May 31, 2024 Northwest Iowa Tornadoes

Overview

Two brief tornadoes occurred across northwest Iowa during the afternoon of May 31, 2024. Each tornado originated with a non-supercell thunderstorm and produced EF0 damage.

Tornado

Tornadoes:

Tornado - Sheldon, IA
O'Brien County

Date	May 31, 2024
Time (Local)	4:14-4:17 pm CDT
EF Rating	EF0
Est. Peak Winds	85 mph
Path Length	0.95 miles
Max Width	75 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0/0
Summary: A brief tornado touched down near the Crossroads Pavilion Event Center in Sheldon, IA and tracked northwest for just shy of one mile before dissipating to the north of the Risefest Festival Grounds. The tornado peeled off roof panels on three different buildings and flipped multiple recreational vehicles. The tornado was rated an EF0 with maximum winds of 85 mph and a width of 75 yards. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

Track Map

Tornado - Rural Sioux County, IA
Sioux County

Date	May 31, 2024
Time (Local)	4:36-4:38 pm CDT
EF Rating	EF0
Est. Peak Winds	70 mph
Path Length	0.72 miles
Max Width	25 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0/0
Summary: A tornado touched down northeast of the intersection of Lily Ave and 490th St and tracked northeast for less than a mile before lifting east of the intersection of Lily Ave and 480th St. The tornado peeled some roof panels off a barn at a farmstead near the end of its track, resulting in a rating of EF0. The tornado had a maximum estimated wind speed of 70 mph and width of 25 yards.

Track Map

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

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