DES MOINE, Iowa- Thirteen tornadoes touched down during a severe weather outbreak in Iowa July 19th. The National Weather Service has released data noting an EF-3 tornado, packing 144 mile per hour winds, hit Marshalltown. The NWS says it was on the ground for eight miles, and was 900 yards wide.
The NWS says the twister that hit the Vermeer plant in Pella, was just as strong, and was on the ground for 10-miles. Officials say two EF-2 tornadoes, packing 114 mile per hour winds, hit Bondurant. One rolled through town, the second tracked north of Bondurant. Both were on the ground for about three miles.
Numerous smaller tornadoes, packing 80-to-100 mph winds were also recorded in Ankeny, (east of I-35), near Prairie City, east of Monroe, east of Otley, south of Clarion, west of Story City, and north of Blairsburg,