Severe Storms, Tornadoes Cause Damage in Iowa, Missouri, Ohio

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A tornado damaged several buildings and knocked down power lines and trees in eastern Iowa Sunday night; a tornado near the Ohio-Indiana border damaged houses and other structures; and several parts of Missouri were cleaning up Monday after strong overnight storms.

Most of the storm damage in Iowa was reported in rural areas near the town of Bernard, and a lightning strike from the storm also caused a house fire near Dubuque. No injuries were reported.

Dubuque County Emergency Management Director Tom Berger said a tornado was spotted on the ground near the line between Dubuque County and Jackson County around 8 p.m. Sunday.

Officials said several farm buildings were damaged were damaged in the area, including a 40-foot-by-60-foot building that was nearly knocked down. The storm also tore the roof off a cattle barn.

Lightning struck a home in a neighborhood just outside of Dubuque and started a fire in the garage. The family was able to evacuate the home safely, but the fire caused significant damage.

The storm also knocked out power in the city of Cascade and quarter-inch-sized hail was reported near Manchester, Iowa.

The National Weather Service office in Wilmington, Ohio, says the EF-2 tornado touched down near Fort Recovery in Mercer County shortly after 4 p.m. Friday packing winds up to 115 mph. Forecasters said the tornado plowed along a 5.7-mile path that was about 200 yards wide at its maximum.

Forecasters said the tornado ripped roofs off several outbuildings at the Fort Recovery lumber yard and collapsed a cinder block wall. The storm then struck multiple homes along Burrville Road, ripping half the roof off one of the residences, destroying other outbuildings and attached garages and embedding projectiles into an exterior wall.

Officials said debris from the area was thrown for approximately half a mile toward Wourms Road, where power poles and trees were also snapped. The weakening storm then did minor damage to an outbuilding and partially removed the top of a silo.

Downed trees and power lines were common in mid-Missouri’s Audrain, Boone and Callaway counties after a thunderstorm with strong winds whipped through the region late Sunday.

The same storm moved into the St. Louis area early Monday. There were no reports of injuries but by 7:30 a.m., more than 9,000 Ameren Missouri customers were still without power.