West Union, IA Tornado and Dexter. MN Downburst of April 11, 2001

West Union IA tornado - F1

THE LA CROSSE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF TORNADO DAMAGE IN FAYETTE COUNTY FROM THE EVENING OF APRIL 11TH. THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON THURSDAY APRIL 12TH.

A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT 550 PM ALONG P AVE...JUST SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 18 ABOUT 2.5 MILES WEST OF WEST UNION IOWA...IN CENTRAL FAYETTE COUNTY. A FARM WAS HIT HARD WITH SEVERAL BARNS...SHEDS AND OUTBUILDINGS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. A 69-YEAR OLD WOMAN WAS TRAPPED IN ONE OF THE BARNS THAT COLLAPSED...AND SUFFERED INJURIES THAT PUT HER INTO CRITICAL CARE.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTH-NORTHEAST TOWARD THE DOUGLAS AREA...BUT LIFTED ABOUT 2.5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WEST UNION JUST EAST OF P AVE ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF HIGHWAY 18. TOTAL LENGTH OF THE TORNADO WAS APPROX. 2 MILES AND WILL BE RATED AN F1 ON THE FUJITA DAMAGE SCALE.

A TORNADO WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR FAYETTE COUNTY AT 511 PM THAT AFTERNOON. A TORNADO WATCH WAS ALSO IN EFFECT.

Dexter MN - downbursts winds

A SURVEY WAS ALSO CONDUCTED ON APRIL 12TH OF DAMAGE TO A FARM JUST SOUTHWEST OF DEXTER MINNESOTA IN CENTRAL MOWER COUNTY MINNESOTA. STRONG WINDS HIT THE FARM AT APPROX. 530 PM.

MANY TREES WERE UPROOTED...A SHED WAS BLOWN OFF ITS FOUNDATION...AN EMPTY GRAIN BIN WAS DESTROYED...AND SEVERAL OTHER OUTBUILDINGS WERE DEMOLISHED AND BLOWN APART. DEBRIS FROM THE FARM WAS BLOWN NEARLY A MILE TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST...TOWARD THE COMMUNITY OF DEXTER. THERE WERE REPORTS OF WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH IN THE REGION BY SPOTTERS.

WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE THE FARM WAS HIT BY A SMALL TORNADO...THERE IS SLIGHTLY MORE EVIDENCE THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY POWERFUL DOWNBURST WINDS. MORE INVESTIGATION INTO SPOTTER REPORTS AND EYEWITNESSES IS COMING.