Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 77, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 16, 1990, 9:33 PM CDT for Clay County, Palo Alto County, Pocahontas County, Iowa. It was in force for 42 min. 3 reports 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
- Jun 16, 1990, 9:33 PM CDT (02:33 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 16, 1990, 10:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Clay County, IA, Palo Alto County, IA, Pocahontas 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 10:10 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Palo Alto, IA | |
| Jun 16, 10:20 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Palo Alto, IA | |
| Jun 16, 10:25 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Pocahontas, 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
Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 232 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
- NaN m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 47 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 98 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 185 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 170233
SVRDSM
IAC041-147-151-170315-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
933 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN NORTHWEST IOWA
...EASTERN CLAY...PALO-ALTO...POCOHONTAS
AT 930 PM...WINDS OF OVER 70 MILES AN HOUR WERE REPORTED IN THE
SPENCER AREA. RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDINGFROM JUST NORTHEAST OF SPENCER TO JUST EAST OF STORM LAKE.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL BE
AFFECTING THE CITIES OF DICKENS...RUTHVEN...EMMETSBURG...AND
POCAHONTAS.
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 WARNING. REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
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.
TRUETT/ELLISWhat 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, 7:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
IAZALL-170100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 740 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 7PM... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 100 AM SUNDAY MORNING... AT 730 PM...AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES NEAR RATHBUN LAKE RESERVIOR IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS..GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MILES AN HOUR AND HAIL. BOATERS AND CAMPERS IN AND NEARBY AREAS OF LAKE RATHBUN SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. ANOTHER INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED OVER FAR NORT&HWEST IOWA...20 MILES SOUTH OF STORM LAKE. THE STORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR WHILE THE STORM OVER NORTHWEST WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. JM
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 8:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
IAZALL-170145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 816 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 7PM... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 100 AM SUNDAY MORNING... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT... AT 810 PM...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTHWEST IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM SIOUX CITY...NORTHEAST TO IOWA GREAT LAKES NEAR SPRIT LAKE. VERY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN EDDYVILLE...OTTUMWA AND SOUTH TO CENTERVILLE. THE STORM NEAR ALBIA HAD DECREASE IN INTENISITY SINCE 745 PM. THE STORMS OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR... WHILE STORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWPA WERE MOVING EAST AT 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. JM/BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 8:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
IAZALL-170145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO 2ND LINE OF HEADLINES NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 830 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 1 AM SUNDAY MORNING... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 100 AM SUNDAY MORNING... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT... AT 810 PM...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTHWEST IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM SIOUX CITY...NORTHEAST TO IOWA GREAT LAKES NEAR SPRIT LAKE. VERY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN EDDYVILLE...OTTUMWA AND SOUTH TO CENTERVILLE. THE STORM NEAR ALBIA HAD DECREASE IN INTENISITY SINCE 745 PM. THE STORMS OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES ApN HOUR... WHILE STORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WERE MOVING EAST AT 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. JM/BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 8:52 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
IAZALL-170245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 850 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 1 AM SUNDAY MORNING... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 100 AM SUNDAY MORNING... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT... AT 835 PM...AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WERE OVER NORTHWEST IOWA. THESE STORMS EXTENDED FROM SIOUX CITY AND SOUTH TO ONAWA OR 50 MILES NORTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO OCCURRING BETWEEN ORANGE CITY AND SPRIT LAKE JUST WEST OF SPENCER. ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ABOUT 5 MILES EAST OF EDDYVILLE...SOUTHWEST TO IOWA/MISSOURI BORDER NEAR CENTERVILLE. THE STORMS OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR... WHILE STORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WERE MOVING EAST AT 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. JM/BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 9:15 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
IAZ001-005-009-170230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 915 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA... AT 910 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA. THE LINE OF STORMS EXTENDED FROM THE SPIRIT LAKE...IOWA GREAT LAKES AREA...TO JUST NORTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS...WINDS OF UP TO 50 MILES AN HOUR...AND SOME SMALL HAIL HAS BEEN OCCURRING WITH THIS LINE OF STORMS. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD POSSIBLY BECOME SEVERE AS WELL...WHICH MEANS WINDS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR AND GREATER...AND HAIL 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER. REMEMBER...TORNADO WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM...AND WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 1 AM. PEOPLE IN NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT. TRUETT
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 9:16 PM CDT, 17 minutes before
IAZALL-170245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 915 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 1 AM SUNDAY MORNING... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 100 AM SUNDAY MORNING... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT... AT 910 PM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS EXTENDED FROM THE IOWA GREAT LAKES NEAR SPENCER AND JUST EAST OF SIOUX CITY IN NORTHWEST IOWA. STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH...HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING IS LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS. ANOTHER AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER EXTREME SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA ...NEAR THE TOWNS OF CENTERVILLE...RATHBUN LAKE RECREATIONAL AREA AND WEST OF BLOOMFIELD. BOATERS AND CAMPERS ALONG THE RATHBUN LAKE AREA SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR OR SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. / THE STORMS OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST 30 TO 35 MPH...WHILE THE STORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AROUND 20 MILES AN HOUR. JM/BARLOW
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 7:17 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Lucas | 18 min |
| Jun 16, 7:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Monroe | 27 min |
| Jun 16, 9:03 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Appanoose | 27 min |
| Jun 16, 9:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Buena Vista | 31 min |
| Jun 16, 9:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Appanoose | 30 min |
| Jun 16, 9:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Humboldt, Kossuth | 40 min |
| Jun 16, 9:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Van Buren | 33 min |
| Jun 16, 9:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Monroe | 33 min |
| Jun 16, 10:16 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Appanoose, Davis, Monroe, Wapello | 29 min |
| Jun 16, 10:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Emmet | 28 min |
| Jun 16, 10:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Webster, Wright | 45 min |
| Jun 16, 10:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Jones | 37 min |
| Jun 16, 10:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Jefferson, Van Buren | 37 min |
| Jun 16, 11:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Hamilton | 49 min |
| Jun 16, 11:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jefferson, Van Buren | 26 min |
| Jun 16, 11:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Audubon | 28 min |
| Jun 17, 3:14 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Crawford | 3 hr |
| Jun 17, 4:09 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Washington | 3 hr |
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.