An intense upper level low pressure system tracked from eastern Colorado into southeast South Dakota from March 23rd to March 24th.  This caused a surface low pressure system to move from western Nebraska into southeast South Dakota during that time.  As the low tracked northeast, a dry-line moved into eastern Nebraska during the afternoon of March 23rd.  With surface temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and dewpoint temperatures in the 50s, ample instability was in place to allow a line of severe thunderstorms to develop as the dry-line punched eastward.  Several fast moving and low-topped supercell thunderstorms were embedded in the line, and one cell produced cyclic tornadoes from southeast of Lincoln into western Iowa.  The storms in the line were moving north northeast at between 50 and 60 mph.  In addition to the severe weather, strong southerly gradient winds prevailed ahead of the low pressure.  In some cases the winds gusted between 50 and 60 mph for several hours across parts of eastern Nebraska.

Thunderstorm Wind in PAGE, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 18:55:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: BETHESDA
Magnitude: 55.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at over 60 mph knocked a few large trees down across a road around 8 miles south of Stanton.

Hail in MONTGOMERY, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 18:45:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: STANTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Tornado in MONTGOMERY, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 18:56:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: TENVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The tornado touched down near Tenville destroying trees at a cemetery, causing house and farm outbuilding damage in the area and other tree and roof damage along its path.  This tornado was from the same supercell that produced a tornado just to the south of here.

Thunderstorm Wind in HARRISON, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 17:15:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: MISSOURI VLY
Magnitude: 60.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 mph downed large trees and power lines around 9 miles southeast of Mondamin.  The winds were most likely rear flank downdraft winds that were wrapping around a tornado that was tracking near this location.

Tornado in HARRISON, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 17:03:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:13:00 (CST-6)
Location: MISSOURI VLY
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado touched down near highway 30 about 1.5 miles west of the interchange between Interstate 29 and Highway 30, or about 3 miles west of Missouri Valley Iowa.  The tornado was at its strongest and widest within a mile of its touchdown point, becoming weaker with more intermittent damage farther north.  Near the touchdown point, a barn sustained roof damage and a windmill was knocked down.  One-half mile north of Highway 30, 54 empty grain rail cars were derailed.  One mile north of Highway 30, along 305th St., two residences were impacted by the tornado.  A 100-year-old single family residence directly in its path was completely destroyed, with all walls collapsed and debris relocated about 50 feet north of the foundation.  The debris collected over the site of a cinder block garage, which also partially collapsed.  About 100 yards north of the garage site, a machine shed was collapsed onto a combine inside, which had been moved by the wind.  Trees near the house sustained some broken limbs and treetops, and a power pole was snapped.  The damage at this site was given an EF2 rating.  Another residence one-quarter mile to its west sustained minor siding and shingle damage and windows were broken.  Seven of the eight outbuildings at that residence were collapsed, with debris strewn into nearby fields.  Damage at the two houses indicated a path width of one quarter mile at that point, the widest along the path of the tornado.  The tornado continued northward, overturning two semis on Interstate 29.  From there to a point about 3 miles southwest of Magnolia, near the intersection of the Loess Hills Trail and Melody Oaks Trail, intermittent light damage to trees and roofs of a couple of outbuildings was noted.  From this point, the survey team determined the damage path narrowed to 100 yards or less based on scattered tree and outbuilding damage, with EF0 intensity north of Interstate 29.

Thunderstorm Wind in MONTGOMERY, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 19:00:00 to 23-MAR-09 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: STANTON
Magnitude: 60.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at around 70 mph caused damage to outbuildings, grain bins and trees around the Viking Lake area.  This damage could have either been associated with the tornado that a NWS storm survey determined to have touched down northeast of the lake, or from rear-flank downdraft winds from the storm.

Hail in HARRISON, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 17:34:00 to 23-MAR-09 17:34:00 (CST-6)
Location: MONDAMIN
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in PAGE, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 18:30:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: BETHESDA
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in MONTGOMERY, IOWA
From 23-MAR-09 18:52:00 to 23-MAR-09 18:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: VILLISCA
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado touched down just southwest of the intersection of 270th and Q Ave. west-southwest of Villisca.  Near that point the roof was torn off of an outbuilding and an empty grain bin was blown across the road.  A barn had some roof structure damage 2 to 3 miles north of there, near where the tornado apparently lifted.