(Spirit Lake)– The Iowa Great Lakes managed to escape the brunt of severe weather that moved through portions of the region last (Tues.) evening.
The storms brought heavy rain and in some cases damaging wind to parts of the region as they moved through. There was even one report of a tornado touch down around 9:40 p.m. about three miles south/southwest of Everly. The National Weather Service says it received two reports of the touchdown—one from a spotter, the other from a storm chaser. It apparently touched down in an open field. Several power poles were said to be leaning along a Clay county road south of Everly.
An 87 mph wind gust was reported by a D.O.T sensor in Alton in O’Brien county. Tree limbs and power lines were down in Sheldon where an automated sensor clocked a 74 mph gust. A 71 mph gust was reported on a D.O.T sensor in Spencer.
Two-inch diameter hail and flooding rains deluged portions of Lyon county in northwest Iowa and Rock county in southwest Minnesota. Two inch diameter hail was reported in the Alvord area, where trees were stripped of their leaves. Three to four inches of rain fell within an hour or so in eastern portions of Lyon county, prompting a flash flood warning.
In the Iowa Great Lakes, the storm was fairly uneventful, producing some brief heavy rain. Pea-size hail was reported in the Arnolds Park area as the system moved through.
More thunderstorms are in the forecast the next several days. Some of those could be severe as well.
