On June 7–8, 1984, a significant severe weather event, known as the Barneveld tornado outbreak, took place across the Central United States from North Dakota to Kansas, producing several significant tornadoes, including an F5 tornado which traveled through Barneveld, Wisconsin in the early hours of June 8. Additionally, a long-tracked F4 tornado—most likely a family—crossed the Missouri–Iowa state line on June 7, killing three. Intense tornadoes also occurred elsewhere in Iowa, as well as in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The entire outbreak killed at least 13 across three different states—Nine of which were killed in Barneveld alone, and injured a total of 322 people.

Meteorological synopsis

A low-pressure system entered the Midwestern United States on June 7, 1984, and intensified while bringing a surge of moist and humid air coming from the Gulf of Mexico. After most of the affected areas were hit by a mesoscale convective complex earlier during the morning of June 7, the unstable atmosphere, as well as wind shear and high convective available potential energy (CAPE), produced a favorable environment for the development of extensive severe weather with possible tornadoes. Starting at around mid-afternoon, it started to produce several tornadoes across southern Minnesota and northwestern and southern Iowa including three F3s and a long-track F4 which traveled over from extreme northern Missouri to southwest of Iowa City. That tornado killed 3 people including one in Missouri's Harrison County. Another person was killed in Ringgold County in Iowa by an F2 tornado at around 9:00pm CDT. Activity continued through the overnight hours as a new cluster of storms developed across Wisconsin near the Iowa–Illinois borders and produced strong tornadoes including the Barneveld tornado up until the early morning hours of June 8, 1984, before dissipating. Straight-line winds in excess of and very large hail were also reported in eastern Iowa from the storm that went on to drop the tornado in Barneveld, Wisconsin.

Confirmed tornadoes

June 7 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, June 7, 1984F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart TimePath lengthWidthDamage F2MoreauvilleAvoyellesLA06:55–?A brief tornado felled power lines and trees, while wrecking outbuildings and a pair of homes. Three minor injuries occurred. F1SW of Moville to SSW of KingsleyWoodbury, PlymouthIA20:45–21:03A tornado severely damaged a trio of barns, along with several outbuildings, but did little damage to farmhouses. F2WNW of Quimby to NW of CherokeeCherokeeIA21:14–21:33Striking 15 farms, this tornado damaged outbuildings and downed trees. Tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger. F0S of CarsonGrantND21:30–?This tornado formed briefly over open land, doing no damage. F2S of Fairview (KS) to S of Rulo (NE)BrownKS21:33–22:05A strong tornado destroyed or damaged 140 outbuildings, four trailers, and 38 houses, doing its worst damage near Hiawatha. It also tipped four semi-trailer trucks onto their sides, unroofed silos, tore apart farm machinery, rolled hay bales, and injured five people, hospitalizing three. F2SSW of Holstein to N of GalvaIdaIA21:42–22:10This tornado tore roofing off a few homes and damaged a grain elevator, causing an injury. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger. F2WNW of Grant to E of AnitaCassIA21:43–?A strong tornado struck 29 farms, causing severe damage to homes, outbuildings, and farm equipment; it also wrecked a fertilizer plant. Eight people were injured. F1S of Primghar to SW of HartleyO'BrienIA22:04–22:15This tornado leveled a century-old barn and downed many trees, while also lifting feed bins, corncribs, hog houses, and milk sheds. F2SW of ArthurIdaIA22:10–22:33A tornado tossed a pair of grain bins across a road, one of which smashed the roofs of a few cars, and damaged the roof and interior of a café, injuring one person. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger. F2Northern Storm Lake to SE of TruesdaleBuena VistaIA22:12–22:20A tornado destroyed outbuildings on several farms and badly damaged homes, injuring three people. F2Laurens to RodmanPocahontas, Palo AltoIA22:17–22:57A multiple-vortex tornado tore the roof off a warehouse, overturned a trailer, severely damaged farmhouses, killed livestock, and destroyed outbuildings. Debris, including glass, pierced carpet and furniture. A few people were injured. F3Clarinda to S of CorningPage, Taylor, AdamsIA22:20–?An intense tornado damaged 25 homes in northern Clarinda, one of which—a well-built house—it destroyed, along with a trailer. Elsewhere it destroyed 24 outbuildings and sheds as well, while killing livestock. Three people were injured. F1N of EverlyClayIA22:23–22:27This tornado superficially damaged homes, affecting exteriors, windows, and roofs; it also hit outbuildings. F2SpencerClayIA22:30–22:32A strong tornado downed power lines and trees, while tearing off the roofs of a few homes. It damaged five homes in all. F0W of BurlingtonWardND22:37–?A brief tornado did no known damage. F2Havelock to N of PloverPocahontasIA23:00–23:15This tornado hit three farms, severely impacting outbuildings—sheds, barns, shelters, and bins. Additionally, it tore roofing off a home, while damaging its floors and foundation. It killed 24 pigs as well. F2WNW of Hardy to N of DenhartHumboldt, Kossuth, HancockIA23:15–23:54Along with downbursts, this tornado swept through 40 or more farms, It destroyed a few barns, while damaging outbuildings, equipment, vehicles, bins, and sheds. Grazulis noted a path from Bode to south of Woden. F3Burt to S of LakotaKossuthIA23:15–23:30This tornado inflicted major roof and structural damage on a Presbyterian church. It also caused a school to sustain roof damage and collapsed a wall on its second floor. Besides, it did substantial damage to 25 homes, one of which it shifted off its foundation; destroyed several trailers; and hit a grove of 60 black walnut trees, downing half of them. Five injuries occurred. F2SW of Titonka to N of Thompson (1st tornado)Kossuth, WinnebagoIA23:29–00:07Passing near German Valley, a tornado damaged the roof of a school, unroofed a nearby home, leveled another, and drove a board into a wall. Papers from one of the houses landed away, in Minnesota. An injury occurred as well. F2SW of Crystal Lake to N of Thompson (2nd tornado)Hancock, WinnebagoIA23:45–00:18A low-end F2 tornado damaged a school and grain elevator, along with barns, sheds, garages, trees, vehicles, a house, and several trailers. It wrecked a large grain bin as well, and may have hit Forest City, doing more damage there. F4SW of Eagleville (MO) to Wright (IA) to Delta (IA) to NW of Amish (IA)Harrison (MO), Decatur (IA), Wayne (IA), Lucas (IA), Monroe (IA), Mahaska (IA), Keokuk (IA), Iowa (IA)MO, IA23:45–02:583 deaths – See section on this tornado – 64 people were injured.Multiple sources: F0N of HambergWellsND23:59–?A tornado hit open country. F1E of Pawnee CityPawneeNE00:00–?A tornado wrecked three outbuildings. F1SW of Albert Lea to S of ManchesterFreebornMN00:15–?A tornado crossed Pickerel Lake, damaging homes, trees, and farm buildings. It struck 13 sites before dissipating. F3SE of Albert Lea to S of Clarks GroveFreebornMN00:19–?An intense tornado destroyed an ambulance station, four businesses, and 13 homes, ripping some houses from their foundations. It also damaged 16 farms, eight businesses, and 52 more homes. A dozen injuries occurred. F1E of WaldorfWasecaMN00:20–?A tornado hit a few farms, twisting and downing several large trees. F1NNE of Myrtle to W of EllendaleFreeborn, SteeleMN00:25–?An intermittent tornado first tracked , hitting four properties. It then briefly lifted, resumed near Hollandale, and ended near Geneva, traveling ; as it did so it wrecked grain bins and a hangar. It then redeveloped near Ellendale, damaging a farmhouse and destroying outbuildings. F2SSE of AustinMowerMN00:36–?A strong tornado severely damaged a bowling alley, partly unroofing the structure and causing a wall to collapse. Of the 45 occupants, six were injured. The tornado then crossed a street, wrecking a television repair shop and a home on the other side. It also lofted a truck, injuring its driver, and three automobiles. F1E of LucasLucasIA00:54–?A brief tornado caused slight damage. F1ENE of DouglasOlmstedMN01:15–?A tornado tore apart a barn, dispersing debris , and uplifted another, which it also destroyed. It uprooted trees as well. F0NW of WastedoGoodhueMN00:35–?A tornado felled trees, smashed automobile windows, and unroofed a barn. It also tore a steel post from a road sign, impaling a camper. F2S of Mount Ayr to NE of KellertonRinggoldIA01:45–02:111 death – A tornado destroyed half a dozen homes and severely damaged 12 others. It also badly damaged a park and mangled a trailer, killing a person inside. Three injuries occurred. F1S of HumestonWayneIA02:33–?A tornado did minor damage to a café. F2WNW of Kinross to WindhamKeokuk, Washington, JohnsonIA02:33–03:13The fourth and final member of the Wright–Delta family only hit rural areas, but caused considerable damage to vehicles, farms, and trees, with losses totaling $2 million. Near Kinross it mostly unroofed a church and shattered its windows. Elsewhere it unroofed a home and drove boards into its walls. At Windham it damaged 13 buildings. An injury occurred. F2Northern Stanley to S of LublinChippewa, ClarkWI03:00–?A tornado flattened four barns, split a silo, and destroyed a pair of machine sheds, while doing some home damage. It also felled or snapped large trees, including 13 in a lot. F2N of HowardMinerSD03:00–?A tornado unroofed an antique shop, shattered windows, and tore up signage, along with trees. It also damaged a truck and an automobile dealership. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger. F2SSW of AltamontDaviessMO03:30–?A tornado splintered a row of power poles, badly damaged agriculture, and slightly damaged structures. Grazulis did not rate it F2 or stronger. F2JamesportDaviessMO04:00–?A tornado destroyed or damaged trailers, farm buildings, and homes, while lacerating a woman's leg. F1HillPriceWI04:30–?A tornado dislodged a barn, blew off a silo cover, and wrecked a toolshed. It also felled a large tree, damaging a trailer beneath.

June 8 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, June 8, 1984F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart TimePath lengthWidthDamage F2S of Belmont to E of Mineral PointLafayette, IowaWI05:30–?A tornado unroofed a house and tore off its chimney, while felling 20 trees. It also wrecked sheds, a barn, and a garage. F5SSW of Ridgeway to Barneveld to Black Earth to SE of LodiIowa, DaneWI05:41–06:409 deaths – See section on this tornado – 200 people were injured. F2DeForest to SSW of South RandolphDane, ColumbiaWI06:10–?A tornado felled trees, tore roofs off a few homes, and destroyed 22 of 24 grain bins. F2NW of Arlington to RioColumbiaWI06:25–?A tornado wrecked sheds, farm buildings, three silos, a garage, and a barn. F3N of Rio to MarkesanColumbia, Green LakeWI06:41–?An intense tornado destroyed an entire farm—house, trailer, and outbuildings—near Cambria, injuring a person, and flattened half a dozen barns elsewhere. It also downed trees and pinned 10 cows beneath debris. F1N of East Bristol to E of DoylestownColumbiaWI06:49–?A tornado unroofed a barn, destroyed an outbuilding, and felled many trees. F2SW of Leipsig to SE of Beaver Dam to BurnettDodgeWI07:17–?≥A strong tornado destroyed a few garages, three barns, and a business, damaging 30 buildings in all. It also substantially damaged five homes and injured a person.

Eagleville, Missouri/Wright–Delta, Iowa