroyed outbuildings to houses sustaining significant roof damage. As the tornado exited Newton, it struck the TPI Composites manufacturing plant just northeast of town, tearing off a large section of the roof. Shortly after this, the tornado dissipated after tracking for 70.6 miles.[12][17]
The parent supercell went on to produce three more tornadoes, including two EF2s in rural Iowa, and an EF1 which struck Vinton. [18][19][20]
Aftermath
[edit]Following the tornadoes on March 5, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds visited Winterset, stating “our hearts go out to all those affected by the deadly storms that tore through our state today”, and described the damage as "Unimaginable". Shortly after Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County due to the damage. [21] At least 200-300 volunteers came out to help those affected by the tornado clean up the following day, and shortly after helping to rebuild.The New Bridge Church being used as the center for relief efforts.[22][23] On March 7, Iowa OSHA On-Site Consultation staff gathered in Winterset to help coordinate cleanup and recovery efforts, offering their assistance, to contractors who provided equipment to local volunteers. [24]
See also
[edit]- 2008 Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado – an EF5 tornado that struck Iowa nearly 14 years earlier
References
[edit]- ↑ "Hurricanes, floods and tornadoes: The year in weather 2022". KCRA-TV. December 22, 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- 1 2 3 "Storm Prediction Center Mar 5, 2022 2000 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
- ↑ "Storm Prediction Center Mar 4, 2022 1730 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook". origin-west-www-spc.woc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ Tornado Watch #27 (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
- ↑ https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=1007061
- ↑ https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=1007059
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Damage Assessment Toolkit". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information". NCEI. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
- ↑ "Iowa family recalls deadly tornado 1 year later". WQAD. March 6, 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
- ↑ Kristianto, Josh (2022-03-07). "Crews survey damage in Winterset, Iowa, after Saturday's deadly tornadoes". KETV. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
- ↑ Cappucci, Matthew; Bellware, Kim; Feuerstein, Jacob (March 6, 2022). "Tornado outbreak kills at least seven in Iowa with severe damage near Des Moines area". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
- 1 2 "Family remembers those who perished in central Iowa tornado". weareiowa.com. March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ↑ Ferkenhoff, Courtney Crowder and Eric. "'Stronger than before': 4 family members killed by Winterset tornado remembered as 'full of life'". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
- ↑ "Sheriff: 4 of 7 killed in Iowa tornadoes from same family". NPR. March 7, 2022. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
- ↑ "Tragedy to Triumph | Windsor Windows". www.windsorwindows.com. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ Rice, Trent; Danielson, Sue; Nichols, Steve; Wilde, Wendy (March 6, 2022). "Seven People Killed in Iowa Tornadoes". 1430 KASI. Archived from the original on 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
- ↑ Houlgrave, Bryon (March 7, 2022). "4 of the 7 killed in Iowa tornadoes came from the same family, sheriff says". NPR. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ↑ https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=1007153
- ↑ https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=1007158
- ↑ https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=1016849
- ↑ CNN (2022-03-06). "Officials: Tornado kills 6, including 2 children, near Des Moines, Iowa". Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ↑ "Winterset tornado 1 year later: How 2 farmers found strength and resilience in rebuilding". wqad.com. 2023-03-06. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ Bowman, Beau (2023-03-06). "Winterset Strong: Madison County community remembers the lives lost during a tornado one year ago". KCCI. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
- ↑ "Iowa OSHA On-Site Consultation Provides Assistance During Tornado Cleanup | Occupational Safety and Health Administration". www.osha.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-19.