Parkersburg-New Hartford tornado
During the afternoon hours of May 25, 2008, a large and extremely powerful EF5 wedge tornado, most commonly referred to as the Parkersburg tornado or alternatively known as the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado, devastated the towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford, Iowa. Part of a large tornado outbreak across the Central Plains, the tornado killed nine people and caused around $75 million in damages across its approximately 43 mile path through northeast Iowa.
What was the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado?
The Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado was an extremely powerful EF5 wedge tornado that devastated parts of Iowa on May 25, 2008. It occurred during a large tornado outbreak across the Central Plains. The storm struck the towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford, causing major destruction. Rated as an EF5, this tornado killed nine people and injured 70 others. It remains the most recent EF5 tornado to affect the state of Iowa as of 2026.
What was the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado wind speed?
The National Weather Service determined the tornado reached peak winds of approximately 205 miles per hour. Scientists reached this estimate through a comprehensive damage survey conducted after the event. The survey cataloged specific destruction to buildings and infrastructure, including the complete leveling of homes bolted to foundations. Investigators noted that the storm maintained EF5 intensity for a significant portion of its life, specifically while impacting the residential areas of Parkersburg and New Hartford.
What was the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado path?
The tornado touched down two miles south of Aplington near the Butler and Grundy County line at 4:48 pm CDT. It traveled eastward for 43 miles through Butler and Black Hawk counties. The path crossed through the towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford before passing north of Waterloo and Cedar Falls. The storm eventually turned east-northeast near Dunkerton. It abruptly dissipated shortly before reaching the town of Fairbank.
How many people died in the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado?
The tornado caused nine fatalities during its 70 minute lifespan. Seven people died in Parkersburg, where the storm decimated the south side of town. Two additional people perished when the tornado struck a housing development in northern New Hartford. Rescue teams and medical professionals reported that 70 people sustained injuries during the event. Many victims in Parkersburg were sheltering in their basements when the storm destroyed their homes.
What did the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado destroy?
The storm leveled residential neighborhoods and business districts in Parkersburg and New Hartford. It destroyed 288 homes in Parkersburg and 88 additional homes in the New Hartford area. Notable infrastructure losses included the Aplington-Parkersburg High School, the city hall, the fire station, and the elementary school. Both the St. Patrick’s and Oak Hill cemeteries sustained heavy damage. The vortex also mangled industrial buildings and flattened rural farm structures throughout its 43 mile path.
What caused the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado?
A robust negatively-titled trough moved across the United States, creating a classic plains severe weather setup. Atmospheric conditions included deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and high instability. Meteorologists observed dew points in the upper 70s as supercells intensified in northern Iowa. A micro-scale interaction occurred as a cluster of cells merged and formed a descending-reflectivity core, which aided in tornadogenesis. Strong gravity waves and a low-level jet streak further intensified the southern supercell cluster.
What happened after the Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado?
Governor Chet Culver declared Butler and Black Hawk counties disaster areas to facilitate recovery efforts. Officials evacuated Parkersburg for four days to ensure public safety while emergency services cleared debris. Over 1,000 personnel, including firefighters and paramedics, assisted the community in the weeks following the impact. The city eventually rebuilt the high school for $19 million. By 2020, the city had regained 145 residents, with over 90% of new houses now featuring tornado safe rooms.
Parkersburg-New Hartford Tornado Track
The mapped ground track below shows the surveyed touchdown point, damage corridor, and dissipation coordinates recorded by NWS field crews. The Parkersburg-New Hartford tornado traveled 43 miles across Butler County, Black Hawk County, Iowa. Coordinates are derived from the official SPC historical tornado database.
How many EF5 tornadoes were there in 2008?
The Parkersburg–New Hartford tornado was the only EF5 tornado to occur in 2008.
What was the path width of the Parkersburg tornado?
The tornado was approximately 7/10 of a mile wide when it struck Parkersburg and reached up to 1.2 miles wide near Dunkerton.
Did the tornado strike any schools?
Yes, the Aplington-Parkersburg High School was destroyed, and the town's elementary school was also lost.
How long did the Parkersburg tornado last?
The tornado traveled across its path for a total of 70 minutes.