Today is the last day of Severe Weather Awareness Week, two days before the anniversary of the March 31st, 2023 tornado events that impacted Washington County. 

A widespread tornado outbreak occurred Friday, March 31, 2023, involving nearly 150 tornadoes across the country. This included 29 tornadoes in the National Weather Service Quad Cities County Warning Area, with eleven reported injuries and no fatalities. This was one of the nation’s largest tornado outbreaks in terms of total number of tornadoes and was the largest in the NWS Quad Cities forecast area on record since 1950. The strongest tornado developed southwest of Keota and moved northeast towards Wellman before finally dissipating in far southwestern Johnson County.  It was rated EF4 with maximum sustained winds estimated at around 170 mph. This was the strongest tornado in the NWS Quad Cities forecast area since 1995.

Washington County Emergency Management collaborated with local organizations to arrange to meet any needs of individuals and families affected by the disaster.