Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1991

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 113, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 7, 1991Clay County, Dickinson County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 7, 1991, 10:10 AM CDT for Clay County, Dickinson County, Iowa. It was in force for 50 min. 1 report 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
Jul 7, 1991, 10:10 AM CDT (15:10 UTC)
Expired
Jul 7, 1991, 11:00 AM CDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Clay County, IA, Dickinson County, IA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 7, 10:20 AM CDTThunderstorm Wind 73Clay, 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 12:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 219 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1991-07-07Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1991-07-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 99 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1724 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
166 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 071511
SVRDSM
IAC041-059-071600-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1010 AM CDT SUN JUL 7 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST IOWA
 
   ...NORTHERN CLAY COUNTY...SOUTHERN DICKINSON COUNTY
 
AT 1005 AM...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER EXTREME
NORTHWEST CLAY COUNTY AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST DICKINSON COUNTY. THE STORM
WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR. THE STORM WAS 15 MILES
NORTHWEST OF SPENCER. SMALL HAIL...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES AN
HOUR...BRIEF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN BE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. COMMUNITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE
SPENCER...MILFORD...AND FOSTORIA.
 
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD SEEK SHELTER AT ONCE.
 
REPORT ALL INSTANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY.
 
 
 
 
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.
 
BIKLE

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, Jul 7, 4:32 AM CDT, 5 hours 38 minutes before
IAZ002-003-007-071030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
425 AM CDT SUN JUL 7 1991

AT 425 AM CDT A LINE OF SHOWERS AND LOCALLY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED ALONG A LINE BEGINNING 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DECORAH AND
EXTENDING SOUTHEAST TO THE IOWA/WINSCONSIN BORDER 5 MILES SOUTH OF
PRARIE DU CHIEN. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 30 MILES
AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST OF THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH OF
PRARIE DU CHIEN AND WERE ABOUT TO MOVE INTO WISCONSIN.

SPEECE
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 8:48 AM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
IAZALL-071440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
846 AM CDT SUN JUL 7 1991

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF NORTHWEST
IOWA UNTIL 1PM...

AT 835 AM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO THE EXTREME
NORTHWEST CORNER OF IOWA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOME 40 TO 60
MILES NORTH OF SIOUX CITY...NEAR ROCK RAPIDS...ROCK VALLEY AND HULL.

IT APPEARS THAT MUCH STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENTERING EXTREME
NORTHWEST IOWA FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA BY ABOUT 930 AM.

THE PRECIPITATION OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35
MILES AN HOUR.

THERE WERE ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWAQ.
THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE LOCATED SOME 35 TO 55 MILES SOUTH OF
DES MOINES...NEAR OSCEOLA...LAMONI...LEAON AND ALLERTON. THESE SHOWERS
AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 8:53 AM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
IAZALL-071440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED LAST PARA.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
846 AM CDT SUN JUL 7 1991

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF NORTHWEST
IOWA UNTIL 1PM...

AT 835 AM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO THE EXTREME
NORTHWEST CORNER OF IOWA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOME 40 TO 60
MILES NORTH OF SIOUX CITY...NEAR ROCK RAPIDS...ROCK VALLEY AND HULL.

IT APPEARS THAT MUCH STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENTERING EXTREME
NORTHWEST IOWA FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA BY ABOUT 930 AM.

THE PRECIPITATION OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35
MILES AN HOUR.

THERE WERE ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTO]RMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.
THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE LOCATED SOME 35 TO 55 MILES SOUTH OF
DES MOINES...NEAR OSCEOLA...LAMONI...LEON AND ALLERTON. THESE SHOWERS
AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:17 AM CDT, 53 minutes before
IAZALL-071515-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
915 AM CDT SUN JUL 7 1991

AT 910 AM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO THE EXTREME
NORTHWEST CORNER OF IOWA. THIS LINE WAS LOCATED SOME 20 TO 60 MILES
NORTH OF SIOUX CITY...NEAR AKRON...HAWARDEN...ROCK VALLEY AND LESTER.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 TO 60 MILES AN
HOUR ALONG WITH FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING.

THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 50 TO 55 MILES AN HOUR.

ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHERN TIER
OF IOWAS COUNTIES FROM 70 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...NEAR BEDFORD
EAST TO NEAR BLOOMFIELD OR 20 MILES SOUTH OF OTTUMWA.

THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THE OUTLOOK THROUGH 10 AM...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO
SPREAD OVER FAR NORTHWEST IOWA...WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS OVER
THE SOUTHERN TIER OF IOWAS COUNTIES.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:55 AM CDT, 15 minutes before
IAZALL-071540-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
950 AM CDT SUN JUL 7 1991

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF NORTHWEST
IOWA UNTIL 1PM...

AT 935 AM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED OVER FAR
NORTHWEST IOWA. THIS LINE OF STORMS EXTENDED FROM 25 MILES NORTH OF
SIOUX CITY...NEAR LE MARS TO 60 MILES NORTH OF SIOUX CITY...NEAR
ROCK RAPIDS.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...LARGE HAIL...
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MILES AN HOUR AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS. THE
LEADING EDGE OF THIS COMPLEX EXTENDED FROM 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF
SPENCER SOUTHEAST TO STORM LAKE OR ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF
SIOUX CITY.

THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 45 TO 50 MILES
AN HOUR.

ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS PERSISTED OVER THE SOUTHERN TIER OF IOWAS
COUNTIES FROM MOUNT AYR...55 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES EAST TO
MOULTON OR 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OTTUMWA.

THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 7, 10:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBuena Vista, Palo Alto, Pocahontas40 min
Jul 7, 10:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXEmmet40 min
Jul 7, 10:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXKossuth40 min
Jul 7, 11:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHancock, Winnebago44 min
Jul 7, 11:40 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo35 min
Jul 7, 11:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin24 min
Jul 7, 11:57 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXButler, Floyd, Mitchell33 min
Jul 7, 12:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBremer, Chickasaw31 min
Jul 7, 12:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHoward31 min
Jul 7, 12:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAllamakee, Fayette37 min
Jul 7, 1:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAllamakee32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1991Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1991

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.