Tornadoes, grapefruit-size hail hit Iowa and Wisconsin as storms sweep the Midwest
Six tornadoes were reported and hail up to 4 inches across damaged cars and homes. Damage surveys are underway as heavy rain raises flooding concerns in parts of the region.
Storm chaser Brandon Clement recorded stunning video of a rope tornado encased in dust as it spun across the landscape of rural Iowa on April 14.
Severe thunderstorms tore across parts of the Midwest on Tuesday afternoon and evening, producing multiple tornadoes and unleashing destructive hail and damaging wind.
In Independence, Iowa, the roof of a warehouse was blown off, damage that Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby said may have been caused by a tornado or intense straight-line winds. Similar storm damage was also reported in Union Center, Wisconsin. Local and National Weather Service teams are expected to conduct surveys this week to confirm where tornadoes touched down and assign ratings.
One of the most notable tornadoes of the day formed in east-central Iowa, where drone video captured the vortex spinning over mostly open fields as storms marched east.
A drone captures images of a large tornado moving through Wyoming, Iowa, on April 14, 2026. (Brandon Clement/CorClips)
In all, six tornadoes were reported across eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin. But the broader, more widespread threat came from powerful wind gusts and large hail.
Hail ranging from baseballs to grapefruits hammered the region, large enough to shatter car windows and damage roofs and siding. A hailstone measuring 4 inches across was reported in Dane, Wisconsin, about 13 miles northwest of Madison.
Drone video shows tornado damage near Union Center, Wisconsin, after a storm touched down April 14. No injuries were reported as cleanup begins in the area.
The stormy pattern followed Monday’s severe weather, which damaged buildings and injured multiple people near Ottawa, Kansas. Meanwhile, repeated downpours across the Midwest are also raising the risk of flooding, with evacuations issued near fast-rising rivers in parts of Wisconsin and Michigan.
Additional rounds of severe thunderstorms are predicted across the central United States through the end of the week, with AccuWeather meteorologists warning of a high risk of damaging thunderstorms on Friday.
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