Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 156, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 9, 1990Davis County, Van Buren County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 9, 1990, 7:51 PM CDT for Davis County, Van Buren County, Iowa. It was in force for 54 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 9, 1990, 7:51 PM CDT (00:51 UTC)
Expired
Jul 9, 1990, 8:45 PM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Davis County, IA, Van Buren County, IA

The radar

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

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 354 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1990-07-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 528 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1990-07-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 15 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
528 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-121 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1591 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
67 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 100053
SVRDSM
IAC051-177-100145-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
751 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTHEAST IOWA
          ...DAVIS...VAN-BUREN
 
AT 748 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE
INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS...LOCATED OVER APPANOOSE COUNTY AND MOVING INTO
WESTERN DAVIS COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE 75 TO 85 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
DES MOINES...OR 20 TO 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OTTUMWA.
 
THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
 
AT 747 PM...WINDS ESTIMATED AT 60 TO 70 MILES AN HOUR WERE OBSERVED
NEAR LAKE WAPELLO IN NORTHWEST DAVIS COUNTY.  THESE WINDS APPEAR TO BE
AHEAD OF THE THUNDERSTORM ITSELF...CAUSED BY THE RAIN COOLED AIR
FLOWING OUT FROM THE STORM.
 
THIS WARNING INCLUDES THE CITY OF BLOOMFIELD...AS WELL AS WEST GROVE
...PARIS...DRAKESVILLE...BELKNAP AND KEOSAQUA.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS% IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
 
DOWD/HUTTON/MYERS

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, Jul 9, 5:09 PM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
IAZALL-092330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
509 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990

AT 502 PM...AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM HAD RAPIDLY DEVELOPED IN SOUTHWEST
IOWA...JUST NORTH OF BEDFORD OR 65 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.  THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF...VERY HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...
GUSTY WIND TO 40 MILES AN HOUR AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED SOUTH AND
WEST OF A LINE...FROM SIOUX CITY...TO WATERLOO...TO DES MOINES...TO
NEAR OTTUMWA...TO NEAR LAMONI.  THE STRONGEST OF THESE STORMS WAS ABOUT
12 MILES SOUTH OF INDIANOLA...OR 25 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES.  BRIEFF...
HEAVY RAIN...WIND TO 30 MILES AN HOUR AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED.

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

HUTTON
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 5:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
IAZALL-100000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
554 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990

AT 530 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN SOUTHWEST IOWA...FROM 10 MILES
NORTHWEST OF LAMONI...TO 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS.  SOME OF
STORMS IN THIS AREA ARE CAPABLE OF BRIEF...EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...HAIL
...WIND GREATER THAN 50 MILES AN HOUR AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING.

OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED SOUTH AND
WEST OF A LINE FROM SIOUX CITY...TO WATERLOO...TO OTTUMWA...TO LAMONI.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR...
EXCEPT IN THE SOUTHWEST WHERE THE STORMS WERE DRIFTING NORTH AT zABOUT 10
TO 15 MILES AN HOUR.

HUTTON
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 6:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
IAZALL-100000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
615 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990

AT 605 PM...SCATTERED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER SOUTH
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER
WESTERN RINGGOLD COUNTY AND WESTERN DECATUR COUNTY...NEAR MOUNT AYR
AND DIAGONAL...AND 15 MILES NORTH OF LEON.  THESE COMMUNITIES ARE 50
TO 60 MILES SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...LARGE HAIL...WIND
UP TO 50 MILES AN HOUR...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  TORNADOES ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE WITH THESE EXTREMELY STRONG STORMS.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR AND PERSONS IN
THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD MONITOR WEATHER REPORTS AND SEEK
IMMEDIATE SHELTER.

ALSO...WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER WEST CENTRAL
...NORTH CENTRAL...CENTRAL...AND SOUTHEAST IOWA.  THESE SHOWERS WERE
GENERALLY SOUTH OF A SIOUX CITY TO WATERLOO LINE AND WERE MOVING
EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

DM
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 6:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
IAZALL-100035-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
647 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990

AT 631 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST IOWA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN DECATUR COUNTY...
FROM THE LAMONI AREA TO 10 MILES NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF LEON...50 MILES
SOUTH OF DES MOINES.  CONFIRMED FUNNEL CLOUDS WERE REPORTED NEAR THE
TOWN OF KELLERON IN EXTREME EASTERN RINGGOLD COUNTY...60 MILES SOUTH
SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...LARGE HAIL...WIND
OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  TORNADOES ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.  PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE
URGED TO SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR.

ALSO...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WERE OVER NORTHWEST AND NORTH
CENTRAL IOWA...FROM EAST OF SIOUX CITY TO THE STORY CITY AREA.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

DM
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 7:02 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
IAZALL-100035-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED 1ST PAR.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
702 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990

AT 631 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST IOWA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN DECATUR COUNTY...
FROM THE LAMONI AREA TO 10 MILES NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF LEON...50 MILES
SOUTH OF DES MOINES.  CONFIRMED FUNNEL CLOUDS WERE REPORTED NEAR THE
TOWN OF KELLERON IN EXTREME EASTERN RINGGOLD COUNTY AROUND 610 PM...60
MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...LARGE HAIL...WIND
OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  TORNADOES ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.  PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE
URGED TO SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR.

ALSO...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WERE OVER NORTHWEST AND NORTH
CENTRAL IOWA...FROM EAST OF SIOUX CITY TO THE STORY CITY AREA.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

DM
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 7:20 PM CDT, 31 minutes before
IAZALL-100135-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
715 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990

AT 706 PM...ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL
IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN THE RATHBUN LAKE...CORYDON AND
ALLERTON AREAS...ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN LAMONI AND OTTUMWA.  ALONG WITH
THE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...WINDS OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR ARE LIKELY.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE IN THE
RATHBUN LAKE AND ALLERTON AREAS FOR THE NEXT HOUR.

ALSO...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST INTO
SOUTHEAST IOWA...ALONG OR SOUTH OF AN OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS...OTTUMWA
LINE.

THE TORNADO WARNING FOR PARTS OF RINGGOLD AND DECATUR COUNTIES HAD
EXPIRED.  AND -NO TORNADO WATCHES- ARE IN EFFECT AT THIS TIME.
/
KS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 9, 7:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAppanoose52 min
Jul 9, 8:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJefferson, Wapello61 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.