The tornado outbreak of June 16–18, 2014, was a tornado outbreak concentrated in the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States. Two tornadoes also occurred in Ontario. The severe weather event most significantly affected the state of Nebraska, where twin EF4 tornadoes killed two and critically injured twenty others in and around the town of Pilger on the evening of June 16. The two Pilger tornadoes were part of a violent tornado family that produced four EF4 tornadoes and was broadcast live on television. The outbreak went on to produce multiple other strong tornadoes across the northern Great Plains states throughout the next two days.
Meteorological synopsis
On June 13, 2014, the SPC noted the possibility of severe weather associated with potential mesoscale convective systems in the northern United States for June 16–18. However, the predictability of this event was too low for the SPC to designate areas as under risk of severe weather. The following day, the SPC revised their forecasts, indicating a slight risk for severe activity for areas around the confluence of the Big Sioux and Missouri rivers two days before the eventual tornado outbreak. The development of a low-pressure area and increasing atmospheric instability were expected to be contributing factors. Forecasts remained relatively unchanged on June 15, though the probability for "significant severe weather" was predicted for a large area of northern Iowa and adjacent areas.
The morning of June 16 was marked only by isolated storms in the Nebraska area with only marginal severe weather. Beginning at around 0800 UTC, however, favorable conditions for severe weather, particularly for large hail, began to build across central Nebraska. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico began to make its way into southern Nebraska and over Kansas, raising dew points over the region. In addition, the prevalence of altocumulus castellanus clouds was an indicator for additional severe weather later in the day. The flow of moisture into the region was further enhanced by an eastward progressing warm front, and at 1200 UTC on June 16, the SPC once again issued a slight risk for severe weather for the eastern halves of South Dakota, Nebraska, and extending eastward into the western Great Lakes region. This was followed shortly after by the day's first severe thunderstorm watch, issued for primarily eastern Nebraska in response to a developing line of supercells. An hour later, the SPC upgraded some areas previously under a slight risk for severe weather to a moderate risk as a result of continuously increasing moisture content and CAPE in the atmosphere. At 1613 UTC, the SPC issued the first of three public severe weather outlooks for the day, covering a region centered on Sioux City, Iowa. A Particularly Dangerous Situation tornado watch was issued later that afternoon, and a powerful cyclic supercell developed in Nebraska. This supercell went on to produce a family of six tornadoes, including four EF4s that affected areas in and around Stanton, Pilger, and Wakefield, Nebraska. Two fatalities occurred in or near Pilger and much of the town was destroyed. Later that evening, two tornadoes (rated EF1 and EF2) struck the town of Platteville, Wisconsin simultaneously, resulting in major damage.
Before tornado activity continued on the 17th, a man died due to straight line winds in Iowa. An early morning EF3 causing major damage to homes and an elementary school in Verona, Wisconsin, and an EF2 from the same storm causing damage in residential areas of Madison. Later that day, an EF3 tornado caused significant damage in rural areas of Carter County, Montana near the Custer National Forest. A large EF2 tornado also caused damage to numerous homes in Angus and Barrie, Ontario. Later that evening, multiple large wedge tornadoes were reported near the towns of Coleridge and Laurel, Nebraska. One of these tornadoes caused EF3 damage to farms and trees outside of Coleridge.
On the night of June 18, an EF2 tornado hit the South Dakota town of Wessington Springs, trapping some of its residents in their homes. 43 homes and 12 businesses in town were damaged or destroyed. Another pair of twin tornadoes were also reported, near the South Dakota community of Crow Lake. A large multiple-vortex tornado completely destroyed a farm near the town of Alpena later that evening. That tornado was rated an EF4, the fifth of the outbreak sequence.
Confirmed tornadoes
June 16 + List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, June 16, 2014EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthDamageSummary EF0ENE of MadisonStantonNE2038 – 2040See article on this tornado family EF4SW of Stanton to N of StantonStantonNE2042 – 2111See article on this tornado family EF0NNE of AlvordLyonIA2043 – 2044A brief tornado caused no reported damage. EF4E of Stanton to Pilger to E of AltonaStanton, Cuming, WayneNE2100 – 21461 death – See article on this tornado family EF4SSE of Pilger to ENE of AltonaStanton, Cuming, WayneNE2113 – 21391 death – See article on this tornado family EF4E of Altona to NNE of WakefieldWayne, DixonNE2140 – 2208See article on this tornado family EF0SSW of HubbardDakotaNE2241 – 2242See article on this tornado family EF0N of Plover to WSW of West BendPocahontas, Palo AltoIA2244 – 2255Damage was limited to crops. EF0SW of HardyHumboldtIA2322 – 2330Little damage was observed. EF0N of SargentCusterNE2324A brief touchdown with no damage. EF1WSW of BurwellGarfieldNE2335 – 2340A small building was overturned, a grain bin was blown off its foundation and destroyed, and large tree limbs were downed. EF1NNE of Mason City Municipal Airport to NW of Mason CityCerro GordoIA2348 – 2353This tornado caused minor property damage, mainly near the end of its path. EF1SW of Meservey to N of AlexanderWright, FranklinIA2352 – 2356A tornado embedded within a larger swath of straight-line winds damaged trees and farmsteads. EF0N of Mason CityCerro GordoIA2356 – 2357An intermittent tornado damaged some trees and a house north of Mason City. A convergent pattern was noted in nearby farm fields. EF2NNW of Burwell to NE of Burwell GarfieldNE0001 – 0015A center irrigation pivot system was overturned, and numerous trees and power poles were snapped. EF2ENE of Burwell (1st tornado) GarfieldNE0020 – 0026Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted, a street sign was bent, and buildings were damaged. EF2ENE of Burwell (2nd tornado)GarfieldNE0028 – 0032Numerous trees were snapped, with a few denuded. EF0ENE of Burwell (3rd tornado)GarfieldNE0030A brief tornado downed several large tree limbs. EF1N of Allison to W of ClarksvilleButlerIA0039 – 0046Several farmsteads were damaged, with a barn completely destroyed at one of them. Trees in a shelter belt were also heavily damaged. EF1ENE of Allison to W of ClarksvilleButlerIA0045 – 0048This tornado formed just south of the previous tornado and damaged a farmstead, destroying outbuildings at that location. Trees in multiple shelter belts were heavily damaged. EF1E of Clarksville to N of Shell RockButlerIA0052 – 0055Multiple shelter belts were damaged, along with two homes, one of which lost part of its roof. EF0WNW of TripoliBremerIA0112 – 0116A brief tornado remained over open fields. EF0SW of DickinsonStarkND0223 – 0227This tornado remained over open country and caused no damage. EF1SSW of Lamont to Southern EdgewoodBuchanan, DelawareIA0230 – 0255Several grain bins were collapsed or destroyed and two old hog confinements were severely damaged. Numerous trees were snapped as well. EF0SSW of AtkinsBentonIA0305 – 0306A brief tornado left a swath of damage in a corn field. Corn stalks were snapped off at their base. EF2Southern PlattevilleGrantWI0345 – 0350This was the first of two tornadoes that struck Platteville simultaneously. This one damaged 20 homes and destroyed 12 others, including a split-level home that had its top floor ripped off. Multiple businesses were also damaged, including a gas station that was destroyed. Several buildings had major roof damage and windows blown out at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Campus, and multiple cars on the property were flipped and damaged. Metal light poles at the stadium were broken. Trees and power lines were downed, and a cemetery was damaged as well. Five people were injured, one seriously. EF1Northern PlattevilleGrantWI0349 – 0350This was the second of two tornadoes that struck Platteville simultaneously. The roof was ripped off of an apartment building and some trees were downed. EF1N of Leslie to SE of Rewey Lafayette, IowaWI0400 – 0402Many trees were downed or snapped. EF1NE of Leslie LafayetteWI0400 – 0411Numerous trees and power poles were downed, and a large calf barn was nearly completely destroyed, killing two calves. Several pole barns were completely destroyed, and homes sustained minor roof damage. A garage was blown off of its foundation. EF1WSW of Mineral PointIowaWI0410 – 0411Numerous large trees were downed and cars were flipped. A chimney was removed from a home, and a small shed sustained roof damage. EF1NW of Postville (1st tornado)GreenWI0436 – 0438Farm buildings sustained major damage, and numerous large trees were downed. EF1NW of Postville (2nd tornado)GreenWI0436 – 0438Two homes sustained major damage, and 24 homes sustained minor damage. Numerous large trees were downed as well.
June 17