The storm hit Webster County hard and fast with Webster County sheriff’s deputies reporting rotation just north of Lehigh at about 5:57 p.m. and around the same time much of Manson lost power. Around 6 p.m. a deputy reported hail and much of downtown Fort Dodge lost power. Shortly after, a report came in of a building blocking Highway 175 near Gowrie between Kansas and Lainson Avenues.

By 6:15 p.m. several calls of downed power lines throughout the area had been reported and MidAmerican Energy was reporting 3,754 customers in the area without power. Power lines were down west of Pilot Mound due to possible twin tornadoes. At 6:40 p.m. a possible tornado was reported six miles south of Algona.

Power lines were blown down south of Fort Dodge along U.S. Highway 169. Another line was downed along 290th Street. Meanwhile, Webster City reported multiple power lines and tree limbs down throughout the city.

According to MidAmerican Energy Co. Spokesman Geoff Greenwood, about 1,900 electric customers in Fort Dodge remained without power as of 9 p.m. on Wednesday, with another 7,400 without power in the surrounding counties.

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A barn east of Humboldt was toppled by winds Wednesday night.

Greenwood said the power outages were a combination of downed power lines caused by high winds and fallen trees, as well as transmission structures that were down.

“We are looking at some pretty substantial damage in the area,” he said.

MidAmerican didn’t have a specific estimated time of restoration on Wednesday night, Greenwood said, adding that for some customers, it could take up to 36 to 72 hours.

“Part of the situation is that we are still assessing damage and it’s possible that we may not be able to see some damage until daylight,” he said.

However, the company is doing everything it can to get power restored as quickly as possible, Greenwood said.

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One of the doors was blown off of a machine shed near Gilmore City during the storms Wednesday night.

“We have crews working throughout the night and we have sent additional crews to the Fort Dodge area to assist,” he said.

Greenwood said additional outages could be reported throughout the night as wind gusts climb back up and cause more damage to power lines.

Power in much of downtown Fort Dodge, including The Messenger offices, was restored around 9:20 p.m.

Property damage throughout Fort Dodge appeared limited as of Wednesday night. Rural Webster County saw more damage.

A hog confinement near 350th Street and Kansas Avenue near Gowrie sustained significant damage during the storm, Dayton Police Officer Andy Pepples said, leaving plenty of steel and debris around the area.

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This shed in Barnum was blown about by the strong winds Wednesday night.

“We’re still dodging pieces as they fly around,” Pepples said a few hours after the storm.

The roofs of the three buildings at the hog confinement were ripped off, the officer said.

Lost Grove Ag Services in the 2000 block of 360th St. near Harcourt lost nearly every outbuilding it had and sustained damage to the south side of the house, Pepples said. A grain dryer at 360th Street and Kansas Avenue was destroyed and a semi truck and trailer were tipped on its side.

“Miraculously, it’s all been property damage,” Pepples said.

He said he hadn’t heard any reports of any injuries — even minor injuries — as a result of the storm.

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Metal siding wraps around a tree east of Knierim in Calhoun County Wednesday night. Jillian Nelson reported that her family lost three outbuildings, had their propane tank flipped, and had some damage to a bedroom.

“It’s lucky we didn’t have any loss of life,” Pepples said. “Everyone knew it was coming and we were prepared.”

However, Pepples noted the damage the high winds caused across the southwest corner of Webster County.

“There’s devastation everywhere,” he said.

A corncrib on 330th near Vasse was also reported as damaged. A Dayton police officer reported a “missing grain bin and missing building” around 220th and Kansas Avenue. A report was made of a shed in a ditch near Samson Avenue and 180th Street.

A bus barn was reportedly damaged in Barnum. Trees were uprooted near Gowrie and near Lehigh. Near Knierim, an old hog shed, barn and machine shed were completely flattened. A propane tank was also reportedly flipped.

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Strong winds uprooted this tree in Barnum Wednesday night.

Three miles east of Humboldt, a barn that was once used as a hog house was destroyed and two large pine trees uprooted. South of Eagle Grove, multiple trees were uprooted in town.

Jefferson residents also experienced a lengthy power outage. Power lines and trees were downed. Parts of U.S. Highway 169 south of Otho were shut down due to downed power lines.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines said they were receiving a high volume of reports of damage and were still seeing high speed gusts throughout Iowa as of 10 p.m.

A National Weather Service representative said they have reports of many unconfirmed tornadoes but won’t be able to confirm which were tornadoes and which were straight winds until surveys have been concluded in the daylight today.

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A trailer was tipped on its side in a field near Lehigh.