Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 17, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 24, 1989Marshall County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at May 24, 1989, 7:58 PM CDT for Marshall County, Iowa. It was in force for 45 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
May 24, 1989, 7:58 PM CDT (00:58 UTC)
Expired
May 24, 1989, 8:43 PM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Marshall 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
May 24, 8:40 PM CDTTornado F0Marshall, 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

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 291 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 1989-05-25Temperature 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 1989-05-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -63 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
3561 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
92 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 250058
TORDSM
IAC127-250145-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
758 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE CENTRAL PART OF IOWA
      MARSHALL

AT 752 PM CDT...THE MARSHALLTOWN POLICE REPORTED A TORNADO ON
THE GROUND AT ST. ANTHONY.  ST. ANTHONY IS ABOUT 45 MILES NORTH-
NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES...OR ABOUT 20 MILES WEST OF MARSHALLTOWN.

THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR...AND
WILL AFFECT CLEMONS...STATE CENTER...MARSHALLTOWN...AND ALBION
BETWEEN 800 AND 825 PM THIS EVENING.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS IN A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.  IF
NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR.  IF YOU ARE IN A VEHICLE OR MOBILE HOME...LEAVE IT AT
ONCE AND TAKE SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING OR IN A DITCH.

MS/ST/RC/CAB

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 24, 4:15 PM CDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND IOWA SHORT RANGE WEATHER SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
415 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 405 PM...ISOLATED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE IN THE NORTHERN PART
OF NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...OTHERWISE THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE IN
NORTH CENTRAL IOWA MOVED INTO SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA.

SKIES WERE CLOUDY OVER MOST OF THE STATE...EXCEPT FOR PARTS OF WEST
CENTAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA WHERE SKIES WERE PARTLY CLOUDY.  TEMPERATURES
RANGED FROM THE LOWER 70S IN THE NORTHEAST TO AROUND 90 IN THE
SOUTHWEST.

WINDS WERE FROM THE WEST TO NORTHWEST 25 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR IN THE
NORTHWEST PART OF THE STATE AND SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST 15 TO 30 MILES AN
HOUR OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE STATE.

THE OUTLOOK THROUGH 6PM IS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS
ALONG A COLD FRONT...THAT WAS SITUATED FROM SPENCER IN NORTHWEST
IOWA SOUTHWEST TO OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS.

MG
Special weather statement, May 24, 4:38 PM CDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
440 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM...

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN IOWA SINCE 330PM.

AT 430 PM...THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE IOWA/MINNESOTA
BORDER HAD MOVED INTO SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA.

ISOLATED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING  FROM NORTHWEST INTO
NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL IOWA. THE SHOWERS WERE LOCATED ABOUT 30 MILES
EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM  EMMETSBURG...20 MILES EAST OF SPENCER
SOUTHEAST TO TOLEDO...30 MILES SOUTH OF WATERLOO.

MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS HAD NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED.

BARLOW/GOODSON
Special weather statement, May 24, 5:08 PM CDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
510 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 505 PM...AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM HAD RAPIDLY DEVELOPED IN SOUTHWEST
IOWA...NEAR RED OAK OR 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS.
THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL. THIS STORM WAS
MOVING MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

ISOLATED LIGHT SHOWERS CONTINUED OVER MNORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA
30 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM HUMBOLDT...10 MILES NORTH OF
FORT DODGE EAST TO WATERLOO. MOVEMENT OF THESE SHOWERS WAS NORTHEAST AT
30 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, May 24, 5:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
545 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 535 PM...AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA
ALONG THE MONTGOMERY/ADAMS COUNTY LINE ABOUT 15 MILES EAST NORTHEAST
OF RED OAK. VERY HEAVY...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR AND
LARGE HAIL IS LIKELY WITH THIS STORM.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED AROUND HUMBOLDT AROUND ABOUT
10 MILES NORTH OF FORT DODGE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

ISOLATED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL
IN AN AREA BOUNDED BY THE CITIES OF CEDAR RAPIDS...WATERLOO AND
MONTEZUMA...50 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES.

THESE SHOWERS WERE ALSO MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW/GOODSON
Special weather statement, May 24, 6:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
638 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 635 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST IOWA. OVER NORTH CENTRAL IOWA THE STORM WAS LOCATED
ABOUT 60 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES...NEAR WEBSTER CITY. IN SOUTHWEST
IOWA AN INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
DES MOINES NEAR CRESTON.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES
NEAR GREENFIELD. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED 70 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
DES MOINES...OR JUST NORTH OF BEDFORD.

OVER NORTH CENTRAL A THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED JUST NORTHWEST OF MASON
CITY.

ISOLATED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHEAST IOWA BETWEEN WATERLOO
AND DUBUQUE.

MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WAS EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35
MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW/GOODSON
Special weather statement, May 24, 7:48 PM CDT, 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
745 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 735 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL
IOWA. OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA A COMPLEX OF OF VERY STRONG STORMS
WAS CENTERED ALONG THE RINGOLD...DECATUR...UNION AND CLARKE COUNTY
LINES. THE STRONGEST CELL IN THIS AREA WAS LOCATED 55 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF DES MOINES OR ABOUT 5 MILES EAST OF MT AYR.

ANOTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING FROM CENTRAL INTO NORTHEAST
IOWA. THIS STORM WAS CENTERED ABOUT 45 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF
DES MOINES...OR 15 MILES WEST OF MARSHALLTOWN.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EASnT AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW/GOODSON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 24, 7:06 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXHardin, Story39 min
May 24, 7:38 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXDecatur67 min
May 24, 7:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke58 min
May 24, 7:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMarshall26 min
May 24, 7:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMitchell50 min
May 24, 8:10 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXPoweshiek, Tama50 min
May 24, 8:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFloyd, Howard60 min
May 24, 8:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAppanoose, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne59 min
May 24, 8:46 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXChickasaw, Fayette, Winneshiek29 min
May 24, 8:49 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBenton, Iowa56 min
May 24, 9:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDavis68 min
May 24, 9:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPoweshiek23 min
May 24, 9:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJohnson, Linn66 min
May 24, 9:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXIowa27 min
May 24, 10:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWashington46 min
May 24, 10:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJohnson32 min
May 24, 10:41 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXJohnson, Washington23 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes 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.