Multiple tornadoes tracked across western Iowa on Tuesday afternoon, leading to at least one death and causing major damage to a small city as robust storms roar to life in the Midwest.
The storm-related death occurred in Adams County, Iowa – about 90 miles southwest of Des Moines – the county medical examiner Lisa Brown told CNN.
Brown was unable to give additional details on the death, but said it was due to a tornado.
A destructive storm also went through the city of Greenfield, Iowa – about 50 miles southwest of Des Moines – and produced a tornado shortly before 5 p.m., causing “a lot of damage” to many houses and other structures, Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Alex Dinkla told CNN.
A funnel cloud was seen and a wind turbine toppled and caught fire in Iowa amid severe weather.
Video taken by CNN affiliate KCCI shows the destructive path of the tornado that ripped through Greenfield. Decimated homes and flattened structures, piles of debris, damaged cars and countless toppled tress can be seen in the footage.
The potent line of thunderstorms developing Tuesday afternoon prompted a rare “potentially dangerous situation” tornado watch for parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois from the Storm Prediction Center. The special kind of tornado watch is only issued when there’s unusually high confidence in the potential of multiple long-lived and EF2 or stronger tornadoes.
Tornadoes are one of the many serious hazards expected with Tuesday’s severe thunderstorm outbreak, according to the SPC. Destructive, hurricane-strength wind gusts up to 90 mph and softball-size hail are also likely.
