A strong arctic front extended from Central Wisconsin into Northwest Missouri early Friday morning.  Temperatures across the state of Iowa at 6 A.M. Friday ranged from the middle 20s in the far northwest to the middle and upper 50s in the far southeast.  Much colder air was poised to the north of the state with temperatures in the single digits and teens in the Northern Plains.  This arctic front and the large temperature gradient across it combined with a vigorous upper level disturbance ejecting from the Southwestern United States to ignite severe thunderstorms.  Initial development occurred in Central Iowa late Friday afternoon and evening.  These storms then evolved into a squall line, which raced eastward through much of Eastern Iowa during the overnight and early morning on Saturday, producing numerous reports of wind damage.  The most significant damage was concentrated in two areas, one from Johnson County into portions of Jones and Cedar Counties, and the other in Southeast Iowa generally along and south of Highway 34.  Winds were generally in the 60 mph to 80 mph range.  With the frontal passage, temperatures plummeted some 20 degrees over a period of a few hours, causing any lingering rain to briefly change over to sleet or a mixture of sleet, snow and freezing rain mainly north of Interstate 80.

Thunderstorm Wind in VAN BUREN, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 01:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 01:30:00 (CST)
Location: KEOSAUQUA
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in LEE, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:20:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:20:00 (CST)
Location: FT MADISON
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Tree limbs and power lines down.

Thunderstorm Wind in IOWA, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 01:05:00 to 09-MAR-02 01:05:00 (CST)
Location: VICTOR
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in LEE, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:15:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:15:00 (CST)
Location: DONNELLSON
Magnitude: 61 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Barn destroyed.

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:00:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:00:00 (CST)
Location: AINSWORTH
Magnitude: 57 E
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Numerous tree limbs down, and shingles torn off buildings.

Hail in LINN, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:08:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:08:00 (CST)
Location: FAIRFAX
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in LEE, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:25:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:25:00 (CST)
Location: SANDUSKY
Magnitude: 70 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Trailer blown off road, and roof torn off building.

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 01:50:00 to 09-MAR-02 01:50:00 (CST)
Location: WASHINGTON
Magnitude: 57 E
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Tree limbs down, and shingles torn off several buildings.

Thunderstorm Wind in HENRY, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 01:50:00 to 09-MAR-02 01:50:00 (CST)
Location: SALEM
Magnitude: 61 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Several large tree limbs down.

Thunderstorm Wind in DES MOINES, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 (CST)
Location: WEST BURLINGTON
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Tree limbs and power lines down.

Thunderstorm Wind in HENRY, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 01:50:00 to 09-MAR-02 01:50:00 (CST)
Location: SALEM
Magnitude: 61 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Barn destroyed.

Thunderstorm Wind in SCOTT, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 03:00:00 to 09-MAR-02 03:00:00 (CST)
Location: DAVENPORT
Magnitude: 61 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Several mobile homes damaged in Northwest Davenport.

Thunderstorm Wind in DES MOINES, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 (CST)
Location: BURLINGTON
Magnitude: 52 M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in JOHNSON, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:25:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:25:00 (CST)
Location: HILLS
Property damage: 200K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

A property suffered heavy damage.  A large sliding door to a metal building was blown down and destroyed, a fence was damaged, a semi-trailer was tipped over and moved, the tin roof on an old shed was torn off, and an empty grain elevator was tipped over and moved.  Additionally, many water tanks and other supplies that were piled around had been jumbled and thrown around.  The owner credited some rail cars parked along the west side of the property with limiting the damage by providing a break from the wind.  Also, a pole building on an adjacent lot northeast of the property was upended and destroyed with tractors and other equipment inside.  The equipment suffered damage but was still driveable.  Across the street from the pole building, a residence lost a chimney.  Just east of that residence, was another residence which suffered the most damage seen in town.  The home had damage on all four sides with windows broken out, siding damaged, a chimney destroyed, shingles removed and roof damage.  A child was asleep in a first floor bedroom when the home was damaged.  The mother reported that it was very difficult opening the door to the bedroom because of the force of the wind.  The child was in bed with broken glass throughout the room and in the bed, but luckily there were no injuries.  There was mud and debris plastered on the walls and in the room.  Also, there was an old truck parked on a street on the east side of the home that was pushed into another vehicle parked nearby.  Power lines were down, and the home was without power until 4:30 pm Saturday.  Across the street from this residence was another home which suffered some roof damage, damage to a chimney and a playhouse which was tipped over and moved.  There were also trees down throughout town.

Thunderstorm Wind in CEDAR, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 (CST)
Location: TIPTON
Magnitude: 61 E
Property damage: 50K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

The Tipton Country Club suffered heavy damage.  A large cart shed was destroyed and blown into a parking area south of the clubhouse.  Damage to the carts in the shed was minor.  Several large trees were blown down.  A roof was peeled back on another shed, holes were punched in a third shed, the roof was blown off a small structure next to the pool, and approximately 9 trees were damaged or destroyed. At Country Estates, the skirting was blown off several homes, and a roof was blown off a barn.

Thunderstorm Wind in LEE, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:15:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:15:00 (CST)
Location: KEOKUK
Magnitude: 70 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Just north of Keokuk along Highway 218, a barn completely collapsed and another one was pushed off it's foundation.  Also, a garage was destroyed, several billboards were damaged, and a trailer was overturned.

Thunderstorm Wind in CEDAR, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 (CST)
Location: CEDAR BLUFF
Magnitude: 61 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

A large tree was uprooted and fell on a cabin, while a roof was blown off another cabin.  A metal shed was also destroyed on another property.

Thunderstorm Wind in CEDAR, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:30:00 (CST)
Location: CLARENCE
Magnitude: 61 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

The roofs were blown off 2 buildings at a farmstead.

Thunderstorm Wind in LINN, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:15:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:15:00 (CST)
Location: CEDAR RAPIDS
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Large 40 foot tree toppled.  The tree was estimated at 120 years old.

Thunderstorm Wind in JONES, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:55:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:55:00 (CST)
Location: OXFORD JCT
Magnitude: 57 M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Windows blown out of a house, and several tree limbs 6 to 8 inches in diameter knocked down.

Thunderstorm Wind in DES MOINES, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 02:35:00 to 09-MAR-02 02:35:00 (CST)
Location: BURLINGTON
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Several large tree limbs down along Sycamore Street.

Thunderstorm Wind in JEFFERSON, IOWA
From 09-MAR-02 01:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 01:30:00 (CST)
Location: FAIRFIELD
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Large tree uprooted in Chautauqua Park.