Quad-Cities weather updates: National Weather Service confirms EF-1 tornado from Monday (2024)

4 p.m. Tuesday update

There were around 7,000 customers still without power in the Quad-Cities as of 4 p.m., according to MidAmerican, with around 4,300 on the Iowa side and around 2,700 on the Illinois side.

In a 2 p.m. update, MidAmerican said the outages from the storm were mostly in Davenport and Moline, but all together spread across 500 square miles. Some of the heaviest damage was along and south of Kimberly Road, and area where the National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado passed through. Flash flooding and downed trees delayed the damage assessment.

Multiple substations were hit by the storm, including four in west central Davenport, two near Kimberly Road and three in rural southern Rock Island County in the Andalusia and Reynolds area.

Tuesday afternoon the National Weather Service issued a special weather statement for southeast Iowa and northwest Illinois— including Scott and Rock Island counties— saying funnel clouds may develop. They are not currently expected to reach the ground but the NWS said it would issue tornado warnings if needed.

Noon Tuesday update

The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-1 tornado traveled through the Quad-Cities on Monday. The 8 mile track ran between south of the intersection of West Kimberly Road and Northwest Boulevard southeast to near Short Hills Country Club in East Moline. It crossed both Interstate 74 and the Mississippi River.

Damage from the tornado to trees, roofs and cars was reported just south of Kimberly Road. The tornado had a maximum wind speed of 100 mph and a maximum width of 100 yards.

More surveys are in progress.

10 a.m. Tuesday update

According to the National Weather Service Quad Cities, the Storm Prediction Center has classified Monday's storms as a derecho. A derecho is defined as a widespread, long-lived wind storm. They are associated with bands of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. They also can produce destruction similar to a tornado and typically occur in one direction along a relatively straight path.

9:30 a.m. Tuesday update

MidAmerican hopes to have power restored for most customers by 7 a.m. Wednesday and all customers by 7 p.m. Wednesday. As crews finish in other parts of the state they will head towards the Quad-Cities, the 7 a.m. update said. Around 15,000 customers in the area were without power.

Traffic impacts also continue. Some traffic lights in Davenport, including along Locust from East Kimberly to Iowa Street, were out. Traffic lights in Bettendorf were also impacted, Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus reporters saw.

Rain amounts in the Quad-Cities over the past 24 hours ranged between a bit shy of 1 inch to around 1.5 inches, according to CoCoRaHS, a website with trained community precipitation reports. The Cedar Rapids area saw heavier rain, up to 2.4 inches.

A report near Lewistown, in Fulton County, Illinois, saw 6.86 inches, while one across the Illinois River in Mason County saw 6.06 inches.

7 a.m. Tuesday update

More than 16,000 customers were still without power in the Quad-Cities area Tuesday morning, according to MidAmerican's outage map. The utility had not yet posted an estimated time of restoration.

The National Weather Service posted on its website that survey teams would be out today. Preliminary reports around the Quad-Cities showed wind gusts between 55 mph and 74 mph.

Dubuque County saw higher wind speed, according to preliminary reports to the NWS, with Holy Cross recording a gust at 97 mph and Dubuque Airport recording a gust of 79 mph.

10:30 p.m. update

MidAmerican reported still more than 30,000 customers in the Quad-Cities area— including 15,820 in Iowa and 16,339 in Illinois— were without power.

In a 10 p.m. update on restoration work, the utility said damage was "severe and widespread" with crews still determining what work would be needed to restore power.

An estimated time for restoration was not available Monday night, but MidAmerican said it anticipated it could be Wednesday before all customers in the area had power again.

"An estimated time of restoration will be provided tomorrow morning, but due to the damage, restoration for all customers will likely take until Wednesday," the update said.

Power outages can be reported to MidAmerican on its website at midamericanenergy.com or by calling888-427-5632.

As of 10:30 p.m. there were no weather watches or warnings for the Quad-Cities area, though further rain was possible, according to the National Weather Service. Tuesday is forecast to be clear, with a high near 85. The forecast for the rest of the week is also clear, with highs in the upper 70s through Friday.

9:30 p.m. update

Bettendorf has closed Grant Street between Eighth Street and 12th Street, just west of Interstate 74, due to downed trees and power lines.

9:00 p.m. update

Highway 67 and other roads near Sherrard are difficult to navigate with reports of road closures currently in effect. Multiple trees are down and blocking roadways with reports of damage to buildings.

In Davenport the west bound lanes of East Locust, about a quarter mile east of Kimberly Road has been blocked by trees in the lanes.

8:30 p.m. update

Rt. 92 in Rock Island is partially blocked due to downed trees. Heavy lightning has been reported with winds continuing, along with power outages.

Power is out in portions of Andalusia and rural Milan. Alliant Energy has reported about 70 outages in the Quad-Cities region.

8:00 p.m. update

Power outages continue to effect the Quad-Cities with more than 31,000 without power Monday night. Traffic lights on East Kimberly Road in Davenport are reportedly effected with downed tress scattered throughout the region.

The NWS confirmed a tornado touched down in Des Moines. No injuries were reported at this time.

The storm is now moving through Northern Illinois with East Moline, Kewanee, Monmouth, Sterling and Prophetstown all under severe thunderstorm warnings.

7:45 p.m. update

Nearly 24,000 people in the Quad-Cities are without power. An estimated 16,000 are in the dark on the Iowa side of the Quad-Cities and an additional 8,000 in Illinois according to the MidAmerican outage map.

In Davenport, power is out at East Kimberly Road including traffic lights. Three trees are down on Grant Street in Bettendorf near the I-74 bridge, causing a traffic hazard for drivers.

In central Davenport, a tree has fallen in the west bound lane of Kirkwood Boulevard, just west of Bridge Street. The roads are currently covered in debris with much of downtown Davenport once again underwater.

The NWS has reported visibility is less than 1/8 of a mile in these conditions. Reports of trees down across the Quad-Cities are being investigated. Motorists are encouraged to pull over and wait out the storm if on the interstate at this time.

7:30 p.m. update

A tornado warning has been issued for all of the Quad-Cities and the surrounding area until 8 p.m. Pea sized hail is also a threat.

The National Weather Service is encouraging residents to take cover and stay away from windows. Multiple circulations have been spotted on the radar.

At the NWS Quad Cities office at the Davenport Municipal Airport at 74 mph wind gust was recorded just before 7:30 p.m.

The storm has quickly made its way through the state with widespread winds as strong as 80-100 mph reported. Power remains on in the Quad-Cities, but mass outages have been reported in Iowa City and Des Moines.

6:45 p.m. update

A severe thunderstorm watch and heat advisory are in effect for a majority of the Quad-Cities area. The National Weather Service Quad Cities has advised strong winds in excess of 70 mph are on their way with torrential rain and lightning.

The winds were expected to hit Iowa City at about 6:30 p.m., the Iowa Quad-Cities from 7:15-7:45 p.m. and the Illinois Quad-Cities from 7:30-8:15 p.m. These winds are capable of tornadoes and taking down trees. Heavy rainfall with low visibility is expected.

The storm is currently moving 45-60 mph east/southeast.