PLEASANTVILLE, Iowa — An EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 110 mph and a 15-mile length hit parts of Warren and Marion Counties on Tuesday night, the National Weather Service says.
The tornado was on the ground from 6:43 to 7:06 p.m. and had a maximum width of 15 miles. The peak wind of 110 mph is just one mile per hour lower than the minimum threshold for an EF-2 tornado.
"The tornado began in eastern Warren County just to the east of Liberty Center, NWS said. "Based on eyewitness accounts and video evidence, it's likely this tornado was intermittent, and not a fully continuous path."
NWS crews surveyed the area Wednesday and said it's important you know where to go when severe weather hits.
"April, May, June are kind of our peak months. So we're right there and we're just asking people, again, pay attention to the weather, have multiple ways to get warnings," said Mike Fowle with National Weather Service Des Moines. "And if you do have a warning issued, take cover immediately."
Two families in the Pleasantville area told Local 5 they were able to get to the lowest interior room of their homes just in time.