Storm Lake Rotary Car Plunge vehicle sinks after warm spell, timer damaged

A vehicle placed on the ice of Storm Lake for the Storm Lake Rotary Club's annual Car Plunge sank into the lake on Feb. 19, 2026, after an unusually warm stretch in mid‑February. The sinking left the car partly submerged and damaged the timing clock used to record plunge times for the fundraiser.

The Car Plunge, staged by Storm Lake Rotary Club as a fundraising event in Buena Vista County, relied on the timing clock to log participants' plunge durations. Organizers discovered the clock had been damaged when the vehicle went through the ice, complicating the event's timekeeping and logistical flow on Thursday afternoon.

The incident occurred on the ice surface of Storm Lake itself; the vehicle’s partial submersion is confirmed by officials involved with the event. The warm spell in mid‑February is the weather factor directly tied to the ice failure that led to the sinking and the subsequent damage to the fundraiser’s equipment.

The damaged timing clock means recorded times from the Feb. 19 Car Plunge may require review before organizers finalize results or awards tied to timed categories. Because the timing mechanism was compromised when the vehicle sank, the Storm Lake Rotary Club faces immediate decisions about equipment repair or replacement and how to account for any impacts on pledges tied to timed performances.

Residents who witnessed the sinking or attended the Car Plunge at Storm Lake on Feb. 19 are asked to share observations and photographs to help document the incident. Did the timing clock failure affect your plunge time or donation? Send photos and firsthand accounts to the news desk or post below to help the Rotary Club and the community assess next steps for the fundraiser and public safety on the lake.