Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 51, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 12, 1990Benton County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 12, 1990, 6:06 PM CDT for Benton County, Iowa. It was in force for 19 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jun 12, 1990, 6:06 PM CDT (23:06 UTC)
Expired: Jun 12, 1990, 6:25 PM CDT
In force: 19 min
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Whole counties

County Benton 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

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 332 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 966 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -164 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 781 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 187 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 191 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 122307
SVRDSM
IAC011-122345-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
606 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 645 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA
          ...NORTHERN BENTON
 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT DES MOINES INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM MOVING IN NORTHERN BENTON COUNTY...ABOUT 90 MILES
NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES...OR 25 TO 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS.
 
THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL BE AFFECTING
THE NORTHERN PART OF BENTON COUNTY BETWEEN 605 AND 645 PM.
 
THIS STORM INCLUDES THE CITY OF BENTON...AS WELL AS GARRISON...MOUNT
AUBURN...AND URBANA.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNINGM.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
DOWD/SIECZYINSKI

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 12, 4:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before

IAZ010-212220-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
453 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT.

AT 450 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER ABOUT THE
NORTHEAST QUARTER OF POLK COUNTY...AND ABOUT THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF
STORY COUNTY.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 45 MILES
AN HOUR.  NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS.

THE STORMS WILL AFFECT THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF JASPER COUNTY OF
CENTRAL IOWA BETWEEN 455 PM CDT AND 520 PM CDT.  THE COMMUNITIES OF
MINGO...BAXTER...AND COLFAX WILL EXPERIENCE THE PASSAGE OF THESE
STORMS.  THESE COMMUNITIES ARE ABOUT 30 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF
DES MOINES.

BIKLE

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 5:06 PM CDT, 1 hour before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
505 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM
THIS TUESDAY EVENING...

AT 500 PM CDT...WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED
IN A 10 MILE WIDE BAND...EXTENDING FROM NEAR SUMNER...OR ABOUT 25
MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...THROUGH 15 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES
MOINES.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN
...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND COULD ALSO PRODUCE BRIEF STRONG
GUSTY WIND...AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL...AS THEY MOVE NORTHEAST
AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED
TO SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
.
OVER THE REMAINDER OF NORTHEAST THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA...NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ABOUT 40 MILES NORTHEAST
OF WATERLOO...TO JUST NORTH OF DES MOINES.

WPM/KAS

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 5:11 PM CDT, 55 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECT LAST PARAGRAPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
505 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM
THIS TUESDAY EVENING...

AT 500 PM CDT...WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED
IN A 10 MILE WIDE BAND...EXTENDING FROM NEAR SUMNER...OR ABOUT 25
MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...THROUGH 15 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES
MOINES.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN
...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND COULD ALSO PRODUCE BRIEF STRONG
GUSTY WIND...AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL...AS THEY MOVE NORTHEAST
AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED
TO SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
.
OVER THE REMAINDER OF NORTHEAST THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA...NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER ABOUT A 40 MILE
WIDE AREA...FROM 40 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...TO JUST NORTH OF
DES MOINES.

WPM/KAS

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 5:21 PM CDT, 45 minutes before

IAZ010-222245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
520 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 1990

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM
CDT.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED BY RADAR AT 515 PM OVER MUCH OF
MARSHALL COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...OR ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF
DES MOINES.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

WIND GUSTS OF 50 MILES AN HOUR OCCURRED AT 509 PM CDT BETWEEN RHODES
AND MELBOURNE IN SOUTHWEST MARSHALL COUNTY...ABOUT 35 MILES NORTHEAST
OF DES MOINES.  A 50 MILE AN HOUR GUST OCCURRED AT 515 AT MARSHALLTOWN
...ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES.  JUST NORTH OF MARSHALLTOWN
...A RADIO STATION REPORTED A 56 MILE AN HOUR GUST...AGAIN AT 515 PM
CDT.

BIKLE

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 5:45 PM CDT, 21 minutes before

IAZALL-122340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
545 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM
THIS TUESDAY EVENING...

AT 532 PM CDT...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN A
15 MILE WIDE BAND...EXTENDING FROM NEAR WEST BRANCH...OR ABOUT 40
MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...TOROUGH ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MARSHALLTOWN...OR ABOUT 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN
...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND HAVE ALSO PRODUCED BRIEF STRONG
GUSTY WIND...AND COULD PRODUCE SOME SMALL HAIL...AS THEY MOVE
NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED
TO SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
OVER THE REMAINDER OF NORTHEAST THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA...NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER ABOUT A 50 MILE
WIDE AREA...FROM 50 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...TO ABOUT 20 MILES
NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES.

WPM/KAS

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 5:53 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

IAZALL-122340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...LINE 2 FIRST PARA..
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
545 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF IOWA UNTIL 10 PM
THIS TUESDAY EVENING...

AT 532 PM CDT...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN A
15 MILE WIDE BAND...EXTENDING FROM NEAR WEST UNION...OR ABOUT 40
MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...THROUGH ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MARSHALLTOWN...OR ABOUT 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN
...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND HAVE ALSO PRODUCED BRIEF STRONG
GUSTY WIND...AND COULD PRODUCE SOME SMALL HAIL...AS THEY MOVE
NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED
TO SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
OVER THE REMAINDER OF NORTHEAST THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA...NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND SCAT2TERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER ABOUT A 50 MILE
WIDE AREA...FROM 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...TO ABOUT 20 MILES
NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES.

WPM

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 12, 3:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Adair	22 min
Jun 12, 4:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Dallas	22 min
Jun 12, 5:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Bremer	39 min
Jun 12, 5:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Chickasaw	42 min
Jun 12, 5:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Fayette	27 min
Jun 12, 6:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Boone, Hamilton, Webster	44 min
Jun 12, 6:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Hamilton	30 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1990 Every 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.