Iowa: Davenport Tornado Captured By Traffic Cam QCTV34F On I-74 Mississippi River Bridge

[@TrafficCamWatch]

In this one, the tornado is visible for a short time before being wrapped in rain and passing in front of the camera FOV.

[@redbull5181]

That large building to the far right in the screen is the Isle of Capri Casino & Hotel. In April 1998 when it was still Lady Luck Casino and the Casino was still on the riverboat, the boat got hit by a tornado. The tornado snapped all of the mooring lines and pulled the boat away from its dock and slammed it against the seawall on the Illinois side then started to push the casino towards the old I-74 bridge. Most of the people gambling inside hadn't realized the boat broke loose and were still gambling away.

[@FullMetalMexican2025]

This tornado luckily didn’t damage a whole lot in/around the casino property but did blow away some lawn furniture at a restaurant called Verde.

[@Twistypoo]

I was on the boat when that happened! I’m not sure how they didn’t notice. The boat was tilted.. they had some of us put on life jackets. Some were panicking, which is what freaked me out more than anything! I was interviewed by The Rock Island Argus about the experience.. and so was Ernie Banks.. yes, THAT Ernie Banks. He was also there.

[@thebeans804]

I felt so sorry for the person riding a bicycle over the bridge trying to outrun the storm.😭❤️

[@PaulHosey]

Why?

[@mborski8721]

Sing it, " Ridin' the storm out"

[@ronaldwhalen8143]

So I watched a bad rain storm for 15 minutes? Really 😂

[@earthlingjohn]

I immediately began watching at +2x speed !! _Double intensity in half the time_

[@Jamersonde]

The tornado became rain-wrapped, so it was there, just not easy to see.

[@CPR12345]

The tornado was in the red box, knucklehead.

[@PaulHosey]

I saw it

[@EggsyTrekJedi]

This is my home metro...In 1998 I was caught by a tornado on the Iowa-bound span of the former I-74 Bridge...The tornado nearly flipped my Toyota van, and tore the original Isle of Capri casino boat out from her moorings

[@mariom6616]

My theory: The action starts around 3:40 and ends about 6:20. You can see the power flashed get closer to the bridge and then you see the heavy waves in the water and a small break in traffic as it passes and the the rain follows

[@firemedic5100]

I notice the few vehicles going toward the storm are most likely storm chasers. All the traffic coming toward the camera, is the population running away.

[@ceretomer5987]

Didn't see it.

[@JesseWx_]

I was watching another traffic camera across the bridge, and power-flashes were visible.

[@mariomacias5418]

Isle of capri was fireproofed by Wilkin Insulation. Drove through many times delivering materials there.

[@mlkennedy9328]

A tornado is more than wind and rain.

[@PaulHosey]

Why don't tornadoes cause mass destruction on roads like they do on grass land? Are they afraid of cement?

[@jonbohanan5788]

Curious to know what those things are in the water that pass by on the lower left part of the bridge, right to left, that have either have navigational lights or glowing eyes....... Inquiring Minds Want To Know!!

[@janeclarke-cj6md]

I think they are whitecaps forming from the strong winds

[@doyleconner1910]

I see cars and rain and...........?

[@kjbigsful]

Left side at approximately 5:16 and again at 5:26 it looks like the lightening hit twice in the same spot.🤔⚡🤷🏻‍♀️

[@mariom6616]

I actually thought that was power flashes but the first flash definitely looked like lightening.

[@kjbigsful]

@@mariom6616 Ok cool,t hank you!

[@aametriigraham8489]

I saw a few power flashes but that was it...

[@franklinbarrett4630]

Can someone help me out here? Why is one of the Quad Cities being misspelled as “Devenport”? The I 74 bridge is between Bettendorf and Moline, not Davenport. But the big question is, were the old twin suspension bridges rebuilt? I don’t recognize those bridges.

[@bensoltau9157]

Yep I 74 got a brand new bridge. It's a little over a year old

[@franklinbarrett4630]

@@bensoltau9157 After I posted, I looked up the bridge on the internet, Duh. It looks great, plenty of room, lots of lanes. I remember when it was a toll bridge. I’ll have to drive through town next time.

[@adstalga]

Timestamp for when the tornado crosses the bridge?

[@tripplefives1402]

Its behind the camera. Approaches from the far left in the trees.

[@JoshMuller-er5yd]

@@tripplefives1402then wouldn’t the other camera catch it

[@coleytoons]

Bummed there was no sound but still cool to watch

[@hearmeout9138]

Wife: "Oh, Jimmy. There's a tornado over there headed toward the bridge. We should stop here and wait before crossing the bridge." Jimmy: "Naaaaaaaa... I've got a Hemi in this truck. I can beat it." 🤓

[@jdrose1000]

No tornado!

[@shannongreenwell1278]

Not a good time to be out and about in the community, especially with a 🌪️ coming towards the area. Especially not a great time to be on the bridge 🌉!

[@benorobey]

6:20 man on a bicycle..

[@jul1440]

5:24 Lightning hit a transformer?

[@ronaldhopkey7633]

Power flash from wind or tornado.

[@allenra530]

Looks like wires being blown together by the wind that you can see roiling the water surface over there. The sparks afterward are characteristic of an arc between wires.

[@jul1440]

@@allenra530 You're right; I now too think it was a phase-to-phase short due to the wind.

[@dennissvitak5475]

Devenport? Really?

[@TechPro-24]

To bad the cam didnt actually capture the tornado.

[@TrafficCamWatch]

It actually did, if you look in the left side. Additionally, the tornado passed in front of the camera per the NWS track, which the camera was facing. But the tornado was completely rain wrapped by then.

[@Photofuel]

Click bait!

[@TrafficCamWatch]

You can literally see the tornado on the left you special ed reject.

[@thomaszadra8043]

Wow that is the best hands down evidence that tornadoes exist I was skeptical until I watched this clip.🫣🥱🙄