Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 99, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 14, 1987Adams County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 14, 1987, 10:15 PM CDT for Adams County, Iowa. It was in force for 35 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 14, 1987, 10:15 PM CDT (03:15 UTC)
Expired
Jul 14, 1987, 10:50 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Adams County, IA

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 144 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 1987-07-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 1987-07-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 103 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
3552 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
103 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
205 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 150315
SVRDSM
IAC003-150400-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1015 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY OF

SOUTHWEST IOWA...
 ADAMS

AT 1010 PM CDT THE ADAMS COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED THAT A PATROL CAR
WAS BLOWN OFF THE ROAD JUST NORTH AND EAST OF CORNING.  HE ESTIMA-
TED WINDS OF 80 MILES AN HOUR.  THIS IS ABOUT 60 MILES EAST SOUTH-
EAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS.

TOWNS AFFECTED ARE CORNING...NODAWAY AND BROOKS.

THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 25 MILES AN HOUR.

REMEMBER..A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 60 MPH..LARGE HAIL..DEADLY LIGHTNING..AND HEAVY RAINS THAT CAN
QUICKLY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.  PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM
SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IMMEDIATELY.

THESE STORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE
OR NO ADVANCE WARNING..SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE
TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF ONE IS SPOTTED.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES..YOU SHOULD GO TO A SAFE PLACE
IMMEDIATELY.  IF SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE OBSERVED..PLEASE ASK
THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

ADAMS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 14, 7:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
730 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL
AND NORTHEAST IOWA.

AT 725 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED A NARROW LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM PARKERSBURG...20 MILES WEST OF WATERLOO TO WAVERLY
...IOWA 15 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AS THE MOVE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

RESIDENTS IN BREMER...BLACK HAWK AND GRUNDY COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR THESE THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL 830PM CDT.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
IOWA AND WERE ALSO MOVING *SOUTHEAST AT 20MPH.
AN HOUR.
ROBB
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 7:33 PM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...LAST LINE CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
730 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM FOR PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL
AND NORTHEAST IOWA.

AT 725 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED A NARROW LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM PARKERSBURG...20 MILES WEST OF WATERLOO TO WAVERLY
...IOWA 15 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AS THE MOVE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

RESIDENTS IN BREMER...BLACK HAWK AND GRUNDY COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR THESE THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL 830PM CDT.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
,IOWA AND WERE ALSO MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20MPH.
ROBB
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 8:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
845 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL IOWA
UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT...

AROUND 800 PM...SMALL HAIL WAS REPORTED AROUND THE FORT DODGE AREA.

AT 832 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF OMAHA/
COUNCIL BLUFFS...AND JUST NORTH AND EAST OF FORT DODGE.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS TO 40
MILES AN HOUR...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT
STRETCHED FROM NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHWEST IOWA.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES >AN
HOUR.

BRUCE/SCOTT
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 9:15 PM CDT, 1 hour before
<PQ<
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
914 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 1987

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA...

WINNEBAGO     WORTH   MITCHELL    HANCOCK    CERRO GORDO   FLOYD
HUMBOLDT      WRIGHT  WEBSTER     CRAWFORD   CARROLL       GREENE
SHELBY

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST
CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM TONIGHT.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTHEAST...
CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA.  THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE LOCATED
NEAR OAKLAND OR 25 MILES EAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND BETWEEN STORY CITY
AND NTEWTON OR 30 MILES NORTH AND EAST OF DES MOINES.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

MCQUIRTER
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 9:49 PM CDT, 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
945 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT...

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN IOWA BETWEEN 900 AND 935 PM.

AT 935 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE 30 MILES EAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL
BLUFFS...AND WERE ALSO IN A LINE STRETCHING FROM 40 MILES NORTH OF
DES MOINES...TO 40 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS TO 40
MILES AN HOUR...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT
STRETCHED FROM NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHWEkST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN
HOUR.

BRUCE/SCOTT
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 10:08 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
<PQ<
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1007 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 1987

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 389 HAS EXPIRED FOR THE REST
OF NORTHEAST...CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA. THIS WATCH WILL NOT
BE EXTENDED.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
LINGER OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST IOWA INTO WEDNESDAY MyORNING.

BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND SMALL HAIL MAYBE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE
MORE HEAVIER STORMS.

MCQUIRTER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 14, 7:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford35 min
Jul 14, 9:00 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBuchanan30 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.