Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 7, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 12, 1990, 11:53 PM CST for Clarke County, Decatur County, Lucas County, Iowa. It was in force for 52 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 12, 1990, 11:53 PM CST (05:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 13, 1990, 12:45 AM CST
- In force
- 52 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Clarke County, IA, Decatur County, IA, Lucas 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, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 233 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KDSM 130554
SVRDSM
IAC039-053-117-130645-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1153 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1245 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
...SOUTHEASTERN CLARKE...DECATUR...WESTERN LUCAS
AT 1152 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR LAMONI
OR 60 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES IN CENTRAL IOWA. THE STORM WAS MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
THIS STORM WILL BE AFFECTING THE CITIES LEON...OSCEOLA AND LUCAS.
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 WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
MCQUIRTERWhat 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, 9:50 PM CST, 2 hours 3 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 40 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, 1 hour 15 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/
JMSpecial weather statement, Mar 12, 10:44 PM CST, 1 hour 9 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, 37 minutes 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
Special weather statement, Mar 12, 11:52 PM CST, 1 minute before
IAZALL-130330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1149 PM CST MON MAR 12 1990 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL IOWA... AT 1131 PM CST... VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL... SOUTHEAST...CENTRAL...AND PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA. THEY WERE MAINLY IN TWO AREAS. THE FIRST WAS IN A NARROW BAND...ABOUT 15 MILES WIDE...THAT EXTENDED FROM 40 MILES EAST OF WATERLOO...TO 20 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES...TO GUTHRIE CENTER...WHICH IS ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. THE SECOND WAS IN A 20 MILE WIDE AREA EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF OTTUMWA...TO NEAR CHARITON...THEN SOUTHWEST TO LAMONI. BRIEF PERIODS OF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND 30 TO 40 MILE AN HOUR WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH ALL OF THE STRONGER STORMS. ONE STORM PRODUCED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL AT RATHBUN RESERVOIR AT 1123 PM. THE STORM NEAR LAMONI HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AS WELL. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR. BETWEEN 1150 PM AND 1230 AM...THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL AFFECT LAMONI...CHARITON... OSKALOOSA...NAVADA...AND PERRY. SCHUMACHER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 12, 8:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Madison, Polk | 50 min |
| Mar 12, 11:17 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Appanoose, Monroe | 33 min |
| Mar 12, 11:28 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Lucas, Wayne | 20 min |
| Mar 13, 12:38 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Wright | 17 min |
| Mar 13, 1:33 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Poweshiek | 27 min |
| Mar 13, 1:51 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Tama | 39 min |
| Mar 13, 1:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Carroll | 35 min |
| Mar 13, 2:28 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Calhoun | 42 min |
| Mar 13, 2:31 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Black Hawk | 49 min |
| Mar 13, 3:24 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Davis | 36 min |
| Mar 13, 3:42 PM CST | Tornado Warning | DMX | Davis | 18 min |
| Mar 13, 3:57 PM CST | Tornado Warning | DMX | Jefferson, Van Buren | 33 min |
| Mar 13, 4:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Bremer | 22 min |
| Mar 13, 4:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Chickasaw | 47 min |
| Mar 13, 5:11 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Washington | 49 min |
| Mar 13, 5:16 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Johnson | 29 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.