Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 113, NWS Des Moines, IA

August 4, 1989Bremer County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 4, 1989, 10:06 PM CDT for Bremer County, Iowa. It was in force for 54 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 4, 1989, 10:06 PM CDT (03:06 UTC)
Expired
Aug 4, 1989, 11:00 PM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Bremer County, IA

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 4, 10:45 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 50Bremer, IA

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 3.1 hours before the alert went out and 253 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1989-08-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1989-08-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 1 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
4 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-212 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3541 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
34 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 KALO 050306 RRA
SVRALO
IAC017-050400-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
1006 PM CDT FRI AUG 4 1989

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

   IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF IOWA
      BREMER

AT 1005 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM 20 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO NEAR

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, Aug 4, 7:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
740 PM CDT FRI AUG 4 1989

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 1100 PM TONIGHT...

AT 726 PM...AN ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTHEAST
IOWA...IN THE DUBUQUE AREA.  THE STORM WAS BEGINNING TO WEAKEN...
HOWEVER...SOME HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND EXTREME RAINS ARE STILL
POSSIBLE.

ALSO...SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOW ALONG THE
IOWA/MINNESOTA BORDER...FROM NORTH OF MASON CITY TO THE NORTHEAST
CORNER OF THE STATE.

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

KS
Local storm report, Aug 4, 8:11 PM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LACROSSE  WI
8 05 PM CDT FRI AUG 5 1989

AT 557 PM...1 INCH HAIL...TREES REPORTED DOWN AT FOUNTAIN CITY
            IN BUFFALO COUNTY WI
AT 615 PM...DIME SIZE HAIL AT TREMPEALEAU IN TREMPEALEAU CO WI

AT 630 AM...DIME SIZE HAIL AT POST OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN LACROSSE
            IN LACROSSE CO WI
AT 635 PM...2 1/4 INCH HAIL IN SOUTH LACROSSE THAT BROKE WINDOWS
            IN LACROSSE CO WI
AT 700 PM...60 MILE AN HZOUR WINDS 5E VIROQUA IN VERNON CO WI

AT 720 PM...POWER FAILURE AT NWS OFFICE LACROSSE WI

AT 705 PM...11/2 INCH HAIL AT WESTBY WI IN VERNON CO

RELAYED BY NWS DSM

BRUCE/SCOTT
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 8:28 PM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
820 PM CDT FRI AUG 4 1989

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 1100 PM TONIGHT...

AT 805 PM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE FAR NORTHEAST COUNTIES OF IOWA FROM
MINNESOTA.  THE INTENSE STORMS WERE IN HOWARD AND NORTHERN WINNESHIEK
COUNTIES...45 TO 80 MILES EAST OF MASON CITY.  LARGE HAIL...STRONG
WINDS AND EXTREME RAINS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

THE STRONG STORMS THAT WERE IN THE DUBUQUE AREA HAD MOVED INTO
ILLINOIS.

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

KSy
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 8:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
840 PM CDT FRI AUG 4 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 2 AM SATURDAY
MORNING...

AT 828 PM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED OVER THE FAR NORTHEAST COUNTIES OF IOWA.  THE INTENSE
STORMS WERE IN SOUTHERN HOWARD...NORTHERN CHICKASAW AND WESTERN
WINNESHIEK COUNTIES...40 TO 55 MILES NORTH THROUGH NORTHEAST OF
WATERLOO.  LARGE HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND EXTREME RAINS ARE POSSIBLE
WITH THESE STORMS.

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

KS
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 9:06 PM CDT, 1 hour before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
905 PM CDT FRI AUG 4 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 2 AM SATURDAY
MORNING...

AT 858 PM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED OVER THE FAR NORTHEAST COUNTIES OF IOWA.  THE INTENSE
STORMS WERE 45 MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...APPROACHING THE TOWN
OF CALMAR.  LARGE HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND EXTREME RAINS ARE POSSIBLE
WITH THESE STORMS.  THESE STORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
TORNADOES.

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

KS
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 9:40 PM CDT, 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
935 PM CDT FRI AUG 4 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 2 AM SATURDAY
MORNING...

AT 925 PM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED OVER THE FAR NORTHEAST COUNTIES OF IOWA.  THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE NORTH OF A LINE FROM MASON CITY TO 25 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO TO
35 MILES NORTH OF DUBUQUE.   THE MOST INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED NORTH-
WEST OF WEST UNION OR 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO.  LARGE HAIL...
HIGH WINDS AND EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE FROM THIS STORM.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN
HOUR.
INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO LOCATED OVER SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.  THESE
STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AND WILL BE MOVING INTO IOWA
SOUTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS BY 10 PM.  THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS AS THEY MOVED ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.

DLF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 4, 8:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWinneshiek48 min
Aug 4, 8:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXChickasaw51 min
Aug 4, 8:50 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXChickasaw25 min
Aug 4, 9:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFayette50 min
Aug 4, 11:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBuchanan34 min
Aug 5, 7:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHumboldt41 min
Aug 5, 8:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford45 min
Aug 5, 8:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCarroll51 min
Aug 5, 8:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGreene, Guthrie39 min
Aug 5, 8:41 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBoone, Dallas44 min
Aug 5, 8:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPolk, Story50 min
Aug 5, 8:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWarren50 min
Aug 5, 9:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Marion40 min
Aug 5, 9:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMarshall40 min
Aug 5, 9:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPoweshiek, Tama54 min
Aug 5, 9:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Marshall33 min
Aug 5, 10:22 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBenton, Iowa68 min
Aug 5, 10:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXKeokuk55 min
Aug 5, 10:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJohnson, Linn43 min
Aug 5, 10:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWashington43 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1989

Sources

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