View source for 2005 Iowa tornado outbreak

{{Short description|2005 tornado outbreak in Iowa, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox storm
 | partof               = '''[[Tornadoes of 2005|tornado outbreaks of 2005]]'''
 | name                 = Iowa tornado outbreak of November 2005
 | image                = Woodward Iowa Tornado Damage.JPG
 | alt                  = 
 | caption              = Photograph from NWS damage survey in [[Woodward, Iowa]]
 | type                 = Tornado outbreak
 | active               = November 12&ndash;13 2005 
 | lowest pressure      = 
 | lowest temperature   = 
 | tornadoes            = 14
 | fujitascale          = F3
 | tornado duration     = 6 hours, 22 minutes
 | highest winds        = 
 | hail                 = 
 | gusts                = 
 | maximum snow         = 
 | power outages        = 
 | total fatalities     = 1 fatality, 7 injuries
 | damages              = $18.607 million (2005 USD)<ref>{{cite web |title=Tornado Summaries |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=11&beginDate_dd=12&beginDate_yyyy=2005&endDate_mm=11&endDate_dd=12&endDate_yyyy=2005&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL |website=National Weather Service |publisher=National Centers for Environmental Information |accessdate=7 September 2020}}</ref>
 | affected             = [[Iowa]], [[Arkansas]], [[Missouri]]
 | current advisories   = 
 | enhanced             = no
 | notes                = 
}}
A large and exceptionally rare late autumn season [[tornado outbreak]] occurred during the afternoon and evening hours of November 12, 2005 with the majority of them concentrated in central [[Iowa]]. One person was killed and there was extensive damage in several communities.

There were preliminary reports of as many as twenty tornadoes in Iowa, and 14 were later confirmed, including 12 in Iowa alone. It is the largest ever tornado outbreak in Iowa in November; and among the largest outbreaks that far north and west in the United States that late in the year. Only 23 confirmed tornadoes have been recorded in Iowa in November from 1950 to 2004. There were also many reports of very large hail and strong straight-line winds, starting in southeast [[South Dakota]].

In addition, the tornado sirens sounded just before an [[Iowa State University]] Cyclones football game incurring an evacuation of the stadium. The tornado was visible from the stadium. The Iowa State Cyclones, named partly for a violent tornado in the early 20th century returned to the field and were victorious.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} Another tornado struck the actual ISU campus a couple months prior on September 8 with minor damage.

==Confirmed tornadoes==
{{Tornado Chart | Total=14 | F0=5 | F1=6 | F2=2 | F3=1 | F4=0 | F5=0}}

{| class="wikitable"
|- 
!'''[[Fujita scale|F#]]'''
!'''Location'''
!'''County'''
!'''State'''
!'''Time (UTC)'''
!'''Path length'''
!'''Damage'''
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat1}} | F1
|S of [[Scranton, Iowa|Scranton]]
|[[Greene County, Iowa|Greene]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2150
|{{convert|1|mi|km}}
|Brief tornado caused little damage as it moved through fields.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat3}} | F3
|S of [[Boxholm, Iowa|Boxholm]] to NE of [[Stratford, Iowa|Stratford]]
|[[Boone County, Iowa|Boone]], [[Webster County, Iowa|Webster]], [[Hamilton County, Iowa|Hamilton]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2227
|{{convert|17.6|mi|km}}
|1 death – In Boone County, the tornado struck a farm at F1 intensity, damaging the home and some outbuildings. It also flipped over one pickup truck and killed two horses at this location. The tornado reached F2 intensity in Webster County, where a home was heavily damaged and a large outbuilding was destroyed. A machine shed was also destroyed, along with most of its contents. In Hamilton County, the tornado reached F3 intensity as it struck Stratford, where many homes were heavily damaged or destroyed and one person was killed. Vehicles were flipped and trees were snapped as well. A gas leak forced an evacuation of the town. Three farms were damaged outside of town before the tornado dissipated. Three people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat2}} | F2
|W of [[Minburn, Iowa|Minburn]] to E of [[Woodward, Iowa|Woodward]]
|[[Dallas County, Iowa|Dallas]], [[Boone County, Iowa|Boone]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2228
|{{convert|12|mi|km}}
|Dozens of homes in Woodward were damaged or destroyed, including several homes shifted off their foundations. A double wide mobile home was flipped upside down into the middle of a street. One farm was also destroyed outside of town. Two people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat1}} | F1
|[[Hospers, Iowa|Hospers]]
|[[Sioux County, Iowa|Sioux]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2230
|{{convert|1|mi|km}}
|Tornado destroyed the wall and part of the roof of a business in Hospers, and caused minor damage to contents in the building.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat1}} | F1
|NW of [[Madrid, Iowa|Madrid]]
|[[Boone County, Iowa|Boone]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2248
|{{convert|6|mi|km}}
|Heavy damage to one farm site and moderate damage to one home.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0
|[[Ames, Iowa|Ames]]
|[[Story County, Iowa|Story]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2256
|{{convert|0.2|mi|km}}
|Anticyclonic tornado lifted lawn chairs and caused shingle damage to homes in Ames.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat2}} | F2
|W of [[Ames, Iowa|Ames]] to NE of [[Gilbert, Iowa|Gilbert]]
|[[Boone County, Iowa|Boone]], [[Story County, Iowa|Story]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2258
|{{convert|12|mi|km}}
|Tornado caused considerable damage to homes on the northwestern fringes of Ames. Tornado was visible from [[Iowa State University]] and forced the evacuation of the stadium during a [[American football|football]] game. A farm was also heavily damaged near Gilbert. One person was injured.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0
|SW of [[Story City, Iowa|Story City]]
|[[Story County, Iowa|Story]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2315
|{{convert|1.6|mi|km}}
|Aerial surveys showed minor damage.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat1}} | F1
|W of [[Roland, Iowa|Roland]] to N of [[Radcliffe, Iowa|Radcliffe]]
|[[Story County, Iowa|Story]], [[Hamilton County, Iowa|Hamilton]], [[Hardin County, Iowa|Hardin]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2320
|{{convert|8|mi|km}}
|Several farm sites were damaged along the path.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0
|S of [[Williams, Iowa|Williams]]
|[[Hamilton County, Iowa|Hamilton]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2327
|{{convert|1.5|mi|km}}
|Brief touchdown. No damage was reported.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0
|N of [[Steamboat Rock, Iowa|Steamboat Rock]]
|[[Hardin County, Iowa|Hardin]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|2350
|{{convert|0.7|mi|km}}
|Brief tornado with little damage.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat1}} | F1
|[[Blakesburg, Iowa|Blakesburg]] area
|[[Monroe County, Iowa|Monroe]]
|[[Iowa|IA]]
|0040
|{{convert|1.5|mi|km}}
|Destroyed a barn along its short track.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat1}} | F1
|NE of [[Hoburg, Missouri|Hoburg]]
|[[Lawrence County, Missouri|Lawrence]]
|[[Missouri|MO]]
|0140
|{{convert|5|mi|km}}
|Several homes suffered moderate to significant damage. Most damage was predominantly to roofs while several trees were uprooted. One woman was injured in her home.
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|storm}} | F0
|W of [[Mena, Arkansas|Mena]]
|[[Polk County, Arkansas|Polk]]
|[[Arkansas|AR]]
|0427
|{{convert|3.5|mi|km}}
|A couple of older chicken houses sustained structural damage. A number of trees were also snapped off along the path of the tornado.
|-
|colspan="8" align=center|<small>Sources: [https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=11&beginDate_dd=12&beginDate_yyyy=2005&endDate_mm=11&endDate_dd=12&endDate_yyyy=2005&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=-999%2CALL NCDC database] [https://www.weather.gov/media/dmx/SigEvents/2005-11-12_Woodward_Stratford_Tornadoes.pdf Des Moines office]</small>
|}

==See also==
*[[List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks]]
*[[Iowa tornado outbreak of July 2018]] - A more prolific outbreak across [[Iowa]] that also spawned EF3 tornadoes.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051124103108/http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/11/13/midwest.tornadoes.ap/ Iowans sort through tornado rubble (CNN)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051126113029/http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/11/12/iowa.tornado.ap/ Football fans flee tornado (CNN)]
*[http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/051112_rpts.html Preliminary storm reports summary (SPC)]

{{2005 tornado outbreaks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2005-11-12 Tornado Outbreak}}
[[Category:F3, EF3 and IF3 tornadoes]]
[[Category:Tornadoes of 2005|11-12]]
[[Category:Tornadoes in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Tornadoes in Iowa]]
[[Category:Tornadoes in Missouri]]
[[Category:2005 natural disasters in the United States|Tornado, 11-12]]
[[Category:November 2005 in the United States|Tornado, 12, Iowa]]