Check out Debby’s flood and tornado damage in South Carolina and Georgia
Tropical Storm Debby slowed its advance to a minimum, bringing more than a month’s worth of rainfall to some areas of the southeast within 24 hours.
The claim: Video shows tornado and storm in Iowa on July 30
A Facebook video from July 31 (direct link, archive link) shows numerous images of storms and tornadoes.
“Tornado and storm in Iowa, USA,” says a text superimposed over the video. “July 30, 2024.”
The video was shared over 400 times within two weeks.
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Our rating: False
There was no tornado in Iowa on July 30, and according to a local meteorologist, the video does not appear to show any footage from Iowa. The video contains clips from other locations.
No tornado in Iowa on July 30
There were “damaging winds” in Iowa on July 30, but no tornadoes, Rod Donavon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told USA TODAY. He said none of the footage in the video appears to be from Iowa and he recognized some of the clips as old videos from other locations.
The video includes footage of weather events in Taiwan, Arkansas, Michigan and Nebraska. It also includes clips posted online before July 30 and a clip corresponding to an event that occurred before that date.
Donavon said one of the clips in the video shows hailstones that are much larger than the hail reported in Iowa on July 30.
Fact check: Old video footage, no tornado from August 8 in Tennessee
USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Our fact-checking sources:
- Rod Donavon, August 12, telephone interview with USA TODAY
- The Washington Post, August 10, 2015, Dashcam captures terrifying video of Typhoon Soudelor tornado in Taiwan
- Google Maps, accessed August 13, 2289 Spence Cir, Jonesboro, Arkansas
- Google Maps, accessed August 13, 284 M-32, Gaylord, Michigan
- Google Maps, accessed August 13, 8815 Cornhusker Hwy, Lincoln, Nebraska
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