Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 30, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 16, 1990Jones County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Jun 16, 1990, 10:53 PM CDT for Jones County, Iowa. It was in force for 37 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 16, 1990, 10:53 PM CDT (03:53 UTC)
Expired
Jun 16, 1990, 11:30 PM CDT
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Jones 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

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 359 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, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 1990-06-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 62 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 1990-06-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 199 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
62 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-76 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
875 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
199 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
258 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 170355
TORDSM
IAC101-105-177-170430-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1053 PM CDT  JUN 16 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1130 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTHEAST IOWA
          ...WESTERN JEFFERSON...WESTERN KEOKUK...EASTERN WAPELLO
 
AT 1040 PM POSSIBLE TORNADOES WERE REPORTED NEAR ELDON IN EASTERN
WAPELLO COUNTY...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OTTUMWA...AND NEAR DELTA IN
WESTERN KEOKUK COUNTY OR ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF OTTUMWA.  THE STORMS
WERE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST ABOUT 10 MILES AN HOUR.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS IN A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR STURDY PIECE OF FURNITURE.  IF NO
BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.  IF YOUR ARE IN A VEHICHLE OR MOBLILE HOME...LEAVE IT AT ONCE
AND TAKE SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING OR IN A DITCH.
 
ELLIS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, 9:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 38 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, 1 hour 37 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
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 9:37 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
IAZALL-170300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
937 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 930 PM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS OCCURRING OVER NORTH-
WEST IOWA.  THE STRONGEST OF THESE STORMS WAS NEAR STORM LAKE.  PEOPLE
IN THE CITIES LAURENS...POCAHONTAS...EMMETSBURG...AND SPENCER AREA SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER.  SEVERAL REPORTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH
WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE SPENCER AREA.

VERY HEAVY RAINS...HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE LIKELY WITH
THESE STORMS.

JM
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
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 9:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
IAZALL-170300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
950 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 940 PM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS OCCURRING OVER NORTH-
WEST AND PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL IOWA.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN A LINE
THAT EXTENDED FROM SPENCER...POCOHANTAS...IDA GROVE...TO JUST WEST OF
DENISON IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST
AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD BE AFFECTING THE TOWNS OF ALGONA...HUMBOLDT
ROCKWELL CITY AND CARROLL BETWEEN 1030 AND 1100 PM THIS EVENING.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MILES
AN HOUR...HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
/
ANOTHER CLUSTER OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER EXTREME
SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA NEAR THE TOWNS OF CENTERVILLE AND MOULTON OR
35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OTTUMWA.

THE STORMS OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH
...WHILE THE STORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WERE MOVING EAST 10 TO
15 MPH.

JM/BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 9:57 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
IAZALL-170400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
950 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 940 PM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS OCCURRING OVER NORTH-
WEST AND PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL IOWA.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN A LINE
THAT EXTENDED FROM SPENCER...POCOHANTAS...IDA GROVE...TO JUST WEST OF
DENISON IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST
AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD BE AFFECTING THE TOWNS OF ALGONA...HUMBOLDT
ROCKWELL CITY AND CARROLL BETWEEN 1030 AND 1100 PM THIS EVENING.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MILES
AN HOUR...HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
/
ANOTHER CLUSTER OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED OVER EXTREME
SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA NEAR THE TOWNS OF CENTERVILLE AND MOULTON OR
35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OTTUMWA.

THE STORMS OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WERE MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH
...WHILE THE STORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WERE MOVING EAST 10 TO
15 MPH.

JM/BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 10:19 PM CDT, 34 minutes before
IAZALL-170430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1020 PM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT...
...TORNADO WATCH FOR EASTERN IOWA UNTIL 400 AM SUNDAY MORNING...
...TORNADO WATCH FOR WESTERN IOWA UNTIL 100 AM SUNDAY MORNING...

AT 1015 PM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS OCCURRING OVER PARTS OF
NORTH CENTRAL INTO WEST CENTRAL IOWA.  THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCE VERY
HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR AND SMALL
HAIL.  PEOPLE IN THE TOWNS OF HUMBOLDT...ESTHERVILLE...EMMETSBURG...
ALGONA...ROCKWELL CITY...AND CARROLL SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THESE
STORMS AND MOVE TO PLACE OF SAFETY IF SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA.

ANOTHER CLUSTER OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
OTTUMWA AND JUST EAST OF LAKE RATHBUN IN EXTREME SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.
THIS STORM CONTINUED TO SHOW VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT.  VERY HEAVY RAINS
AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THIS STORM.

THE STORMS OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND  WEST CENTRAL IOWA WERE MOVING
EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

JM/BARLOW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 16, 7:17 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXLucas18 min
Jun 16, 7:33 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMonroe27 min
Jun 16, 9:03 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAppanoose27 min
Jun 16, 9:29 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBuena Vista31 min
Jun 16, 9:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClay, Palo Alto, Pocahontas42 min
Jun 16, 9:45 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAppanoose30 min
Jun 16, 9:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHumboldt, Kossuth40 min
Jun 16, 9:57 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXVan Buren33 min
Jun 16, 9:57 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMonroe33 min
Jun 16, 10:16 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAppanoose, Davis, Monroe, Wapello29 min
Jun 16, 10:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXEmmet28 min
Jun 16, 10:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWebster, Wright45 min
Jun 16, 10:53 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXJefferson, Van Buren37 min
Jun 16, 11:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton49 min
Jun 16, 11:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJefferson, Van Buren26 min
Jun 16, 11:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon28 min
Jun 17, 3:14 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCrawford3 hr
Jun 17, 4:09 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXWashington3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes 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.