Morlan expects not to find damage, but warns of more severe weather coming
Greene County emergency management director Dennis Morlan activated storm spotters Wednesday afternoon for the first time in three years.
He explained that when there is potential for “nasty” weather, he watches radar from three different sources. He saw a wind rotation near Yale and Jamaica that looked to be headed toward Rippey, and sheriff’s deputies and an Iowa State patrolman went as spotters.
Morlan said he was particularly interested in winds on 305th St in Franklin Township. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for an area south of Jefferson that included neither Jefferson nor Grand Junction.
The tornado sirens were activated at about 3:15 in Jefferson, Churdan, Paton, Grand Junction and Rippey. Morlan explained that a trained spotter in Churdan reported winds of 80 mph. Protocol dictates that the sirens be activated for winds in excess of 70 mph.
The storm moved through quickly and by 3:45 pm the sky was sunny again.
As of 3:50 pm, people were out doing storm damage assessment. Morlan said he doesn’t expect to find much damage, but he added that the weather systems are prime for more high winds later this evening.
