I Was There: Remembering Iowa’s 1998 Derecho

Every summer as storm season and summer get going in the midwest my mind goes back to one of the scariest storms I ever experienced. I was a student at the University of Iowa, but it was summer break, so I had gone home to visit my parents in Southeastern Iowa. That afternoon seemed pretty normal as I headed back to the Iowa City area to go to work that evening. Since my mom wasn't busy and I was going to go back to her place the next day, she decided to go with me and keep me company on the drive. Little did we know, our plans would be completely altered by the weather.

I was studying astronomy at University of Iowa, but I was also very interested in meteorology at that time. I had never heard of a derecho though. I didn't know just how terrifying an "inland hurricane" could be. I had taken a meteorology class, but didn't really follow weather conditions and forecasts other than watching the TV to find out about storm watches and warnings.

As my mom and I got closer to my apartment we noticed that the sky to the north and west was getting very dark. I had several things I was supposed to do before going to work, so I was worried that the storms might make those things more difficult. I checked the TV when I got inside and saw some warnings getting closer, but still wasn't too concerned. I figured the storms would pass and then I could do what I needed to do.

All of a sudden, everything changed. There was a tornado warning issued. The storms were right on top of us. I didn't hear much going on, so I was going to go get a better look at the sky outside. Then it hit. Wind so strong that I was afraid the windows would get blown in. It got so dark, the power went out and the wind kept getting louder.

The wind kept going for over 20 minutes, and it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. When the storm was finally over I went outside cautiously. First I saw numerous trees that had been blown down. Then I looked towards the street and saw it was totally flooded. A car tried to go by, but was unable to drive through the water. I saw swirling clouds in the sky for a few hours after things calmed down. Once we could leave, I called in to work to let them know I couldn't be there, then we got in my car and headed to the south. Trees and power lines were down all the way to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where we were able to stop to get something to eat.

I found out later that Washington, Iowa was hit by a wind gust of 123 mph. The storm was just getting started in my part of it, and I didn't follow much about the damage it caused in other areas. The Storm Prediction Center has a nice summary of the storm.

In the years since then, I've learned a lot more about the weather. I've experienced more derechos, on June 29 even. I have more weather apps than I care to admit that I use to keep up with every detail. I've experienced a few more storms that came close to how scary that derecho was, but that day in June of 1998 will probably always come to mind as the most intense for me.