Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 71, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 16, 1990Davis County, Jefferson County, Van Buren County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 16, 1990, 2:16 PM CDT for Davis County, Jefferson County, Van Buren County, Iowa. It was in force for 44 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 16, 1990, 2:16 PM CDT (19:16 UTC)
Expired
Jun 16, 1990, 3:00 PM CDT
In force
44 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Davis County, IA, Jefferson 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

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 361 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 12:00Z on 1990-06-16Temperature 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 12:00Z on 1990-06-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 241 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
3656 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
241 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
237 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 161915
SVRDSM
IAC051-101-177-162000-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
216 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  300 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTHEAST IOWA
          ...DAVIS...JEFFERSON...VAN-BUREN
 
AT 210 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED TWO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN
SOUTHEAST IOWA.
 
THE FIRST STORM WAS OVER EXTREME EASTERN WAPELLO COUNTY...JUST A FEW
MILES EAST OF OTTUMWA...AND IT WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
THIS STORM WILL BE AFFECTING THE CITIES OF FAIRFIELD...BATAVIA...AND
LOCKRIDGE.
 
THE SECOND STORM WAS OVER DAVIS COUNTY...ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF
OTTUMWA.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN
HOUR...AND WILL BE AFFECTING THE CITIES OF BLOOMFIELD...TROY...AND
KEOSAUQUA.
 
REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES...SO REMAIN ALERT.
 
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.
 
JM/TRUETT/ELLIS

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 16, 10:25 AM CDT, 3 hours 51 minutes before
IAZALL-161630-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1025 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA
CANCELLED...
...FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD WATCH FOR THE IOWA THE REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA
HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER THE SOUTHERN
TWO THIRDS OF IOWA LATE THIS MORNING.  HOWEVER...THE STORMS ARE NO
LONGER EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE.

A FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF IOWA
FOR THE REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT.  THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN TWO THIRDS OF IOWA WERE MOVING NORTHEAST.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE PRODUCING AREAS OF HEAVY RAINS.  NUMEROUS RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE
ALREADY FLOODING IN THE WATCH AREA.  PEOPLE SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE
PREPARED FOR QUICK ACTION SHOULD FLOODING BE OBSERVED OR A WARNING ISSUED.
END/LNE
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 10:49 AM CDT, 3 hours 27 minutes before
IAZALL-161645-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1040 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA
CANCELLED...
...FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD WATCH FOR THE IOWA THE REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT...

AT 10 30 AM...AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS
EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST THROUGH CENTRAL INTO EAST CENTRAL IOWA.  THIS
AREA WAS NORTH OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF IOWA
THROUGH CEDAR RAPIDS TO DAVENPORT...AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM OMAHA TO
JUST NORTH OF FORT DODGE TO DUBUQUE.

THE HEAVIEST SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED JUST NORTH OF
OTTUMWA...ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS...AND IN SOUTHWEST IOWA
NEAR ATLANTIC...ABOUT 40 MILES EAST OF OMAHA.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

SCOTT
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 11:40 AM CDT, 2 hours 36 minutes before
IAZALL-161735-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1140 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD WATCH FOR IOWA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 1125 AM...AN 80 MILE WIDE BAND OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED FROM WEST CENTRAL INTO EAST CENTRAL IOWA.  THE SOUTHERN EDGE
OF THIS PRECIPITATION WAS ALONG INTERSTATE 80 FROM 40 MILES WEST OF
COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR ATLANTIC TO THE QUAD-CITIES.  THE PRECIPITATION
EXTENDED AS FAR NORTH AS SIOUX CITY...FORT DODGE...WATERLOOO AND
DUBUQUE.

ALSO WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
CENTRAL COUNTIES.

THE LARGEST STORMS IN WESTERN IOWA WERE LOCATED FROM EAST OF SHENANDOAH
NEAR CLARINDA...NORTH TO SOUTH OF FORT DODGE NEAR OGDEN.  THE LARGEST
STORM IN SOUTHEAST IOWA WAS LOCATED NORTHEAST OF OTTUMWA NEAR
SIGOURNEY.

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

DLF
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 12:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
IAZALL-161835-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1240 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD WATCH FOR IOWA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 1230 PM...AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COVERED ALL OF CENTRAL
...SOUTH CENTRAL AND EAST CEMTRAL IOWA...AND A SMALL PART OF NORTH
CENTRAL IOWA.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN SOUTH
CENTRAL IOWA SOUTH OF RATHBUN RSESERVOIR...AND EXTENDED SOUTH TO THE
MISSOURI BORDER.  A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WAL ALSO LOCATED
JUST NORTH OF OTTUMWA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

SCOTT
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 12:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
IAZ013-014-161800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1243 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHERN IOWA...

AT 1240 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE INTENSIFYING OVER SOUTHERN IOWA.  THIS
CLUSTER OF STORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST EAST OR CORYDON TO NEAR ALBIA...OR
SOME 30 TO 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OTTUMWA.

THIS STORM CLUSTER WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR...AND
EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS AND ]SMALL HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

ALL PEOPLE IN THE RATHBUN LAKE RECREATIONAL AREA SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IN
A SAFE...STURDY PERMANENT SHELTER.

TRUETT
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 1:19 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
IAZALL-161930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
120 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
   IOWA UNTIL 7 PM THIS EVENING...
...FLASH FLOOD AND FLOOD WATCH FOR THE ENTIRE STATE FOR THE REST OF
   AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 115 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.
THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED WEST OF A LINE FROM SIGOURNEY...NEAR OTTUMWA TO
IOWA/MISSOURI BORDER JUST WEST OF BLOOMFIELD.

VERY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE LIKELY WITH
THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS.  PERSON DRIVING IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA SHOULD
NOT ATTEMPT DRIVE THROUGH WATER UNKNOWN DEPTH.

IN ADDITION...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH OF THE STATE
EXCEPT IN THE EXTREME WEST...NORTH AND SOUTHEAST COUNTIES.

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

JM/SCOTT

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 16, 6:13 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDallas, Polk62 min
Jun 16, 6:17 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXPolk43 min
Jun 16, 6:41 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXPolk3 hr
Jun 16, 7:12 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXJasper33 min
Jun 16, 7:22 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDallas4 hr
Jun 16, 9:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXMarion, Warren3 hr
Jun 16, 9:48 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXJohnson3 hr
Jun 16, 1:36 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXUnion114 min
Jun 16, 1:36 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMahaska54 min
Jun 16, 1:36 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXKeokuk, Wapello44 min
Jun 16, 4:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair39 min
Jun 16, 5:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMadison, Union30 min
Jun 16, 5:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWapello26 min
Jun 16, 5:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMadison26 min
Jun 16, 6:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke29 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.