The roof of an Urbandale home was partially ripped off during the July 15, 2024, storm.
DES MOINES, Iowa – A fast-moving storm that hit during Monday's rush hour spawned at least one tornado in Polk County and damaged trees in communities across the Des Moines metro, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm moved into the metro around 5:30 p.m., causing extensive damage to trees in Urbandale, Windsor Heights and Des Moines. In Urbandale, roofs were partially ripped off some homes.
Windsor Heights resident Nicole Kinney said the storm moved quickly, “My little baby screamed that there was a tornado in the backyard, we ran to the basement and within about 30 seconds a freight train came by and then it's all over.
Kinney's neighborhood suffered significant tree damage, and neighbors came out to help clear branches almost immediately after the storm.
The storm also knocked out power lines, leaving more than 11,000 people without power at one point. As of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, 1,795 MidAmerican Energy customers in the Des Moines area were still without power.
National Weather Service storm investigators will be out Tuesday to survey the damage and determine the strength of the confirmed tornado. They will also study whether the storm contained any other tornadoes.
The NWS said the storm's peak wind gust was 78 mph measured in central Iowa, west of Montezuma in Poweshiek County. The storm also produced 2.5 inches of hail in Vail, Crawford County.
