In mid-May of , a significant and deadly tornado outbreak struck most of the central and southern United States. Producing 46 tornadoes, the outbreak killed at least 72 people, including 45 in Arkansas alone. The outbreak also produced two F5 tornadoes in Iowa. It was one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in the United States since the s and is one of the deadliest outbreaks in Iowa history. Severe weather activity started during the afternoon of May 15 as a low pressure system crossed the area.
The first tornado touchdowns were across the Midwestern States including the two Iowa F5s that hit central and eastern parts of the state about 45 minutes apart during the late afternoon. Both tornadoes killed 18 in total. The first F5 tornado moved through five counties and 65 miles km. It affected the town of Charles City just before 5 PM destroying much of the area.
This tornado killed 13 and injured others. The second F5 tornado affected Fayette County and damaged or destroyed nearly homes. The hardest hit areas were Oelwein and Maynard where homes were completely swept away from their foundations.
Five people were killed while others were injured. These were two of four F5 tornadoes across the country in , the others being in southeastern Ohio on April 23 and in southwestern Minnesota on June The next F5 tornadoes in Iowa took place in Jordan in , and in Parkersburg , in After the first tornadoes struck the Northern Plains, activity developed further south during the evening hours including several deadly tornadoes in Arkansas.
The tornado caught most residents by surprise since most of the warning systems failed and killed at least The tornado was the deadliest in Arkansas since an F4 tornado that affected White County on March 21, , killing The same city was hit by another destructive tornado five years later killing at least three and injuring others while leaving much more destruction throughout the city than the event.
