Purported Iowa tornado video shows footage from other places | Fact check

The claim: Video shows tornado and storm in Iowa on July 30

A July 31 Facebook video (direct link, archive link) shows an array of storm and tornado footage.

“Tornado and Storm in Iowa USA,” reads text superimposed over the video. “July 30, 2024.”

The video was shared more than 400 times in two weeks.

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Our rating: False

There was no tornado in Iowa on July 30, and the video doesn’t appear to show any footage from Iowa, according to an area meteorologist. The video includes clips from other places.

No tornado in Iowa on July 30

There were “damaging winds,” but no tornadoes in Iowa on July 30, Rod Donavon, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, told USA TODAY. He said none of the footage in the video appeared to be from Iowa and he recognized some of the clips as old videos from other places.

The video includes footage of weather events in Taiwan, Arkansas, Michigan and Nebraska. It also includes clips that were posted online prior to July 30 and one clip that matches 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 that was reported in Iowa on July 30.

Fact check: Video old footage, not Aug. 8 Tennessee tornado

USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

• Rod Donavon, Aug. 12, Phone interview with USA TODAY
• The Washington Post, Aug. 10, 2015, Dashcam records terrifying video of Typhoon Soudelor tornado in Taiwan
• Google Maps, accessed Aug. 13, 2289 Spence Cir, Jonesboro, Arkansas
• Google Maps, accessed Aug. 13, 284 M-32, Gaylord, Michigan
• Google Maps, accessed Aug. 13, 8815 Cornhusker Hwy, Lincoln, Nebraska

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