Tornado Hits Iowa City, AS IT HAPPENED!!!

Video footage from a team of Storm Chasers parked along US 218 on the West Side of the city as the tornado hit

[@Hiei2k7]

The last time Dubuque was anywhere near a tornado, if i remember was 93 or 94 when an F3 nearly socked Galena, IL. It missed and ended up out in a cornfield and it ran over a dilapidated barn. I used to live in Mt. Carroll, IL. When I was younger, that same year an F2 directly hit our house. You know you live in a Grand Ol' House when the only "damage" was a piece of siding that fell off and landed on the ground right next to where it came off. We popped it back in the next day!

[@MariaHouserConzemius]

I remember this tornado. Our son was having dinner with a friend at the Thai restaurant in downtown Iowa City between two businesses that were destroyed: Tony's Grill and Happy Joe's Pizza. Jesse's friend's car was totaled. They fled to the Moen building. Everyone was screaming and trying to find some place safe.

[@owenm400]

I live about 35 miles away in Muscatine, which coincindentally, was struck on June 1st, 2007. Looking at this video it is amazing that it didnt cause more damage than it did. It is... A GIANT.

[@ClassicLoverA]

My heart goes out to everyone affected by the tornado that hit the Iowa Boys Scout Camp.

[@PPKDude852]

Cool video. Was this the same tornado that hit Parkersburg? Or was that a different one? Also, wasnt the Parkersburg tornado an EF5?

[@garyography]

I remember this. From England where we don't often get them, especially this size. I was on holiday at a friends house in Davenport IA and the sirens going crazy. Scarey stuff!

[@Pokygirl2001]

I recall that night, I was on a plane coming back from Vegas. I wondered why the ride was so damn bumpy, Iowa was stormy that evening.

[@christineabbott2430]

I remember this night. I was standing outside watching the sky to see where the tornado was going. Our pine trees bent over and the tops were touching the ground. Pretty crazy...

[@BB..........]

That had to be a surreal site to see. I've witnessed plenty of wicked weather in Cedar Rapids over the years but never actually seen a tornado. As big as that tornado was it's amazing the damage wasn't much worse.

[@srk4044]

I remember the alarm going off in my dorm. We were supposed to be heading down to the basement, but I had an exam the next day, so I stayed in my room studying..... on the 4th floor... then we found out that a tornado had practically ripped through campus just minutes away...

[@owenm400]

That's right, KWQC-TV in Davenport showed video from east of Iowa City that proved it was there, a good bolt of lightning flashed, which they were able to freeze the video right there where you could see that tornado on the ground. The power was already out in the footage in Iowa City.

[@hamilton59840]

The gentleman doing the "narration" sounds like the legendary storm chaser Tim Marshall. :=D

[@CH3CH2OCH2CH3net]

I'm trained to do night spotting, including night tornado spotting, but I have to say I absolutely HATE spotting for tornadoes at night. It's entirely possible for the storm to be on top of you and for you not to know it -- until it's too late.

[@Sarah10000]

That night was crazy!

[@onlyasamuse]

I'm pretty sure that tornado went right by my house. I'll never forget that sound.

[@Thisisntfunny2]

@ClassicLoverA This is the video of a tornado that hit Iowa City on April 13, 2006. It has nothing to do with the 4 scouts that died at their camp more than 2 years later on June 11, 2008.

[@AweaKinkesch]

Sirens were going off and it started to hail over in Coralville. I didn't pay much attention until I heard a thump and looked outside where good sized lump of hail hit my car, and then I was pissed. Until I learned portions of Iowa City was leveled, then I humbly went back to eating my spaghetti.

[@Zoomer30]

The weather is diffently changng. Iowa never used to get such large tornadoes. We have had a large number if EF5s. 2010 could have been another bad year with the large tornado in June that almost hit Albert Lea.

[@Maligolly]

I watched the double tornadoe that night with my family from our porch but only when it was dying down we got to see the power go up and all this cool green smoke came from the ground totally cool

[@mdc2296]

one of my fears is being within 20 miles of a tornado. they scare the crap out of me!

[@krhett902]

i live in south caroline and last night we had this horribe storm with two funnel clouds the funnel coulds were just a block away it seemed

[@voodoo1966]

I live 18 miles from Iowa City I watched the clouds roll in it was really ominous

[@Brian211978]

I'd rather be able to see it! When it's dark, it's so much harder to tell how close it really is

[@owenm400]

wrong, it was an F3 on the Fujita Scale. The National Weather Service sent employees to survey the damage from Davenport, Iowa.

[@hawkdlb06]

i live in CR, if this was the tornado in 06 my 2 bro-inlaws were working at carousell on hyw 1 when this happend, we got calls from them during it and they were freaking out

[@JoshuaBoothCreative]

yea that was a crazy night it happend so fast, me and a buddy was kibkin it, it started raining alot, so we went to alvarez mexican restaurant, then it started hailing, didnt think much until i saw the trees touching the ground lol, then the lights blew and all hell broke lose, i looked out the window and saw the tornado it must of been in the vicinity of mcdonalds cause the view was amazing, i thought it was coming our way but it was headed downtown...man scariest night of my life

[@SpottedleafCCRVMK]

Yes. D; Yes it does. One of my main fears is being stuck in a tornado in the middle of the night. And I'm hard to be woken up. I'd REALLY hate to be in that/this tornado..

[@davidelias1]

This thing also had a crazy hail and lightning storm before it hit.

[@CommandoMario]

Only way you can see a tornado at night is by the lightning strikes. That's why if there's a tornado warning issued at night, you'd better take it seriously.

[@hilary_thatpurplegoth]

ya my track was coming back from a meet.. it got delayed then cancelled because of this storm.. veryu scary.. and we got out of there just in time! thank god

[@20Bravesfan]

this so makes me NOT want to go to the University of Iowa now..................

[@CommandoMario]

It's a common misconception. Size does not always equal intensity...Some EF4-EF5 tornadoes had a recorded width of 300 feet or less...The stereotypical EF5 is more than a mile wide...

[@Brian211978]

perfect example...Hallam Nebraska...tornado was 2 miles wide but only considered an F4

[@ThaMVP7330]

hey man i had that same scary feeling its like where is the tornado judging from that day i feel very intimated it could've hit any city in iowa too bad it had to target iowa city

[@PlayMeOnce]

What K twister was this.. K2?

[@garandx]

gotta have big balls to be out in a storm like that

[@RP752000]

what was the rating on the tornado ?

[@Demock]

i remember this, i'm from CR and we had a tennis meet that day, against who else? Iowa city high hah

[@Roberts81209]

i agree night storms scare the SHIT outta me!

[@jpalmer2004]

That was april of last year wasn't it? i live in Dallas Texas and drove into iowa city to visit family for a week and was driving into town as it was happening!!...one hell of a way to end a 13 hour drive huh?!!! haha

[@wolfinthesno]

i live just north of iowa city and my sister was at the hospital with one of her friends and normaly she parks inthe liqour house parking lot but it was full so she didnt park there the next day all the cars in that lot were upside down and destroyed her car was fine she had parked right down the street

[@SpottedleafCCRVMK]

This was a f3? It looks more like a f5 o-o It's scaring me. The fact you can't see it is REALLY creepy.

[@destroya21]

on that day April 13th i was at a friends house and it just got dark as hell i swear.

[@ThaMVP7330]

i live about 1 hour & 20 minutes from iowa city & i was at a movie on that night that was in f-2 tornado

[@greendaykicksbutt]

at like :33 when the lightning flashes is that like the giant tornado. because if it was i would be in a 3 level basement and at the 3rd floor.

[@CommandoMario]

@soxmonki Not even close...If that was an F5, Downtown Iowa City would probably not exist anymore...It was actually an F2 according to the NWS

[@predsfan08]

thanks

[@predsfan08]

what kind of siren is heard at the begining of the vid.

[@jkool20]

i remember when that happened, the church collaspecd and it was all over the news

[@avenger007007]

RUN FOREST RUNNNNN

[@bdoncho27]

mother nature at night sucks, especially sitting through a hurricane

[@Nags]

I find it odd how people just keep driving towards it.

[@jeffkahl]

wow man! i'd be scared shitless!

[@crasmad]

OMG i remember i was at work at hat same time and it was scary.

[@paulocamillo]

wtf... very hug tornado man !

[@ClassicLoverA]

@Thisisntfunny2 I was already aware of that before I made that comment, thank you.

[@homidog11]

i remember that day then the tornado hit iowa city

[@LuigiBros64]

look harder. you probably cant see it because the only light comes from lightning

[@blackbrigade197]

I was fighting this Tornado and song (We Will fight fight fight for Iowa)

[@owenm400]

that's right, Hawkeyes-Are-Da-Bomb :D

[@Brian211978]

it was an EF3...an EF5 would have done tons more damage and would have been twice as wide

[@grvolans]

worst time to get one- at night

[@barn524]

@CJ7with285andt18 well I know you posted this a long time ago...but Tom Arnold did live in Iowa....hmmmm...

[@ThaMVP7330]

naw imagined if it was an f5 now that would be horror movie or sight

[@TomJD1995]

its a good job there is lots of lightning so you kinda have an idea where is is lol

[@anomymous]

why don't you go dive into an ef4 and let us know how it goes.

[@theredkni463]

lol, i was there when it happened, i'm gad i lived in coralville though

[@mdc2296]

@SpottedleafCCRVMK the lightning makes it worse!

[@CaptAvenger2004]

Tornado+night= NOT GOOD lol cant see that shyt comin at you

[@Onsube]

I can't see shit. It's almost like they're playing Doom 3.

[@ThaMVP7330]

you must have alot of balls to stand out in this shit

[@lazynerd9109]

My brother was born DURING this storm

[@CommandoMario]

@DraconisTheDragon Too much

[@Eric23er]

No wonder tornados happen a lot in iowa!!!! because theres nothing there!!!!!!

[@Lucasblake90]

wow lol

[@mastermike2580]

dude get a night cam

[@IDrewAYoshi]

that is stupid and they definitely dont sound like Christians. being one myself, i can say that God is love and he is NOT mad at gays, rather He despises the SIN not the Persons. he died for every human being on the Cross and salvation is free to all who ask God :) btw great video

[@MsCFantasic]

Those are lies and twisted facts. Please do not insult my people and my God in that manner. And what in the world does it have to do with Iowa City? Try commenting on the video than spreading your deceitful hate speech.