Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 13, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 7, 1988, 9:30 PM CDT for Emmet County, Iowa. It was in force for 20 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 7, 1988, 9:30 PM CDT (02:30 UTC)
- Expired
- May 7, 1988, 9:50 PM CDT
- In force
- 20 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Emmet 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
Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 2.5 hours before the alert went out and 185 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 910 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -39 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1889 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 80 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 236 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 232 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.2
- Supercell composite
- 12.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KDSM 080230
SVRDSM
IAC063-080300-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
930 PM CDT SAT MAY 7 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY
IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF IOWA
NORTHEAST EMMET
AT 925 PM...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS OCCURRING OVER NORTHEAST
EMMET COUNTY...ABOUT 15 MILES EAST OF ESTHERVILLE.
HAIL UP TO PING-PONG BALL SIZE WAS REPORTED IN THE MAPLE HILL
AND ARMSTRONG AREAS.
THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR...AND
WILL BE AFFECTING THE CITIES OF MAPLE HILL...ARMSTRONG...AND
DOLLIVER.
REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES
AN HOUR...LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAINS.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOU HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUIMCKLY SO DO NOT
DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
TRUETTWhat 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, May 7, 3:46 PM CDT, 5 hours 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 340 PM CDT SAT MAY 7 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 7 PM... AT 330 PM CDT... AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER CENTRAL IOWA...10 MILES NORTH/ EAST OF NEWTON. HAIL...HIGH WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY ARE POSSIBILE FROM THIS STORM AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM SOUTH CENTRAL INTO CENTRAL IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM JUST NORTHEAST OF LAMONI NEAR HUMESTON TO SOUTHEAST OF NEWTON. ALL OF THE STORMS IN THIS AREA ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND SOME SMALL HAIL AS THEY MOVE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 50 MILES AN HOUR. FERRY
Special weather statement, May 7, 4:14 PM CDT, 5 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 410 PM CDT SAT MAY 7 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 7 PM... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM SOUTH CENTRAL INTO NORTHEAST IOWA. AT 400 PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES NEAR MELCHER TO WATERLOO. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER WATERLOO AND 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARSHALLTOWN NEAR TOLEDO. THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING SOME PEA SIZE HAIL. STRONG WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM THE STORMS. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. FERRY
Special weather statement, May 7, 5:13 PM CDT, 4 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 515 PM CDT SAT MAY 7 1988 THE TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THUNDERSTORMS HAVED MOVED NORTH OUT OF IOWA INTO MINNESOTA. A NEW TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND WESTERN MINNESOTA TIL 11PM CDT. THE TORNADO WATCH THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWEST MISSOURI HAS ALSO BEEN CANCELLED. ADAMS
Special weather statement, May 7, 5:15 PM CDT, 4 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 515 PM CDT SAT MAY 7 1988 STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. AT 500 PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED OVER EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL IOWA FROM JUST WEST OF MASON CITY NEAR BRITT TO THE IOWA/MINNESOTA BORDER NORTH OF BUFFALO CENTER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED SOME MARBLE SIZE HAIL AROUND 450 PM AT BRITT. BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. THE PRECIPITATION OVER EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA HAS DECREASED CONSIDERABLY IN INTENSITY. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDER/ SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING FROM JUST SOUTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS NORTHEAST TO NEAR DECORAH. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS WERE ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. FERRY
Special weather statement, May 7, 9:07 PM CDT, 23 minutes before
RADAR SUMMARY...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 905 PM CDT SAT MAY 7 1988 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR A LARGE PART OF NORTH CENTRAL AND WESTERN IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT THIS SATURDAY EVENING. INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST IOWA. AT 9 PM THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM DENNISON TO 20 MILES WEST OF FORT DODGE. THE HEAVIEST OF THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED JUST WEST OF DENNISON...5 MILES SOUTH OF IDA GROVE...NEAR SAC CITY AND 20 MILES WEST OF FORT DODGE NEAR GILMORE CITY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. THEY ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG WINDS. BRUCE/FERRY4
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 7:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Crawford, Sac | 30 min |
| May 7, 8:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Calhoun, Sac | 25 min |
| May 7, 8:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Crawford | 40 min |
| May 7, 8:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Calhoun, Pocahontas | 40 min |
| May 7, 9:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Humboldt | 35 min |
| May 7, 9:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Crawford, Sac | 44 min |
| May 8, 12:02 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Crawford | 43 min |
| May 8, 4:38 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Humboldt | 37 min |
| May 8, 9:42 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Ringgold, Taylor | 33 min |
| May 8, 10:26 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Ringgold, Taylor | 34 min |
| May 8, 11:08 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Madison | 52 min |
| May 8, 11:20 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clarke, Warren | 70 min |
| May 8, 11:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Polk | 49 min |
| May 8, 11:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Franklin | 61 min |
| May 8, 12:01 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Jasper | 29 min |
| May 8, 12:15 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Jasper | 45 min |
| May 8, 12:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 65 min |
| May 8, 12:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marshall | 41 min |
| May 8, 12:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clarke | 32 min |
| May 8, 12:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Tama | 50 min |
| May 8, 12:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Lucas, Marion, Warren | 47 min |
| May 8, 1:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Black Hawk | 36 min |
| May 8, 1:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marion | 35 min |
| May 8, 1:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Poweshiek | 27 min |
| May 8, 1:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Bremer | 50 min |
| May 8, 2:01 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Iowa, Poweshiek | 29 min |
| May 8, 2:11 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Keokuk, Mahaska | 49 min |
| May 8, 2:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Buchanan, Fayette | 42 min |
| May 8, 2:35 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Iowa | 30 min |
| May 8, 2:35 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Johnson | 40 min |
| May 8, 3:00 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Washington | 30 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1988Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1988
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.