Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1991
Tornado Warning 17, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Apr 29, 1991, 3:05 PM CDT for Palo Alto County, Iowa. It was in force for 40 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 29, 1991, 3:05 PM CDT (20:05 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 29, 1991, 3:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Palo Alto County, IA
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 215 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
- 562 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 54 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 266 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 267 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 292006 TORDSM IAC147-292045- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 305 PM CDT MON APR 29 1991 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 345 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTHWEST IOWA ...PALO-ALTO COUNTY AT 305 PM...THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM OVER POCAHONTAS COUNTY WAS BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN PALO-ALTO COUNTY. AT 303 PM.. A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED NEAR HAVELOCK IN EXTREME NORTHERN POCAHONTAS COUNTY...AND NUMEROUS REPORTS OF GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM PASSAGE. THIS AREA IS ABOUT 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF FORT DODGE. THE TORNADO AND THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL BE AFFECTING THE CITIES MALARD...RODMAN... CYLINDER...AND EMMETSBURG. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT. IN ADDITION...THE TORNADO WARNING C~ONTINUES FOR NORTHWEST POCAHONTAS COUNTY UNTIL 315 PM.
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, Apr 29, 1:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
IAZ010-291945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 147 PM CDT MON APR 29 1991 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL IOWA... AT 145 PM...A CLUSTER OF VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER CENTRAL IOWA. THE STORMS WERE ABOUT 10 TO 15 MILES NORTH OF DOWNTOWN DES MOINES...NEAR THE POLK-STORY COUNTY LINE. THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING WINDS OF 50 TO 60 MILES AN HOUR... AS WELL AS EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS AND SMALL HAIL. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTH AT 40 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL BE PASSING THROUGH STORY COUNTY BETWEEN 145 AND 230 PM THIS AFTERNOON. PEOPLE IN STORY COUNTY SHOULD BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT. TRUETT/GOODSON ?
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 2:09 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
IAZ010-292035- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 207 PM CDT MON APR 29 1991 AT 259 PM...VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED IN NORTHWEST SAC COUNTY...50 MILES EAST OF SIOUX CITY...AND IN SOUTHWEST CRAWFORD COUNTY...OR 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. TORNADOES...VERY LARGE AND DAMAGING HAIL...BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WIND AND DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED AS THEY MOVE INTO BUENA VISTA AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES. OTHER VERY STRONG STORMS WERE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES...FROM NEAR JEFFERSON TO NEAR STORY CITY. PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...55 MILE AN HOUR WIND...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE 20 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES...AND ALSO IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE STATE EAST AND SOUTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR. HUTTON
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 2:18 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
IAZ002-003-006-007-292000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR NORTHEAST IOWA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 215 PM CDT MON APR 29 1991 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA... AT 105 PM...A 20 MILE WIDE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...CONTINUED IN EXTREME NORTHEAST IOWA FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR PRAIRIE DU CHIEN WISCONSIN TO NEAR DECORAH AND ALONG THE MINNESOTA BORDER NORTH OF CHARLES CITY. THESES SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S WITH SOUTH WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH. FOR THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED. THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS... DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB TO AROUND 70 WHILE WINDS CONTINUE FROM THE SOUTH 15 TO 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 2:18 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
IAZ010-292035- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE...CORRECTION...TIME NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 207 PM CDT MON APR 29 1991 AT 159 PM...VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED IN NORTHWEST SAC COUNTY...50 MILES EAST OF SIOUX CITY...AND IN SOUTHWEST CRAWFORD COUNTY...OR 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. TORNADOES...VERY LARGE AND DAMAGING HAIL...BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WIND AND DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED AS THEY MOVE INTO BUENA VISTA AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES. OTHER VERY STRONG STORMS WERE NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES...FROM NEAR JEFFERSON TO NEAR STORY CITY. PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...55 MILE AN HOUR WIND...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE 20 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES...AND ALSO IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE STATE EAST AND SOUTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR. HUTTON
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 2:20 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
IAZ002-003-006-007-292000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR NORTHEAST IOWA... CORRECTED FOR TIME NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 215 PM CDT MON APR 29 1991 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA... AT 210 PM...A 20 MILE WIDE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...CONTINUED IN EXTREME NORTHEAST IOWA FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR PRAIRIE DU CHIEN WISCONSIN TO NEAR DECORAH AND ALONG THE MINNESOTA BORDER NORTH OF CHARLES CITY. THESES SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S WITH SOUTH WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH. FOR THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED. THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS... DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB TO AROUND 70 WHILE WINDS CONTI NUE FROM THE SOUTH 15 TO 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 2:56 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
IAZ010-292035- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 255 PM CDT MON APR 29 1991 AT 232 PM...A VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN EXTREME EASTERN BUENA VISTA AND WESTERN POCAHONTAS COUNTIES. A TORNADO WAS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF POCAHONTAS. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED. THIS STORM WILL BE MOVING THROUGH POCAHONTAS COUNTY THROUGH 330 PM. POCAHONTAS IS LOCATED ABOUT 80 MILES NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES. ANOTHER VERY INTENSE STORM WAS 80 MILES NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES IN SOUTHERN SAC COUNTY. THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES NEAR ELDORA...TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF MASON CITY...TO JUST SOUTHWEST OF SPENCER. OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH/NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MILES AkN HOUR. HUTTON
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 7:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Decatur | 40 min |
| Apr 28, 8:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Decatur, Wayne | 51 min |
| Apr 28, 9:33 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Wayne | 117 min |
| Apr 29, 1:25 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Crawford, Sac | 35 min |
| Apr 29, 1:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Crawford | 53 min |
| Apr 29, 1:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Buena Vista | 33 min |
| Apr 29, 2:19 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Hamilton, Hardin | 36 min |
| Apr 29, 2:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Pocahontas | 44 min |
| Apr 29, 2:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Sac | 50 min |
| Apr 29, 3:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Worth | 40 min |
| Apr 29, 3:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 26 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.