National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Slight Risk for Excessive Rainfall and Severe Thunderstorms Thursday

Additional rounds of thunderstorms are expected Thursday and Thursday night across Oklahoma and north Texas, with risks for both large hail and flash flooding. Strong winds may accompany any storms from east Texas northeast through the lower Great Lakes. Read More >

 


Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak
(April 11, 1965)

For a complete regional overview of the outbreak, visit this NWS StoryMap.

For a recap from long time NWS Quad Cities Forecaster, John Haase, visit here.

 
 
Overview   |  Maps   |   List   |   Discussions   |   Photos

   General Overview
 
 
What: Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak in the Midwest/Great Lakes
When: April 11-12, 1965
Tornadoes 51
Deaths 260 (1 in eastern Iowa)
Injuries 3148
Damage $200+ million (1965)  $1.4 billion (today)
Time 1 pm April 11 to 1 am April 12
   
   
   
 
   
 
Overview   |  Maps   |   List   |   Discussions   |   Photos

   Storm Reports / Maps
 
 

 
 
Storm Reports
1 pm 4/11/65 through 1 am 4/12/65
 
County St. Time
CST
Type Magnitude Fatalities Injured Property
Damage
LEE CO. IA 11:50 Thunderstorm Wind 63 kts. 0 0 0.0K
CEDAR CO. IA 12:55 Tornado F4 1 0 2.5M
DUBUQUE CO. IA 13:30 Thunderstorm Wind 64 kts. 0 0 0.0K
DUBUQUE CO. IA 14:00 Thunderstorm Wind 0 kts. 0 0 0.0K
DUBUQUE CO. IA 14:00 Thunderstorm Wind 0 kts. 0 0 0.0K
JO DAVIESS CO. IL 14:00 Thunderstorm Wind 0 kts. 0 0 0.0K
Totals:         1 0 2.5M
 

   Tornado Report Summary
 
 
Event Tornado
-- Scale F4
-- Length 70.2 Miles
-- Width 200 Yards
State IOWA
County/Area CEDAR
NCDC Data Source PUB
Begin Date 1965-04-11 12:55:00.0 CST
Begin Lat/Lon 41.85/-90.93
End Date 1965-04-11 12:55:00.0 CST
End Lat/Lon 42.87/-90.92
Deaths Direct/Indirect 1/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage 2.5M
Crop Damage 0

 

 
 
Overview   |  Maps   |   List   |   Discussions   |   Photos

   Pre-Event Discussions and Maps
 
 
250 mb Wind Speed 500 mb Height 500 mb Temp/Height 500 mb Chart
       
700 mb Height 850 mb Equiv Potential Temp 850 mb Temp/Height 1000 mb BRN
       
 
Surface Chart Surface Lifted Index Surface LI (best)
Composite Mean
 
       
       

 

 
 
 
 
Overview   |  Maps   |   List   |   Discussions   |   Photos

   Post-Event Discussions / Newpaper Articles
 
 
   
         Newspaper article: