Tornadoes this late in the year are uncommon, but not unheard of. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says a strong flow of moist air from the south hit a cold front over the weekend, prompting tornado watches in Iowa and leading to the tornadoes that hit other parts of the Midwest.

He says, at this point in the year states southeast of us are more likely to see them, but here in Iowa tornadoes were reported in November 2005, 1991, 1988, and 1975. And one of Iowa’s biggest tornado outbreaks occurred in January of 1967.

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