Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 5, NWS Des Moines, IA

March 12, 1990Appanoose County, Monroe County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 12, 1990, 11:17 PM CST for Appanoose County, Monroe County, Iowa. It was in force for 33 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 12, 1990, 11:17 PM CST (05:17 UTC)
Expired
Mar 12, 1990, 11:50 PM CST
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Appanoose County, IA, Monroe 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
Mar 12, 11:23 PM CSTHail 1.75Appanoose, 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 00:00Z, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 297 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 1990-03-13Temperature 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 1990-03-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 58 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
3518 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
58 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
233 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 130518
SVRDSM
IAC007-135-130615-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1117 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
          ...NORTHWESTERN APPANOOSE...MONROE
 
AT 1114 PM RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE STORM IN EASTERN WAYNE
COUNTY...ABOUT 50 MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES.
 
THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE MOVING
INTO THE RATHBUN LAKE AREA BY 1120 PM  AND INTO THE ALBIA AREA BETWEEN
1140 AND 1150 PM.
 
 
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 WHEREm WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
 
WEINBRECHT

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, Mar 12, 8:45 PM CST, 2 hours 32 minutes before
IAZALL-130330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
840 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA...

AT 827 PM RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS FROM JUST NORTH OF CRESTON
TO 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CRESTON NEAR CLARINDA.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
HAD DEVELOPED SINCE 815 PM.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED JUST NORTHEAST OF CRESTON.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MILES AN HOUR.  THEY
SHOULD BE LOCATED JUST WEST OF DES MOINES BY 930 PM.

BRIEF PERIODS OF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND WINDS OF
30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

DLF
Special weather statement, Mar 12, 9:50 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
IAZALL-130330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
950 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN
   AND CENTRAL IOWA...

AT 925 PM CST...
VERY STRONG THUDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER CENTRAL INTO SOUTHWEST IOWA.
THE AREA WAS ABOUT 25 MILES WIDE AND EXTENDED FROM NEAR DES MOINES...
SOUTHWEST TO NEAR RED OAK...WHICH IS ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OMAHA.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE JUST NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES...ABOUT
25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES NEAR WINTERSET...AND BETWEEN CRESTON
AND CORNING...OR ABOUT 60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.

BRIEF PERIODS OF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND
30 TO 40 MILE AN HOUR WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THE STRONGER STORMS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.  THEY WILL
AFFECT THE SAYLORVILLE LAKE AREA...THE ADEL AREA...AND GREENFIELD
BETWEEN 950 AND 1015 PM THIS EVENING.

SCHUMACHER
Special weather statement, Mar 12, 10:13 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
IAZALL-130330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1015 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN
   AND CENTRAL IOWA...

VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER CENTRAL...INTO PARTS OF SOUTH-
WEST IOWA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A 15 MILE WIDE BAND EXTENDING
FROM THE NORTH EDGE OF DES MOINES...NORTHEAST TO ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH-
WEST OF MARSHALLTOWN.  THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING CONSIDERABLE PEA SIZE
HAIL AND WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR.  ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS
LOCATED ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...NEAR CUMBERLAND.

THE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE SAYLORVILLE LAKE AND ANKENY
AREAS...AS WELL AS THE MARSHALLTOWN AREA BETWEEN 1015 AND 1045 PM
THIS EVENING.  THE STRONG STORM IN THE CUMBERLAND AREA WILL PASS
NORTH OF GREENFIELD DURING THIS TIME.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

SCHUMACHER
Local storm report, Mar 12, 10:38 PM CST, 39 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1040 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990

TIME                      EVENT AND LOCATION

920-922 PM             PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL AT VALLEY WEST MALL
                            /POLK COUNTY/

924 PM                 DIME TO PENNY SIZE HAIL IN WEST DES MOINES
                             /POLK COUNTY/

944 PM                 QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN HIGHLAND PARK IN DES MOINES
                     3        /POLK COUNTY

945-950 PM              3/4 INCH HAIL AT BERWICK
                           /POLK COUNTY/

JM
Special weather statement, Mar 12, 10:44 PM CST, 33 minutes before
IAZALL-130330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1043 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN
   AND CENTRAL IOWA...

AT 1029 PM CST...
VERY STRONG THUDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER CENTRAL INTO PARTS OF SOUTH-
WEST IOWA.  THE AREA WAS ABOUT 35 MILES WIDE AND EXTENDED FROM 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF WATERLOO...TO JUST NORTH OF DES MOINES...TO 25 MILES SOUTH-
EAST OF OMAHA.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A NARROW AREA EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES
NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES TO MARSHALLTOWN.  OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE
LOCATED ABOUT 25 TO 50 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES.

BRIEF PERIODS OF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND
30 TO 40 MILE AN HOUR WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THE STRONGER STORMS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR AND HAD WEAKENED
SLIGHTLY.  BETWEEN 1045 AND 1115 PM...THE STRONGER STRORMS WILL AFFECT
THE MARSHALLTOWN...DALLAS CENTER...AND REDFIELD AREAS.

IN ADDITION...ANOTHER AREA OF VERY STRONG STORMS WAS LOCATED OVER
NORTHERN MISSOURI.  THESE STORMS WILL BEGIN MOVING INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA BY 1100 PM.  GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL HAS
BEEN REP=ORTED WITH SOME OF THE STORMS SOUTH OF LAMONI.  THESE
STORMS WERE ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.  THEY
APPEARED TO BE WEAKENING SOMEWHAT.

SCHUMACHER
Special weather statement, Mar 12, 11:16 PM CST, 1 minute before
IAZALL-130330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1114 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN
   AND CENTRAL IOWA...

VERY STRONG THUDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL...CENTRAL
AND NORTHEAST IOWA.  THEY WERE IN A 15 MILE LINE...THOUGH NOT SOLID...
EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF WATERLOO...TO 20 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES
TO ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN DES MOINES AND OMAHA.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES...FROM
SAYLORVILLE LAKE TO NEAR MARSHALLTOWN...AND ALSO ABOUT 50 MILES
WEST OF DES MOINES...NEAR ATLANTIC.

BRIEF PERIODS OF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND
30 TO 40 MILE AN HOUR WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THE STRONGER STORMS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE OUT
OF THE SAYLORVILLE LAKE AREA BY 1145 PM.

IN ADDITION...ANOTHER AREA OF VERY STRONG STORMS HAD MOVED INTO EXTREME
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA.  THE STRONGEST STORM WAS NEAR CORYDON
...50 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES...AND WILL LIKELY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS
AND HAIL.  THIS STORM WILL MOVE INTO THE RATHBUN LAKE AREA BY 1130 PM.
THESE STORMS WERE ALSOk MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

SCHUMACHER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 12, 8:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMadison, Polk50 min
Mar 12, 11:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXLucas, Wayne20 min
Mar 12, 11:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Decatur, Lucas52 min
Mar 13, 12:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWright17 min
Mar 13, 1:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPoweshiek27 min
Mar 13, 1:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXTama39 min
Mar 13, 1:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCarroll35 min
Mar 13, 2:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCalhoun42 min
Mar 13, 2:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBlack Hawk49 min
Mar 13, 3:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDavis36 min
Mar 13, 3:42 PM CSTTornado WarningDMXDavis18 min
Mar 13, 3:57 PM CSTTornado WarningDMXJefferson, Van Buren33 min
Mar 13, 4:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBremer22 min
Mar 13, 4:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXChickasaw47 min
Mar 13, 5:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWashington49 min
Mar 13, 5:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJohnson29 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.