Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1991
Tornado Warning 32, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Sep 12, 1991, 5:01 PM CDT for Linn County, Iowa. It was in force for 24 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
- Sep 12, 1991, 5:01 PM CDT (22:01 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 12, 1991, 5:25 PM CDT
- In force
- 24 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Linn County, IA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 5:15 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 52 | Linn, 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, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 348 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
- 556 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 21 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 36 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 122202 TORDSM IAC113-122230- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 501 PM CDT THU SEP 12 1991 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA ...SOUTHERN LINN COUNTY AT 459 PM SEVERAL TORNADOES WERE REPORTED ON THE GROUND IN THE SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THESE TORNADOES WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. SOME OF THE CITIES IN THE PATH OF THE STORM ARE CEDAR RAPIDS...BERTRAM AND MOUNT VERNON. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS... OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS. WEINBRECHT
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, Sep 12, 2:47 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
IAZALL-122045- SPECIAL WEATER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 248 PM CDT THU SEP 12 1991 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA. AT 232 PM...AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES IN DIAMETER WAS 35 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES JUST NORTHEAST OF BOONE. TORRENTIAL RAIN AND STRONG WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR THIS STORM. WINDS GUSTING TO 40 MPH WERE REPORTED AT BOONE AT 230 PM. THIS STORM WAS WITH A 10 MILE-WIDE BAND OF STRONG STORMS FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES TO JUST SOUTHEAST OF STORY CITY. OTHER SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED IN AN AREA 60 MILES WIDE NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM NEAR REDFIELD TO ELDORA. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. / BURKE
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 3:19 PM CDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
IAZALL-122015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR IOWA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 315 PM CDT THU SEP 12 1991 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA UNTIL 9PM... AT 305 PM CDT...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER CENTRAL IOWA. THE FIRST STORM WAS LOCATED 35 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES... NEAR NEVADA. THIS STORM COULD PRODUCE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS WINDS AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING. THE SECOND INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS OF DES MOINES. THIS STORM COULD ALSO PRODUCE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING. THESE STORMS WERE PART OF AN EXPANDING AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM DES MOINES NORTH TO MASON CITY. THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS AREA EXTENDED FROM DES MOINES NORTHEAST TO CHARLES CITY. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 TO 35 MILES AN HOUR. THE O`UTLOOK THROUGH 4PM...THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE AN EASTWARD MOVEMENT...HOWEVER SOUTHWARD DEVELOPMENT ON THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS. BARLOW/MILLER
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 3:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
IAZ002-003-007-122100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 310 PM CDT THU SEP 12 1991 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 900 PM CDT... AT 305 PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM NEW HAMPTON...ABOUT 30 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...TO REINBECK...15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WATERLOO. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF WATERLOO. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. OTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN CENTRAL IOWA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE WAVERLY AREA BY 330 PM AND INTO THE WATERLOO/CEDAR FALLS AREA BY 400 PM. YOU SHOULD BE ALERT TO VERY HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AS THESE STORMS MOVE INTO YOUR AREA.
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 4:34 PM CDT, 27 minutes before
IAZ002-003-007-122200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 420 PM CDT THU SEP 12 1991 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 900 PM CDT... AT 415 PM INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTHEAST IOWA FROM NEAR WAVERLY...10 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO TO NEAR LA PORTE CITY... ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WATERLOO. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. THESE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE MOVING INTO BUCHANAN COUNTY BY 500 PM. PEOPLE IN EASTERN BLACKHAWK AND SOUTHEAST BREMER COUNTY SHOULD BE ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL...STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND BRIEF HWAVY RAIN AS THESE STORMS MOVE THROUGH THEIR AREA. OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED IN NORTHEAST IOWA GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM LA PORTE CITY TO FAYETTE.
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 4:39 PM CDT, 22 minutes before
IAZALL-122135- SPECIAL WEATER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 436 PM CDT THU SEP 12 1991 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA. AT 430 PM...20 MILE WIDE BAND OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WATERLOO SOUTH INTO SOUTH CENTRAL BENTON COUNTY THEN SOUTHWEST TO NEAR GRINNELL. THIS BAND OF VERY POWERFULL STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 60 MILES AN HOUR. PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS CLUSTER OF STORMS SHOULD MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER AS THIS BAND APPROACHES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A 60 MILE WIDE BAND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEW HAMPTON...IN NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHWEST TO 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF PELLA. A SMALL CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED OVER NORTHWEST IOWA AROUND CHEROKEE...STORM LAKE...POCOHONTAS AND GILMORE CITY. THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN MHOUR. BARLOW/MARTIN
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 4:54 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
IAZALL-120200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 453 PM CDT THU SEP 12 1991 A PORTION OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...NUMBER 770...HAS BEEN CANCELED. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE CLEARED FROM THE WATCH... FRANKLIN HUMBOLDT WRIGHT BOONE DALLAS HAMILTON HARDIN JASPER MARSHALL POLK STORY WEBSTER MADISON MARION WARREN SOME CITIES CLEARED ARE... AMES BOONE DES MOINES FORT DODGE INDIANOLA IOWA FALLS KNOXVILLE MARSHALLTOWN NEWTON PERRY WEBSTER CITY THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN IOWA. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH... BUTLER CLAYTON FAYETTE SCOTT BREMER GRUNDY POWESHIEK TAMA BENTON BLACK HAWK BUCHANAN CEDAR CLINTON DELAWARE DUBUQUE IOWA JACKSON JOHNSON JONES LINN APPANOOSE MAHASKA MONROE DAVIS DES MOINES HENRY JEFFERSON KEOKUK LEE LOUISA MUSCATINE VAN BUREN WAPELLO WASHINGTON SOME CITIES REMAINING IN THE WATCH ARE... BURLINGTON CEDAR RAPIDS CENTERVILLE CLINTON DAVENPORT DUBUQUE FAIRFIELD GRINNELL INDEPENDENCE IOWA CITY KEOKUK MAQUOKETA MT. PLEASANT MUSCATINE OELWEIN OSKALOOSA OTTUMWA TAMA-TOLEDO WASHINGTON WATERLOO WAVERLY MS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 7:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Carroll, Greene | 34 min |
| Sep 11, 8:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Hamilton | 52 min |
| Sep 11, 8:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Webster | 45 min |
| Sep 11, 8:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Greene | 31 min |
| Sep 11, 8:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Boone, Story | 53 min |
| Sep 12, 3:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marshall, Story | 29 min |
| Sep 12, 3:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Polk | 25 min |
| Sep 12, 3:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marshall, Tama | 42 min |
| Sep 12, 3:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jasper | 31 min |
| Sep 12, 3:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Black Hawk | 61 min |
| Sep 12, 3:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Grundy | 31 min |
| Sep 12, 4:19 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Benton | 26 min |
| Sep 12, 4:19 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Tama | 19 min |
| Sep 12, 4:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Linn | 49 min |
| Sep 12, 4:58 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Johnson | 32 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.