Twenty years ago today an excceptionally rare and large tornado outbreak occurred in central Iowa, killing one person and damaging several towns. Twelves tornadoes occurred in Iowa making it the largest outbreak in Iowa in November and one of the largest outbreaks in this region of the United States in November. Previously only 23 tornadoes had been recorded in Iowa in November between 1950 and 2004.
The event is notable as it nearly presented a worst case scenario. One tornado passed so close to Ames, Iowa that it was visible from Jack Trice Stadium, home of the Iowa State Cyclones football team, approximately one hour before they were set to kickoff against the visiting Colorado Buffaloes. The tornado skirted the northwestern edge of Ames and the game went on as scheduled, with the Cyclones defeating the Buffaloes 30-16.
The first tornado touched down south of Boxholm just before 4:30 pm, tracking northeast. It struck a farm between Boxholm and Pilot Mound, killing two horses before continuing northeast towards the Des Moines River.
NWS event map
Near Boxholm
Near Pilot Mound
Near Pilot Mound
Near Pilot Mound
The dead horses are visible at the bottom of the image.
The dead horses
More ground level images from the horse farm.
More damaged farms near Stratford
After crossing the river the tornado then approached Stratford from the southwest, entering on the west side of town, damaging the city park and several homes before exiting through the north side of town. The last home destroyed by the tornado before it left town belonged to 84-year old Lucille Runyan, who was the only person killed during the outbreak.
NE towards Stratford
Damage in Stratford
The remains of Lucille Runyan's home
925 Dryden Street in 2024
The Runyan home
Runyan home
Runyan car
I believe this was between Boxholm and Pilot Mound
Entering town from the west. Scott Bergman
Exiting town, looking northeast. Photo by Stratford resident Susan M Wilson
Almost simultaneously a second, more well-documented tornado formed to the south near Minburn, Iowa. It moved northeast towards Woodward and intensified as it crossed Highway 141.
Near Highway 141 by Jane Lawson
Helicopter survey near Minburn
Video and two photos by Matt Ver Steeg
The tornado slammed into Wooward at F2 intensity before dissipating one mile to the northeast.
The following photos are from the helicopter survey:
A second tornado formed shortly afterward from the same storm, damaging a home at F1 intensity as it crossed over Highway 17 between Madrid and Luther.
Helicopter survey photos:
The next tornado began just near the Highway 30/Lincoln Highway split west of Ames. It produced F2 damage along the northwestern edge of Ames before weakening as it moved northeast. It then reintensified as it neared Gilbert, producing F2 damage at a farmsite south of town. It then dissipated three miles south of Story City.
Pete Conis
Gene Lilla
Mark Lane
Twblsmith
Chris Roske
Zach May
Shih-Yu (Simon) Wang
Some fans waiting for the football game to start took shelter inside nearby Hilton Coliseum
Damage in west Ames
Josh Jondle
Helicopter survey photos near Ames:
Gilbert:
Note how close the tornado came to the then under construction middle school.
Compare this photo showing the present day location of the high school looking east to the one above looking southwest. The middle school is just out of frame to the upper left.
The storm produced one final tornado just west of Roland, tracking northeast into Hardin County, where it damaged rural farm sites before dissipating five miles south of Radcliffe.
