Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 25, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Aug 4, 1989, 8:50 PM CDT for Chickasaw County, Iowa. It was in force for 25 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, 8:50 PM CDT (01:50 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 4, 1989, 9:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 25 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Chickasaw 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 9:10 PM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Chickasaw, 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, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 224 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
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KALO 050150
TORALO
IAC037-050215-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
850 PM CDT FRI AUG 4 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 915 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY
IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF IOWA
EASTERN CHICKASAW
AT 845 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO
NEAR THE TOWN OF NEW HAMPTON...35 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO. THIS
STORM WAS MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 30 TO 40 MPH AND WILL BE
AFFECTING THE TOWNS OF NEW HAMPTON AND LAWLER. THIS REPLACES THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FOR THIS AREA.
TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY IN A BASEMENT...CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR OR IN A REINFORCED BUILDING. DO NOT TRY TO OUT
RUN THE TORNADO IN YOUR CAR.
IF YOU LIVE IN A MOBILE HOME...ABANDON IT AT ONCE FOR A
REINFORCED BUILDING. IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT...SEEK SHELTER
IN THE INNERMOST PART OF THE BUILDING ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.
TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTION IMMEDIATELY AS THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS
STORM
HEITKAMPWhat 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, Aug 4, 7:05 PM CDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY ...COR TO TIME NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 640 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 625 PM...AN ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORM CONTINUED OVER NORTHEAST IOWA...25 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE NEAR DYERSVILLE. LARGE HAIL ...UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER...STRONG WINDS AND EXTREME RAINS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. THIS TYPE OF THUNDERSTORM CAN PRODUCE A TORNADO WITH LITTLE WARNING. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE IN THE DUBUQUE AREA AROUND 7 PM. THIS STORM IS DANGEROUS AND PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN NOW. KS
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 7:09 PM CDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 710 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 700 PM...AN ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORM CONTINUED OVER NORTHEAST IOWA...APPROACHING THE DUBUQUE AREA. LARGE HAIL...UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER...STRONG WINDS...50 TO 60 MILES AN HOUR...AND EXTREME RAINS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL PASS THROUGH DUBUQUE BY 8 PM. THIS STORM IS DANGEROUS AND PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN NOW. KS
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 7:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 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, 39 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/SCOTTSpecial weather statement, Aug 4, 8:28 PM CDT, 22 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, 10 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
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 8:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Winneshiek | 48 min |
| Aug 4, 8:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Chickasaw | 51 min |
| Aug 4, 9:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Fayette | 50 min |
| Aug 4, 10:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Bremer | 54 min |
| Aug 4, 11:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Buchanan | 34 min |
| Aug 5, 7:04 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Humboldt | 41 min |
| Aug 5, 8:00 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Crawford | 45 min |
| Aug 5, 8:09 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Carroll | 51 min |
| Aug 5, 8:21 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Greene, Guthrie | 39 min |
| Aug 5, 8:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Boone, Dallas | 44 min |
| Aug 5, 8:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Polk, Story | 50 min |
| Aug 5, 8:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Warren | 50 min |
| Aug 5, 9:20 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jasper, Marion | 40 min |
| Aug 5, 9:20 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marshall | 40 min |
| Aug 5, 9:54 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Poweshiek, Tama | 54 min |
| Aug 5, 9:54 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jasper, Marshall | 33 min |
| Aug 5, 10:22 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Benton, Iowa | 68 min |
| Aug 5, 10:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Keokuk | 55 min |
| Aug 5, 10:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Johnson, Linn | 43 min |
| Aug 5, 10:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Washington | 43 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.