Quad Cities, IA/IL – One year ago today, the Quad Cities area and broader Iowa region were at the epicenter of a massive storm system that wrought havoc across the United States. The local area, within the National Weather Service’s Quad Cities jurisdiction, witnessed a staggering 29 tornadoes on March 31, 2023, affecting 18 counties.
This outbreak was a part of an extraordinary meteorological event that produced over 100 tornadoes nationwide. However, between 3:49 PM and 7:02 PM on that fateful day, the landscape of these Iowa communities was irrevocably altered. As multiple tornadoes, 15 rated EF-2 or higher, simultaneously scarred the earth, the area faced a severe test of its emergency response and community resilience.
