Posted on 05/25/2008 4:13:37 PM PDT by janetjanet998
Details sketchy but massive tornadoes have it towns in IA this are reports from scanners and spotters..no link yet
also north suburbs of Min-ST paul MN has taken tornado hits with lots of damage
MN MIN| Washington County (Hugo)| Search & Rescue| | US-61 IAO 159th St|U/D: MSP on Fenway St w/2 kids full code, many other reports of entrapment, 5 city blocks wiped out| ILL113| 17:26
MIN| Washington County (Hugo)| Search & Rescue| | 170th St @ Manning Trail|Multiple houses struck by tornado, searches in progress, FD O/S| ILL113| 17:10 QUOTE
MIN| Washington County (Hugo)| Search & Rescue| | US-61 IAO 159th St|Many houses struck by tornado, multiple entrapments & injuries, FD O/S| ILL113| 17:11 QUOTE
MIN| Washington County (Hugo)| Search & Rescue| | US-61 IAO 159th St|U/D: FD requesting as many squads as possible, reports area is demolished
1/2 MILE WIDE TORNADO REPORTED JUST 1 MILE WEST OF FAIRBANK, IA. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SHOULD BE ON STANDBY FOR CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE.
-*URGENT* A STATE OF EMERGENCY EXISTS IN PARKERSBURG, IA *URGENT*
-*URGENT* CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE IN NORTHERN DUNKERTON, IA *URGENT*
AT 5:44 PM CDT, A MAJORITY OF THE TOWN OF PARKERSBURG, IA HAS SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ACCORDING TO STORM SPOTTERS AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AT 6:01 PM CDT, SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT REPORTED 1/2 MILE WIDE TORNADO MOVING EAST INTO FAIRBANK IA
COON RAPIDS, Minn. (AP) - A high-powered line of storms is sweeping across the north metro area, with tornadoes reportedly touching down in the Twin Cities suburbs of Coon Rapids and Hugo.
No injuries were immediately reported. But there were reports of significant damage from tornadoes, high winds and large hail stretching from Albertville in the northwest across to Coon Rapids and through Hugo.
Hugo appears to be the hardest hit. Residents reported a tornado damaging multiple homes along Highway 61. Xcel Energy says about 45-hundred customers are without power.
The storm also was carrying damaging hail. Residents in Albertville reported west-facing windows on houses and vehicle windshields being shattered by large hail.
A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR BUCHANAN
COUNTY...
AT 607 PM CDT...TRAINED SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO ON NORTHEAST SIDE
FAIRBANK WITH BASEBALL SIZE HAIL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
A SECOND TORNADO WAS WEST OF FAIRBANK MOVING EAST AT 32 MPH.
This probably needs to be moved to chat, it might distract people from the importan Hulk Hogan car crash story.
/sarcasm off
Prayers up for those in the path as we have em bouncing around us here in the Texas Panhandle right now as well........
PING PONG
Thank you! Where did you get the above info? By listening to a scanner? The local news does not have this info yet.
What is “full code”?
They’re doing live streaming.
Just said that someone called and said the southern part of Parkersburg is pretty much gone. Someone in another county (Bremer) found paper debris from Parkersburg. “
Thanks, Janet. I’m trying to contact friends in both IA and MN right now. No luck, but they weren’t in the direct path, at least.
We have nasty stuff heading our way right now into southern Wisconsin. Our weather radio just went off, so we’re assessing the situation.
Keep a good thought for us, too!
It means they need all possible first responders on scene to do all possible to save lives.
I was just looking at that. Be safe FRiend.
SEL3
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 363
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
330 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
A LARGE PART OF IOWA
EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 330 PM UNTIL
1000 PM CDT.
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...
DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 75 STATUTE
MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT
DODGE IOWA TO 50 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA. FOR
A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH
OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 357...WW 358...WW
359...WW 360...WW 361...
DISCUSSION...VERY TO EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIR MASS ACROSS MUCH OF IA
AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP RAPIDLY AND WITH
STRONG DEEP LAYER SHEAR QUICKLY BECOME SUPERCELLS. VERY LARGE HAIL
AND TORNADOES ARE LIKELY WITH ANY SUPERCELL. POTENTIAL FOR LONG
LIVED SUPERCELLS WITH STRONG TORNADOES.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.
I knew there were going to be lots of tornadoes. We had 2 inches of snow yesterday along with 60 mph winds. When that cold air hits the warm moist air, it’s a dangerous situation. That 1/2 mile wide one is massive. Prayers go out for all those affected.
Many thanks to the mods for leaving this in Breaking News.
How strange...yesterday’s “Breaking News” postings of tornadoes in OK were quickly moved to chat. We were told that FR isn’t the Weather Channel by one of the Mods. Now, all pings to that particular thread are gone.
i grew up in a town near fairbank
the thread must have been deleted
This links to all NWS warnings. Text-only page--click refresh for fast updates as page does not reset automatically
Reports of mobile homes lying in fields near Hazelton, IA. Also news crew has arrived in Parkersburg, but is walking into town...unable to take the news vehicle into the City.
“How strange...yesterday’s “Breaking News” postings of tornadoes in OK were quickly moved to chat. We were told that FR isn’t the Weather Channel by one of the Mods. Now, all pings to that particular thread are gone.”
We can all learn from our mistakes. My compliments to the moderator who has allowed TODAY’s tornado thread to remain in Breaking News.
Yep, the Tornado thread from yesterday has been completely deleted from FR. Too embarrassing for the moderators, I would guess.
For those who missed it yesterday: There was a weather event in Okaloma where multiple tornados were on the ground. Someone immediately started a FR thread (under breaking news) when CNN starting showing a live feed from a helicoptor from a TV station in Hennesey Oklahoma (news9.com).
A huge low-lying black cloud spawned about 11 funnels which touched the ground, over a 3-hour period. The photographs were amazing and the thread had over 400 posts. We were really having a great discussion over the efforts of the “storm trackers” and the helicoptor crew, and the local TV feed. Fox and CNN carried it for about an hour — then they left it — but the event went on for 2 more hours.
Anyway, one of the Freepers noticed that the moderator moved the thread from Breaking News to General/Chat. And we got off into a discussion that many of us didn’t undrestand the guidelines the mods used. And that if a thread on real-time forming tornados wasn’t breaking news, what is? And the moderator got all huffy and said tornado events didn’t last over an hour and it wasn’t life threatening because the tornados were over farmland. And that weather threads should be under general chat/weather, and many of us disagreed. And others chimed in, saying they had gotten sick to death of the threads of the California wildfires, which were always posted in Breaking News.
It went from bad to worse. I myself tried to explain why I thought the thread should have remained in breaking news so that when people clicked into Free Republic, they would immediately see that the tornado event was going on. And as it was, it was stuck over in “chat” and many people were going to miss the fantastic live video coverage. The moderator said that wasn’t the purpose of Free Republic, to guide people to watch live videos. The moderator said to me that I probably was disappointed there weren’t any casualties from the tornados. I thought that was a bit harsh, to accuse me of that — I hadn’t said anything along those lines.
Anyhow, the management must have felt embarrassed, etc., by the pettiness, silliness, stupidity of the moderator(s). The thread was so mishandled that, at some point, the moderator COMPLETELY deleted a thread of over 400 comments.
Prayers for all living in the affected areas...
That’s some ugly radar.
A line of nasty storms is popping up in West Texas. My husband is boarding a flight as we speak from Dallas to Seattle. If they don’t boogie out of there soon, they won’t be able to get through.
That’s too bad that the thread got removed. It was such amazing video!
http://www.startribune.com/local/19246464.html?location_refer=Homepage
snippet:
Anoka County officials reported receiving more than 100 calls about fallen tree limbs that damaged homes and injured people in Blaine and Coon Rapids, where a tornado apparently touched down. . . .
Hanson said there are many reports of tree limbs blocking roads and homes missing roofs.
Live streaming coverage of Iowa: http://www.kcrg.com/
My parents live between Cedar Falls and New Hartford, IA (directly east of Parkersburg). They weren’t home; they were in CF at the time. They tried to drive home but the roads are closed; the neighbors say they still have a house.
Paper & personal effects from near Strawberry Point, Iowa falling from the sky in Prairie Du Chien Wisconsin...
Prayers for EVERY ONE of your states with these storms. I can't fathom 5 city blocks...wiped out....
TV reporting 6 ambulances in Parkersburg, IA....numerous injuries.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS is getting hit also
One tornado touched down in Perry Co IL near Willisville
another has just been spotted near Murphysboro IL in Jackson CO
This is the same slow moving cell traveling east from Southwestern IL to Southeastern IL
Didn't want it on the record that one of the mods told a poster to "bite me"
Got too see one this afternoon at Stinnett TX........ So far it’s bad north of us and coming up fast from the SW.......long night of weather chasing ahead of us !!
You Stay safe too !
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
2255 WILLISVILLE PERRY CO IL 3798 8959 PICKNEYVILLE FIRE DEPT REPORTED TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR WILLISVILLE (PAH)
2346 6 NW MURPHYSBORO JACKSON CO IL 3783 8941 TORNADO ON THE GROUND (PAH)
Parkersburg, IA: Many houses completely destroyed....numerous trees down, powerlines....lots of ambulances in town...
NORTHEAST IOWA
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
MUCH OF WISCONSIN
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 367
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
710 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHEAST IOWA
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
MUCH OF WISCONSIN
EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING FROM 710 PM UNTIL
200 AM CDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND
GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 90 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF
WAUSAU WISCONSIN TO 60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LONEROCK WISCONSIN.
FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH
OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU7).
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 359. WATCH NUMBER 359 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER
710 PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 358...WW 360...WW 361...WW 363...WW
362...WW 364...WW 365...WW 366...
DISCUSSION...CLUSTERS OF INTENSE TSTMS/SUPERCELLS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE E ACROSS WI THIS EVENING...AHEAD OF STRONG ENE-MOVING UPR
IMPULSE NOW EXITING THE DAKOTAS. ALTHOUGH DOWNSTREAM WARM SECTOR
OVER THE UPR MS VLY IS NOT EXTREMELY WARM/MOIST...FAVORABLE
KINEMATIC FIELD WILL OVERSPREAD REGION AS BOUNDARY LAYER CONTINUES
TO DESTABILIZE FROM THE WSW. COUPLED WITH EXISTING SUSTAINED
SUPERCELLS...AND POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALONG DIFFUSE
WARM FRONT EXTENDING SEWD FROM NEAR EAU...THREAT WILL EXIST FOR
TORNADOES IN ADDITION TO SVR HAIL/WIND.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26035.
Reports are this tornado has been up to a mile wide at times...been on the ground for more than 75 miles now.
Dubuque Iowa is going to be under the gun from this one....
Thanks for posting Janet. One child confirmed dead in Hugo, a northern Twin Cities suburb.
Stay save everyone.
What channel was that? There are some amazing pics at wcco.com. Total destruction, unfortunately.
That’s gonna be a record. Worries and prayers.
Reports from Fayette, Iowa — finding personal effects - photos, tax records, etc. from Parkersburg, Iowa over 50 miles away.
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