National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce
 

50th Anniversary
Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak
(April 11, 1965)

 
 
 
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
   
   
   
 
    For a complete overview of the outbreak click here
 
Overview   |  Maps   |   List   |   Discussions   |   Photos

   Storm Reports / Maps
 
 
Storm Data
April 1965
Volume 7 No. 4
 
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 700 mb Height
       
850 mb Equiv Potential Temp 850 mb Temp/Height 925 mb Dewpoint Temp 1000 mb BRN
       
Surface Lifted Index Surface Chart 500 mb Chart Surface LI (best)
Composite Mean
       
       

 

 
 
 
 
Overview   |  Maps   |   List   |   Discussions   |   Photos

   Post-Event Discussions / Newpaper Articles
 
 
   
         Newspaper article: