Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 157, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 9, 1990Jefferson County, Wapello County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 9, 1990, 8:14 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Wapello County, Iowa. It was in force for 61 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 9, 1990, 8:14 PM CDT (01:14 UTC)
Expired
Jul 9, 1990, 9:15 PM CDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Jefferson County, IA, Wapello 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

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 352 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 1990-07-10Temperature 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 1990-07-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 114 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
3634 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
114 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
246 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 100116
SVRDSM
IAC101-179-100215-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
814 PM CDT MON JUL 9 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  915 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTHEAST IOWA
          ...JEFFERSON...WAPELLO
 
AT 810 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE
INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST IOWA....ABOUT 5 TO 15 MILES SOUTH
AND SOUTHWEST OF OTTUMWA...OR 75 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES.
 
THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
 
A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD SOUTH OF OTTUMWA AT 803
PM...BUT THIS APPEARS TO BE THE RESULT OF CLOUDS PUSHING OUT AHEAD OF
THE THUNDERSTORM...THAT USUALLY APPEAR MENACING.  THIS IS A DANGEROUS
STORM...BUT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE TORNADIC.
 
THIS WARNING INCLUDES THE CITIES OF OTTUMWA AND FAIRFIELD...AS WELL AS
AGENCY...ELDON...BATAVIA...LIBERTYVILLE...AND LOCKRIDGE.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE BTHUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
 
DOWD/HUTTON/A

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, 6:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 56 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 25 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, 1 hour 12 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, 54 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
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 7:53 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
IAZALL-100200-

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

AT 735 PM...ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL
IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM RATHBUN LAKE TO CENTERVILLE...ABOUT
MIDWAY BETWEEN LAMONI AND OTTUMWA.  ALONG WITH THE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS
...WINDS OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR ARE LIKELY.

ALSO...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE OVER THE SOUTHERN...CENTRAL AND
NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST OF THESE STORMS WAS IN THE SOUTH-
WEST NEAR CRESTON.

ALL PRECIPITATION IN THE STATE WAS WEST OF A MASON CITY/QUAD CITIES
LINE.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

K+S
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 8:14 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
IAZALL-100230-

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

AT 803 PM...ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY DISSIPATING AND
DEVELOPING OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA.

INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOW OVER THE SOUTHEAST...DUE SOUTH OF OTTUMWA
NEAR BLOOMFIELD AND TROY.  ALONG WITH THE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...WINDS
OF 50 TO 60 MILES AN HOUR ARE LIKELY.

ALSO...@SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE OVER ALL BUT THE FAR NORTHERN
COUNTIES.  THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF RAINFALL WAS FROM DES MOINES
SOUTH TO THE MISSOURI BORDER.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

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, 7:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDavis, Van Buren54 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.