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Storm Events Database
Event Details
| Event | Lightning |
| State | IOWA |
| County/Area | PALO ALTO |
| WFO | DMX |
| Begin Date | 04/24/2009 23:15:00 CST-6 |
| Begin Range | 0 |
| Begin Azimuth | N |
| Begin Location | GRAETTINGER |
| Begin Lat/Lon | 43.23/-94.77 |
| End Date | 04/24/2009 23:15:00 CST-6 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 0/0 |
| Property Damage | 45.00K |
| Crop Damage | 0.00K |
| Episode Narrative | The seasons first organized severe weather event took place during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 24th. Very warm and relatively moist air moved into the state on a gusty south wind. Afternoon temperatures reached the mid 80s to around 90 with surface dew points in the upper 50s to mid 60s. Precipitable water values were ample in the one to one and one half inch range. The atmosphere became quite unstable with lifted indices falling to the -5 to -7 C. range and CAPE values around 2000 J/kg. The freezing level was between 11,500 and 12,000 feet during the event with 25 to 35 kts of effective shear. A cold front moved into Iowa during the morning of the 24th, and moved slowly southeast during the day. There was a sharp contrast across the front, with temperatures in the 50s in its wake. Thunderstorms erupted during the late afternoon along the front and developed southeast as the front moved in a scattered to broken line. The line produced hail for the most part, with much of it between nickle size and one and one quarter inches in diameter. One storm became stronger as it moved through Adair County and produced golf ball size hail southeast of Orient. There was one severe wind gust with this event. That occurred in Union County northeast of the Creston Airport, with a 60 MPH wind gust. Additional thunderstorms formed during the late evening over northwest Iowa. They were not severe, however they produced considerable lightning. Lightning struck three houses in the town of Graettinger in Palo Alto County. Minor damage was done to each of the homes as the lightning produced small fires. |
| Event Narrative |
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 79.00K | 0.00K | |||||||
| OLAF | WRIGHT CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 16:51 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| HANFORD | CERRO GORDO CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 17:03 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| ALEXANDER | FRANKLIN CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 17:19 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| ALEXANDER | FRANKLIN CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 17:28 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 3.00K | 0.00K |
| NORTH BRANCH | GUTHRIE CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 17:40 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| HANSELL | FRANKLIN CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 17:55 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| HANSELL | FRANKLIN CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:00 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| NORTH BRANCH | GUTHRIE CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:00 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| GRAND JCT | GREENE CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:05 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| HANSELL | FRANKLIN CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:11 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| AREDALE | BUTLER CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:20 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| AREDALE | BUTLER CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:22 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.25 in. | 0 | 0 | 5.00K | 0.00K |
| WILMAR | BUTLER CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:23 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| ALLISON | BUTLER CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 18:53 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| CLARKSVILLE | BUTLER CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 19:02 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.25 in. | 0 | 0 | 3.00K | 0.00K |
| FONTANELLE | ADAIR CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 19:20 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.25 in. | 0 | 0 | 3.00K | 0.00K |
| ORIENT | ADAIR CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 19:39 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| ORIENT | ADAIR CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 20:03 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| ORIENT | ADAIR CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 20:06 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 5.00K | 0.00K |
| AFTON | UNION CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 21:47 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| CRESTON | UNION CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 21:49 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 kts. MG | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| GRAETTINGER | PALO ALTO CO. | IA | 04/24/2009 | 23:15 | CST-6 | Lightning | 0 | 0 | 45.00K | 0.00K | |
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 79.00K | 0.00K |
