Could Climate Change Be to Blame for Greenfield’s Devastating Tornado?

Greenfield tornado
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On May 21, 2024, a powerful tornado tore through the heart of Greenfield, Iowa, leaving a path of extensive destruction in its wake. The small town, located about 60 miles southwest of Des Moines, bore the brunt of the severe weather that wreaked havoc across the Midwest.

The tornado, part of a larger outbreak that saw 33 twisters reported across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, left Greenfield almost entirely flattened, with multiple fatalities and numerous injuries reported.

Drone footage and eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture of the aftermath. Buildings were reduced to rubble, trees stripped of bark or uprooted entirely, and power lines brought down, rendering streets impassable.

The powerful winds flipped cars and scattered debris across miles, creating a scene of chaos and destruction. Most of the town, home to just over 2,000 residents, was leveled, with only a few structures on the periphery sustaining less severe damage.

Greenfield tornado
Photo credits: X
Greenfield tornado
Photo credits: X

Storm trackers Brandon Copic and Corey Gerken, among the first to arrive on the scene, described the situation as dire.

It’s a very bad situation. Quite a few people stuck in their homes, injuries. I think it caught some people off guard,” said Gerken.

Despite ample warnings from the National Weather Service, the fast-moving tornado, traveling at speeds of 50-55 miles per hour, left little time for residents to react.

Casualties and Emergency Response

The exact number of fatalities remains unclear, but Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Alex Dinkla confirmed multiple deaths and at least a dozen injuries. Emergency responders quickly mobilized, with ambulances shuttling the injured to hospitals, and search and rescue operations underway to locate any remaining survivors. The local Adair County Health System hospital suffered damage, including shattered windows, and was subsequently evacuated.

Former state representative and retired state trooper Clel Baudler recounted the chaos and the swift response of emergency services.

Ambulances are running north and south like crazy. It’s all rescue and recovery right now,” he said. Baudler, whose farm near Greenfield was spared, noted the tornado’s erratic path through the town, causing widespread devastation.

As night fell, an indefinite curfew was imposed from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. to facilitate cleanup and ensure safety. Shelters were established for displaced residents, and the community rallied to support one another.

Donations of food and water were directed to the Department of Transportation Facility on Highway 92, where volunteers and emergency workers coordinated relief efforts.

Among those affected were Carl and Valerie Faust, who lost their home but survived by taking shelter in their basement.

It took about 40 seconds from start to finish for the tornado to tear through not just our home, but the whole town,” Carl Faust recounted. Despite the devastation, he remained hopeful, planning to start the cleanup and rebuilding process immediately.

The tornado that struck Greenfield was part of a broader pattern of severe weather across the Midwest, highlighting the volatility and intensity of recent storm activity. Meteorologists noted the unusually large debris balls detected on radar, indicating the sheer power of the tornadoes. In Greenfield, the debris signature was nearly three miles wide, engulfing the entire town.

As Greenfield begins the long process of recovery, the broader implications of such extreme weather events remain a topic of concern. The town, which was preparing to host a leg of the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, now faces a different kind of challenge- rebuilding homes, infrastructure, and lives in the wake of nature’s fury.

The destruction witnessed in Greenfield stands as a stark reminder of the unpredictable and devastating force of tornadoes, emphasizing the necessity for readiness and communal strength when confronting natural calamities,” expressed FOX News Meteorologist Adam Klotz.

“Moreover, it sparks inquiries into the influence of climate change on the frequency and intensity of such occurrences, advocating for proactive strategies to diminish future threats and protect at-risk communities.”