Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 14, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 13, 1990, 3:24 PM CST for Davis County, Iowa. It was in force for 36 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
- Mar 13, 1990, 3:24 PM CST (21:24 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 13, 1990, 4:00 PM CST
- In force
- 36 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Davis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 3:32 PM CST | Tornado F1 | Davis, 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
Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 337 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
- 1521 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -86 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 766 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 173 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 24 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.3
- Supercell composite
- 1.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KDSM 132126
SVRDSM
IAC051-132200-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
324 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 400 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN SOUTHEAST IOWA
...DAVIS
AT 322 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 5
MILES SOUTHWEST OF BLOOMFIELD...OR ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF OTTUMWA.
THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL BE
AFFECTING THE CITIES OF BLOOMFIELD...BELKNAP...AND FLORIS.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
IF SEVERE WEATHER OCCURS IN YOUR AREA AND YOU CAN DO SO
SAFETY...PLEASE GIVE YOUR REPORT TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY...AND ASK THEM TO RELAY THE INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN DES MOINES.
KS/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, Mar 13, 12:58 PM CST, 2 hours 26 minutes before
IAZALL-131930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1253 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR A LARGE PART OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 6 PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA TODAY... AT 1235 PM...A INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 70 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES OR JUST NORTHWEST OF CLARION. LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND 35 TO 45 MILE AN HOURS WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WAS PART OF A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS MOVING FROM NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. THE AREA WAS 70 MILES WIDE AND IT EXTENDED FROM AMES...25 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES NORTH TO THE IOWA/MINNESOTA BORDER...40 MILES NORTHWEST OF MASON CITY. ELSEWHERE SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS OVER PARTS OF SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR... AS AREAL COVERAGE OVER IOWA WAS INCREASING RAPIDLY. CAB/KS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 1:15 PM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
IAZALL-132000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 112 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR A LARGE PART OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 6 PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA TODAY... AT 105 PM...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER ALL BUT THE FAR NORTHWEST...FAR NORTHEAST AND FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES OF IOWA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED JUST NORTH OF ELDORA AND BETWEEN IOWA FALLS AND CLARION. ELDORA IS ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WATERLOO...WHILE CLARION AND IOWA FALLS ARE SOME 35 TO 40 MILES SOUTHWEST THROUGH SOUTH OF MASON CITY. BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND 30 TO 40 MILE AN HOURS WINDS I.S LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR...WITH A CONTINUED INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE OVER IOWA. CAB/KS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 1:35 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 135 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990 VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CONTINUED TO DEVELOP OVER PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL IOWA. AT 130 PM RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA INTO NORTHERN JOHNSON COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL IOWA. THIS IS FROM ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO THE CORALVILLE RESERVOIR AREA...WHICH IS ABOUT 10 TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE 1/2 TO 3/4 INCH HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL ENTER THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF BENTON AND LINN COUNTIES DURING THE NEXBT 1/2 HOUR. ADAMS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 1:55 PM CST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
IAZALL-132030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 153 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR A LARGE PART OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 6 PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA TODAY... AT 135 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER WEST CENTRAL... CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. THE STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR MANILLA...35 MILES NORTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS...20 MILES SOUTH OF MASON CITY OR JUST WEST OF BELMOND...55 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES OR JUST WEST OF TAMA/TOLEDO AND ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. LARGE HAIL...EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR IS LIKELY WITH ANY OF THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER ALL BUT THE FAR NORTHWEST... FAR NORTHEAST AND FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES OF IOWA. THESE STORMS HAVE SHOWN A TENuDENCY TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY...PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND THEN DECREASE RAPIDLY IN INTENSITY. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. CAB/KS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 2:19 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
IAZALL-132100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 215 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR A LARGE PART OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 6 PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA TODAY... AT 205 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER WEST CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED 70 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES...NEAR CARROLL AND NEAR DINSDALE IN NORTHERN TAMA COUNTY ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WATERLOO. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER ALL BUT THE FAR NORTHWEST...FAR NORTHEAST AND FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES OF IOWA. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. CAB/KS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 2:51 PM CST, 33 minutes before
IAZALL-132130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 247 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR WESTERN HALF UNTIL 6PM...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR EASTERN HALF UNTIL 8PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA TODAY... AT 235 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST IOWA. OVER NORTHWEST IOWA AN INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT DODGE...NEAR LAKE CITY. OVER NORTHEAST IOWA AN INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTH OF WATERLOO. LARGE HAIL...EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR IS LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS. THE STORM OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WAS PART OF AN AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS NORTHEAST TO MASON CITY...THIS AREA WAS 30 TO 50 MILES WIDE. THE STORM OVER NORTHEAST IOWA WAS PART OF A LARGE AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS STORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM 55 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES NEAR CENTERVILLE NORTH THROUGH EAST CENTRAL INTO NORTHEAST IOWA...JUST NORTH OF WATERLOO. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. CAB/KS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 12, 8:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Madison, Polk | 50 min |
| Mar 12, 11:17 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Appanoose, Monroe | 33 min |
| Mar 12, 11:28 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Lucas, Wayne | 20 min |
| Mar 12, 11:53 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clarke, Decatur, Lucas | 52 min |
| Mar 13, 12:38 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Wright | 17 min |
| Mar 13, 1:33 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Poweshiek | 27 min |
| Mar 13, 1:51 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Tama | 39 min |
| Mar 13, 1:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Carroll | 35 min |
| Mar 13, 2:28 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Calhoun | 42 min |
| Mar 13, 2:31 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Black Hawk | 49 min |
| Mar 13, 3:42 PM CST | Tornado Warning | DMX | Davis | 18 min |
| Mar 13, 3:57 PM CST | Tornado Warning | DMX | Jefferson, Van Buren | 33 min |
| Mar 13, 4:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Bremer | 22 min |
| Mar 13, 4:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Chickasaw | 47 min |
| Mar 13, 5:11 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Washington | 49 min |
| Mar 13, 5:16 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Johnson | 29 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990
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.