It’s still not known exactly how many tornadoes touched down in Iowa on Thursday afternoon, though some media outlets are reporting up to 27. Jeff Johnson, the meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service office in metro Des Moines, says there were five confirmed tornadoes and likely more than ten, but 27 is probably way too high.
One of those survey teams will be documenting the damage in Polk, Jasper and Marion counties, while a second team will focus only on Marshall County, where the town of Marshalltown had perhaps the worst of the day’s storm damage. Johnson says they’ll also be studying images from space.
The conflicting tornado numbers being reported are likely coming from people confusing the number of reports with the actual numbers of twisters, as he says multiple spotters reported seeing the same tornado.
Last year, Iowa recorded 55 tornadoes statewide. While the peak months for tornado season in Iowa are April, May and June, Johnson warns twisters can strike during any month of the year.
