Frequent thunderstorms: Spring in Iowa

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

Thunderstorms and rain are forecast for the majority of the week in Charles City during what is shaping up as a regular Iowa spring.

A Monday evening storm that moved through the area didn’t cause any reported damage in Charles City or Floyd County, according to the Charles City police and Floyd County Sheriff’s Department.

Inch-size hail was seen in some parts of Charles City, which also received slightly more than half an inch of rain.

Areas to the east did see wind and hail damage, however.

The storm packed a powerful punch in Nashua Monday night, with parts of the town receiving close to 2 inches of rain, heavy hail and strong winds during the storm that blew into the city around  6 p.m.

“Really, a lot of the county was spared, but Nashua got hit pretty hard,” said Chickasaw County Emergency Management Director AJ Seely. “We’ve got a lot of tree damage and we definitely had some roads blocked.”

No injuries were reported, and Seely said property damage was limited.

Fort Atkinson and Calmar were hit hard by hail, and the National Weather Service said there were numerous reports of barn damage, siding being torn off houses, broken windows and roof-top damage.

“I was up at Fort Atkinson last night and the damage was pretty extensive,” Seely said Tuesday morning. “It reminded me how powerful wind and hail can be.”

A tornado was reported to have touched down in Winneshiek County, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Clint Aegerper in La Crosse.

“It’s spring in Iowa — you’ll see thunderstorms quite often,” Aegerper said. “Nothing abnormal, just your spring thunderstorms in Iowa.”

Residents are advised to stay indoors and in the interior of their homes during severe storms, he said.

“Always keep an eye on the weather,” Aegerper said. “If you see water over roadways, turn around and don’t drown.”

Not much water is required to wash away a car and with increased rain it’s likely that some roads will experience flooding, he said.

A car isn’t necessarily a bad place to be during a thunderstorm, unless you’re touching the metal of the vehicle, Aegerper said. If a car gets struck by lightning the electricity travels around the metal shell of the vehicle to the ground, but if you’re touching any part of the car with strong conductivity you can be badly hurt or killed.

During a thunderstorm it’s also not a great idea to be near a window, Aegerper said.

“You can have some strong winds and break that window out. You kind of want to stay in the interior of your house or the basement if there’s a tornado warning,” he said.

Spring in Iowa brings severe weather and it’s a good idea to stay aware, Aegerper said.

“We have a few rounds of severe weather coming in the next few days,” he said. “Keep an eye on the weather.”

— New Hampton Tribune Editor Bob Fenske contributed to this report.