Overnight severe storms leave damage, trail of storm reports across Siouxland

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — UPDATED 7:32 PM FRI 4/18/25–Severe storms swept the region Thursday afternoon in the early morning hours of Friday, leaving behind substantial damage for some areas and dozens of storm reports, from large hail to wind damage.

Isolated storms began to develop along the Iowa/Minnesota border through mid afternoon Thursday. No warnings were issued within Siouxland as a stronger storm pushed north/northeastward through, primarily, Dickinson County.

Small hail was reported in Dickinson County, to the east and east/southeast of Lake Park, Iowa.

Just two official storm reports came out of that storm:

• 2 E Lake Park, IA (3:39 PM CDT, 4/17/25): 0.75″ hail (penny-sized hail)

• 2 ESE Lake Park, IA (3:51 PM CDT, 4/17/25): 0.88″ hail (nickel-sized hail)

As this storm was impacting far north/northeastern Siouxland, Severe Thunderstorm Watches were issued through most of NW Iowa in advance of the main window of severe weather potential, expected by late afternoon into the earl/mid evening hours.

Just after 4:45 PM CDT, Tornado Watches were issued through southern Siouxland, although conditions remained quiet for the time being.

During the 5 PM hour, showers and storms began to develop through Siouxland, however, the heaviest of these storms remained mostly south of Siouxland, near and south/southwest of the Omaha area.

Just before 6:30 PM, the first Severe Thunderstorm Warning in Siouxland was issued in southwestern Harrison County, including Missouri Valley for the potential of up to 2″ diameter hail and 70 mph gusts.

The worst of this storm, including large hail and a confirmed strong tornado though, would remain to the south of Harrison County.

Scattered sub-severe storms though, were initiating across Siouxland.

The first storm report from this round of storms in Siouxland came at 7:41 PM CDT from 3 miles northwest of Wakefield, Nebraska, with a report of 0.75″ (penny-sized) hail.

As that cell quickly tracked to the east/northeast, more reports of hail came in.

Those hail reports are as follows:

• 1 N Homer, NE (8:06 PM CDT, 4/17/25): 1.5″ (ping pong ball sized) hail

• 1 NE Homer, NE (8:08 PM CDT, 4/17/25): 1″ (quarter sized) hail

• Sergeant Bluff, IA (8:12 PM CDT, 4/17/25): 0.88″ (nickel sized) hail

As the storm continued east through Woodbury County and towards western Ida County, just before 7:30 PM CDT, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for 1.5″ hail potential.

The storm would go on to produce pea to nickel sized hail near Bronson, Iowa. That storm report is as follows:

• 5 E Bronson, IA (8:27 PM CDT, 4/17/25): 0.88″ hail (pea to nickel size)

This storm continued to weaken as it continued its trek eastward and the Severe Thunderstorm Warning was allowed to expire at 9 PM.

However, a storm to the north/northeast of that cell had strengthened to severe levels and at 8:51 PM CDT, the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southeastern Osceola, northwestern Clay (IA), and central O’Brien counties.

The sole report out of this cell came in from 2 miles south of Archer, Iowa:

• 2 S Archer, IA (8:58 PM CDT, 4/17/25): 1.5″ (ping pong ball sized) hail

Showers and storms then pushed east and weakened before exiting Siouxland by around 10 PM Thursday night. Remaining Severe Thunderstorm Watches were expired just before 10 PM.

Unfortunately though, the severe weather threat would not be over for the night.

Just after 11 PM, the a single cell developed over southeastern Knox County. This cell would continue to strengthen as it tracked east/northeastward. This tiny cell exploded in size as it approached the Missouri River and I-29 corridor.

The first hail report from this round of storms came in at 12:05 AM CDT:

• 7 NW Elk Point, SD (12:05 AM CDT, 4/18/25): mPING report of 1″ (quarter-sized hail)

The storm continued to strengthen as it crossed into NW Iowa and at 12:16 AM CDT, the Sioux Falls National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northwestern Woodbury and and western Plymouth counties. Maximum hail size was radar-indicated to be half-dollar (1.25″ diameter).

This cell tracked east/northeast and cross Highway 75, with the main hail core passing over the Hinton, Iowa area, producing 2-2.5″ diameter hail. That’s hen egg/lime to tennis ball sized hail!

The storm reports are as follows:

• Hinton, IA (12:23 AM CDT, 4/18/25): Photo-estimated tennis ball (2.5″ diameter) sized hail via social media

• Hinton, IA (12:23 AM CDT, 4/18/25): 2″ (hen egg/lime sized) hail

Photos of this large hail sent into the KCAU 9 Weather Team are below:

As that storm was continuing its east/northeastward track, another strong storm reached severe limits, just after 12:30 AM. The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls issued yet another Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northwestern Dakota, northern Dixon, and southern Union counties.

This warning was issued at 12:33 AM CDT, just one minute before the first report of 1″ diameter hail came in via a trained spotter, the report is as follows:

• 5 WSW Martinsburg, NE (12:34 AM CDT, 4/18/35): 1″ (quarter-sized) hail

Storms continued pushing through Siouxland and an additional report of 1″ diameter hail came in via social media, one mile north of Yankton, South Dakota. This storm would not be severe warned though.

That report came in at 12:39 AM CDT and at the same time, a new Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for west-central Plymouth and northern Cherokee counties as the storm that produced 2-2.5″ diameter hail continued pushing east/northeast, still maintaining a strong hail core.

A broken line of supercell thunderstorms was also now extending from Neligh, through the Sioux City metro and to the east of Le Mars through south of Sheldon.

While the other cells continued to mostly weaken below severe limits as they tracked east/northeast, this particular cell maintained its strength.

At 12:59 AM CDT, the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls issued another Severe Thunderstorm Warning for this storm, expanding the warning into Buena Vista County, including the Storm Lake area.

Just minutes later, more hail reports began to come in:

• Cherokee, IA (1 AM CDT, 4/18/25): 1.0 inch hail

• 3 S Larabee, IA (1:02 AM, 4/18/25): 1.75 inch hail–Report from mPING: Golf Ball (1.75 in.)

• Aurelia, IA (1:03 AM CDT, 4/18/25): 1.0 inch hail–Report from social media.

At 1:08 AM CDT, a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was reported:

• 2 SSE Alta, IA (1:08 AM, 4/18/25): TSTM Wind Gust, 60 MPH via personal weather station

And at 1:10 AM CDT, reports of damage started to come in out of the Storm Lake area.

Numerous photos and reports of damage to trees, powerlines, structures and roofs were sent in by residents and the emergency manager. This would be the most severe damage of this late night outbreak of severe weather.

At 1:19 AM a 61 mph gust was recorded via a personal weather station 2 miles NE of Truesdale, Iowa.

A handful of additional large hail reports and another severe wind gust were recorded as storms continued. This includes:

• 2 WNW Ponca, NE (1:25 AM CDT, 4/18/25): 1.25″ (half dollar sized) hail

• Oyens, IA (1:39 AM CDT, 4/18/25): 1.25″ (half dollar sized) hail

• 1 W Sergeant Bluff (1:57 AM CDT, 4/18/25): 58 mph TSTM wind gust

• 5 W Kingsley, IA (2:19 AM CDT, 4/18/25): 1.25″ hail

However, the worst of the storms were over, with Storm Lake and surrounding areas left hardest hit.

The storm damage in Storm Lake has also led to power outages. Friday morning, MidAmerican said that the storm damaged three transmission lines and broke roughly two dozen transmission poles and overhead lines. The company is expecting power to gradually come back throughout the afternoon. You can read more about the damage in Storm Lake here.

Latest updates can also be found on the City of Storm Lake Facebook page

Storm Lake residents can drop off debris from the storm at one of three collection sites.

And for the complete list of storm reports in/around Siouxland and the region from Thursday and Friday mornings severe weather, visit the NWS Storm Prediction Center Severe Weather Event Review.

Rainfall amounts were heaviest just north of US-20 where most areas saw light amounts under one quarter of an inch, but some areas closer to IA-3 and SD-50 saw some higher amounts, with the heaviest amounts indicated generally in Cherokee County.

If you have any storm reports or pictures, please send them into us here.

And as always, you can stay safe and up to date with the latest from the KCAU 9 weather team by clicking here!

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