Easter Week 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence

Infobox tornado outbreak|name=Easter Week 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence
date=April 13-18, 2006
image location=ICchurch.jpg

Iowa City
duration=4 days, 4 hours, 19 minutes
fujitascale=F2
tornadoes=54 confirmed
total damages (USD)=$23.952 million (2006 USD) $25.61 million (2008 USD)
total fatalities=1
areas affected=Midwest, Mid-Atlantic StatesThe Easter Week 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence was a tornado outbreak sequence during the days leading up to Easter and continued into the first week after Easter. It was the third major outbreak of April 2006, which had been an unusually busy month for tornado activity.

Meteorological synopsis

where significant damage and numerous injuries were reported, in addition to at least one death across the region.

Another supercell developed on April 14 across western Indiana, touching down a few tornadoes, although nothing very serious was reported. That system moved eastward over the Mid-Atlantic States on April 15, although no tornadoes were reported there.

While the first system moved eastward, a second system developed over the Upper Midwest and tracked across the Midwest on April 15 and 16. This new system has led to about 40 reported tornadoes, and several have been damaging, although no fatalities were reported from the second system.

That system then tracked into the Mid-Atlantic on April 17, and was mostly a straight-line wind event, although there were a handful of new tornadoes reported across the region.

A third system developed on April 18 and brought even more severe weather, this time farther south in the lower Midwest, mainly Missouri. There were several more tornadoes reported from this one.

The severe weather finally came to an end on April 19 across the South.

The back side of this system produced heavy snow and blizzard conditions over the High Plains.

Reported tornadoes

April 13 event

April 15 event

April 17 event

Iowa City tornadoes

). The tornadoes affected several parts of town and were likely multiple tornadoes. At least 30 people were injured in the city, but no one was killed in Iowa City (one death was reported southeast of the city in a rural area).

Downtown Iowa City was hit the hardest, with several buildings suffering heavy damage, and the courthouse and Saint Patrick's Church - one of the local Roman Catholic parishes - both lost their roofs after the tornado hit. Several people were reportedly trapped in collapsed buildings but were rescued. The church had just finished Holy Thursday services but the parishioners were all safely in the basement of the rectory at the time. Good Friday and subsequent services continued as scheduled in the undamaged areas.

was sold/stored.

The Iowa National Guard was mobilized and local law enforcement was maximized to prevent crime such as looting in the area. Gas leaks were also reported in the downtown area. [ [http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060413/NEWS01/60413010/1079/RSS01 press-citizen.com | Local News ] ] The University of Iowa was also hard hit by the tornadoes - the Alpha Chi Omega sorority house was nearly destroyed and had to be evacuated, and several other buildings suffered lesser damage. The school was closed the next day as a result. [ [http://www.kcci.com/weather/8684318/detail.html?rss=des&psp=news Tornado Rips Through Iowa City - Des Moines Weather News Story - KCCI Des Moines ] ]

Another hard hit area was the south side of town, particularly along Riverside Drive (US 6) south of downtown. The commercial area was heavily damaged, with damage reported to several shopping centers and plazas, several big box stores and numerous fast food restaurants - at least one of which, a historic 54-year old Dairy Queen restaurant was destroyed. [ [http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060414/NEWS01/604140328/1079 press-citizen.com | Local News ] ] Many cars parked in the parking lots also sustained damage. In a parking lot downtown, cars were overturned or crushed from where they had been parked. Both Menards and Wal-Mart sustained damage to their roofs as well.

Electricity was cut to about 7,000 customers in the area, but most power was quickly restored after the tornadoes, high winds and hail. [http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/1-04142006-641658.html]

The National Weather Service stated that five tornadoes were present in Johnson county that night. The Iowa City tornado was confirmed to be a high-end F2, which was the tornado that swept through the downtown area. This was the first tornado on record to strike the University. The second tornado was removed from the record, as its damage path was not confirmed by the NWS.

Impact

UI President David Skorton canceled classes as a result of the tornado. [ [http://www.dailyiowan.com/news/2006/04/14/Metro/Ui.Cancels.Classes-1852419.shtml UI cancels classes - Metro ] ] on Friday, April 14. On Friday, area governments declared a joint state of emergency for Johnson County [ [http://www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2006/04/14/Metro/City-Surveys.Damage.From.Storm-1856404.shtml?norewrite200604181311&sourcedomain=www.dailyiowan.com City surveys damage from storm - Metro ] ] The Daily Iowan (the University newspaper) continued coverage through the weekend, days on which the newspaper does not traditionally print.

References

ee also

*List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
*Tornadoes of 2006

External links

* [http://www.billhamel.net/_cpmine/ 900+ Photos of the Iowa City April 13th tornado damage] (University of Iowa) -Image Gallery, Picture of actual tornado over downtown, etc
* [http://www.uiowa.edu/~ournews/tornado/index.html University of Iowa release page] - includes news releases, image galleries and statements
* [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dvn/WeatherEvents/20060413Tornadoes/index.php National Weather Service overview]
* [http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/cases/060413/ Photos and videos of tornadoes and damage] (Iowa State University}