Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 145, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 30, 1990Warren County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 30, 1990, 3:30 PM CDT for Warren County, Iowa. It was in force for 30 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
Jun 30, 1990, 3:30 PM CDT (20:30 UTC)
Expired
Jun 30, 1990, 4:00 PM CDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Warren 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
Jun 30, 3:50 PM CDTHail 0.75Warren, 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 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 235 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 12:00Z on 1990-06-30Temperature 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 12:00Z on 1990-06-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -5 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
3663 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
37 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 302032
SVRDSM
IAC181-302100-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
330 PM CDT SAT JUN 30 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  400 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
          ...SOUTHWESTERN WARREN
 
AT 330 PM...WEATHER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
ALONG THE MADISON...WARREN COUNTY LINE JUST SOUTH OF ST. CHARLELS...OR
ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.
 
THIS STORM PRODUCED GOLF-BALL SIZED HAIL AT ST. CHARLES BETWEEN 320
AND 325 PM THIS AFTERNOON.
 
THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTH-SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL BE
AFFECTING THE CITY OF NEW VIRGINIA.
 
IN ADDITION...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEAST MADISON
COUNTY REMAINS IN EFFECT.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN 1EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
 
BARLOW/TRUETT

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, Jun 30, 11:53 AM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before
IAZALL-301730-

SPECIAL STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED TYPO
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1148 AM CDT SAT JUN 30 1990

AT 1135 AM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTED ALONG THE IOWA/MISSOURI
BORDER OVER EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA. THE STRONGEST STORM IN IOWA WAS
LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST VAN BUREN COUNTY NEAR THE TOWN OF CANTRIL...OR
35 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF OTTUMWA.

THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING }AND
POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL.

A THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED OVER CENTRAL IOWA AND WAS LOCATED ABOUT
30 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES NEAR NEVADA.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 12:29 PM CDT, 3 hours 1 minute before
IAZALL-302000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1230 PM CDT SAT JUN 30 1990

...DANGEROUS HEAT AND HUMIDITY LEVELS OVER IOWA...

A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY IS BUILDING
OVER IOWA THIS AFTERNOON.  WHILE THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE ALSO BEEN HOT
AND HUMID...CONDITIONS WILL BE FAR WORSE IN MOST AREAS THIS AFTERNOON.

ALREADY AT 12 NOON...TEMPERATURES IN THE STATE WERE HOVERING AROUND
THE 90 DEGREE MARK...WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MIDDLE 70S.  THE HEAT INDEX..
WHICH IS A MEASURE OF THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY...
WAS ALREADY AROUND THE 100 DEGREE MARK IN MANY AREAS.

AN ADDED STRESS IS BEING CAUSED BY A LACK OF WIND...AS SPEEDS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE WERE UNDER 10 MILES AN HOUR.

CONDITIONS WILL ONLY WORSEN DURING THE AFTERNOON...AS TEMPERATURES
CLIMB SLOWLY.

REMEMBER...IN THIS WEATHER YOU SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TAKE IT EASY.
STRENOUS ACTIVITY CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS...ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE
NOT IN TOP PHYSICAL CONDITION.  IF WORKING OUTDOORS...TAKE FREQUENT
BREAKS...DRINK PLENTY OF NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES...AND TRY TO STAY OUT
OF THE DIRECT SUN.  IF POSSIBLE...TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AIR CONDITIONING.

THE LEAST SEVERE CONDITIONS WILL BE OVER THE NORTHWEST COUNTIES...AS
HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL BE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE.
HOWEVER...TEMPERATURES IN THE NORTHWEST WILL STILL BE WELL INTO THE 90S.

TRUETT
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 12:33 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
IAZALL-301800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1230 AM CDT SAT JUN 30 1990

TO USERS OF IAWAS...

STATE RADIO CALLED AND STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH IAWAS IS BEING
WORKED ON BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG THEY IT WILL BE. PLEASE
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR WIRES IN THE EVENT THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
OR TORNADO WATCHES ARE ISSUED FROM THE NATIOMAL WEATHER SERVICE
AT OMAHA...DES MOINES...WATERLOO...MOLINE...DUBUQUE OR SIOUX CITY.

WEINBRECHT
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 12:50 PM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
IAZALL-301830-

SPECIAL STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1249 PM CDT SAT JUN 30 1990

AT 1235 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTED ALONG THE IOWA/MISSOURI
BORDER OVER EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA. THE STRONGEST STORM IN IOWA WAS
LOCATED IN DAVIS COUNTY ABOUT 5 MILES EAST OF BLOOMFIELD OR ABOUT 20
MILES SOUTHEAST OF OTTUMWA.

THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING AND
POSSIBLY SOME HAIL.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED IN SOUTHWEST IOWA SOME 70 TO 85
MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...JUST WEST OF VILLISCA AND 5 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF SHENANDOAH.

THE THUNDERSTORM OVER CENTRAL IOWA NORTH OF DES MOINES HAD DISSIPATED.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 1:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
IAZALL-301930-

SPECIAL STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
145 PM CDT SAT JUN 30 1990

AT 132 PM CDT...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTED ALONG THE IOWA/
MISSOURI BORDER OVER EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN DAVIS AND SOUTHERN VAN BUREN COUNTIES...
OR ABOUT 20 THROUGH 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OTTUMWA.

THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING EXTREMELY LARGE AMOUNTS OF RAIN...
FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND COULD ALSO PRODUCE SOME HAIL AND
POSSIBLY BRIEF STRONG GUSTY WIND.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA SHOULD
BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACH...AND IF NECESSARY BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A HIGHER GROUND.

OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST IOWA...WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED
TO DEVELOP.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR.

CAB/WPM
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 2:48 PM CDT, 42 minutes before
IAZALL-302030-

SPECIAL STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
250 PM CDT SAT JUN 30 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF IOWA UNTIL
10PM...

AT 235 PM CDT...A NARROW BAND OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD
RAPIDLY DEVELOPED FROM CENTRAL INTO SOUTHEAST IOWA. THE STORMS
WERE LOCATED FROM DES MOINES SOUTHEAST TO FARMINGTON...OR ABOUT
25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BURLINGTON. ANOTHER VERY STRONG STORM WAS
LOCATED 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF OTTUMWA...NEAR SIGOURNEY.

VERY HEAVY RAINS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS NEARLY 11/4
INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE DES MOINES AREA FROM 2 TO 230PM.

ALONG WITH THE VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING AND SMALL
HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 29, 7:44 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXWright40 min
Jun 30, 8:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXVan Buren36 min
Jun 30, 9:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXVan Buren36 min
Jun 30, 10:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXVan Buren25 min
Jun 30, 1:05 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDavis, Van Buren4 hr
Jun 30, 1:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDavis, Van Buren45 min
Jun 30, 2:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWarren37 min
Jun 30, 3:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMadison37 min
Jun 30, 3:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Lucas37 min
Jun 30, 3:42 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMadison, Warren33 min
Jun 30, 4:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Union44 min
Jun 30, 4:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDecatur, Wayne41 min
Jun 30, 4:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDecatur54 min
Jun 30, 4:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMahaska51 min
Jun 30, 4:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXRinggold, Union48 min
Jun 30, 4:57 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXDecatur33 min
Jun 30, 5:00 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXMahaska4 hr
Jun 30, 5:03 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdams, Union27 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.