About this recording
Published 2026-05-26. Seventeen years ago today, Iowa’s last EF5 tornado tore through Parkersburg and New Hartford. On May twenty-fifth, two thousand eight, the tornado reached estimated winds up to two hundred five miles per hour, destroyed homes, injured hundreds, and killed nine people. Parkersburg rebuilt, but the warning remains: tornadoes do not need much time. This archived recording reflects reporting at publication; conditions may have changed.
An archive briefing, not a real-time warning. Follow current instructions from local authorities.
Understand the reports
Use these explainers to interpret the measurements and warnings discussed in disaster coverage. They provide background, not updates to this archived briefing.
