Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Quad Cities, IA

March 27, 1991Dubuque County, Jackson County, Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this tornado warning at Mar 27, 1991, 12:13 PM CST for Dubuque County, Jackson County, Iowa. It was in force for 32 min. 2 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: Mar 27, 1991, 12:13 PM CST (18:13 UTC)
Expired: Mar 27, 1991, 12:45 PM CST
In force: 32 min
Issued by: NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area: Whole counties

Counties Dubuque County, IA, Jackson County, IA

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Mar 27, 12:18 PM CST	Tornado F2	Dubuque, IA
Mar 27, 12:20 PM CST	Tornado F2	Jackson, 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

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 320 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1516 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 59 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -11 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 KDBQ 271813
TORDBQ
IAC097-061-271845-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
1213 PM CST WED MAR 27 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DUBUQUE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1245 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...WESTERN JACKSON COUNTY
 
IN NORTHEAST IOWA
 
   ...EASTERN DUBUQUE COUNTY
 
AT 1215 PM...RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF
THE CITY OF DUBUQUE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
 
THE CITY OF DUBUQUE IS INCLUDED IN THIS WARNING.
 
PERSONS IN EASTERN DUBUQUE COUNTY AND WESTERN JACKSON COUNTY SHOULD
TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
 
 
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.
 
NNNN

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

Local storm report, Mar 27, 7:37 AM CST, 4 hours 36 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
7 35 AM CST   WED MAR 27 1991

INFORMATION ON THUNDERSTORMS PASSING THROUGH MERCER COUNTY THIS
MORNING BETWEEN 5 00 AND 5 15 AM, RELAYED BY MERCER COUNTY POLICE.

0500-0515 CST   MERCER COUNTY...FROM 4S TO 4E OF ALEDO

                AT RESIDENCE 1..CORN CRIB KNOCKED AGAINST ANOTHER
                   BUILDING AND DESTROYED, GARAGE DOOR BLOWN OFF,
                   POWER POLES DOWN AND TWISTED.
                AT RESIDENCE 2...METAL BUILDING TWISTED AND DESTROYED
                   FENCE DOWN.
                AT RESIDENCE 3...SHED AND GARAGE DOOR DESTROYED,
                   POWER POLES DOWN
                AT RESIDENCE 4...OLD BARN LEVELED
                AT RESIDENCE 5...OUT BUILDING DESTROYED, PART OF
                   GARAGE BLOWN OFF, HOUSE DAMAGED.
                AT RESIDENCE 6...BARN LEVELED, POWER POLES DOWN.
                AT RESIDENCE 7...HOUSE SHOOK
                AT RESIDENCE 8...TWO OUT BUILDINGS COMPLETELY DESTROYED
                   SIDING BLOWN OFF HOUSE, POWER POLES DOWN.
                AT RESIDENCE 9...SHED DOWN

DICKEY

Special weather statement, Mar 27, 10:23 AM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes before

IAC043-055-061-271730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
1023 AM CST WED MAR 27 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN TRI-STATE AREA...

AT 1015 AM CST...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
LOCATED IN DELAWARE COUNTY...NEAR MANCHESTER AND EXTENDED NORTHEAST
INTO THE NORTHEAST PART OF DELAWARE COUNTY MOVING NORTH AROUND 40
MILES AN HOUR.  THE STORMS WERE LOCATED 35 MILES WEST THROUGH
NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE.

BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...STRONG WINDS AND SOME SMALL HAIL MAY OCCOMPANY
THESE STORMS AS THEY PASS THROUGH THE NORTHEAST PART OF DELAWARE
COUNTY...SOUTHEAST CLAYTON COUNTY AND THE NORTHWEST PART OF DUBUQUE
COUNTY.

SOME CITIES IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE...COLESBURG...LUXENBURG
AND NEW VIENNA.

PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE STORMS AND IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
KOWALSKI

NNNN

Special weather statement, Mar 27, 10:46 AM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before

IAZ008-WIZ018-271745-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
1046 AM CST WED MAR 27 1991

...STRONG STORMS CONTINUE OVER THE TRI-STATE AREA...

AT 1043 AM CST...RADAR AND SURFACE REPORTS INDICATED SMALL
HAIL...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG WINDS IN THE NORTHERN TIER OF
THE TRI-STATE AREA.

THE STRONGER STORMS WERE IN NORTHERN GRANT COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN...30 MILES NORTH OF DUBUQUE AND WERE MOVING NORTH AT 40
MILES AN HOUR.

AS THE STORMS MOVED THROUGH BLOOMINGTON AND BEETOWN...THEY PRODUCED
HEAVY RAINS AND PEA SIZED HAIL.

PERSONS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TRI-STATE AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
THESE STORMS AND IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED...TAKE COVER
IMMEDIATELY.

ANOTHER AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENTERING THE SOUTHWEST PART OF
JONES COUNTY...45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DUBUQUE.  THESE STORMS MAY ALSO
PRODUCE SOME HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS AS THEY MOVE
NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
KOWALSKI

NNNN

Special weather statement, Mar 27, 11:27 AM CST, 46 minutes before

IAZ008-WIZ018-ILZ001-271827-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
1127 AM CST WED MAR 27 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STILL CONTINUE OVER THE TRI-STATE AREA...

AT 1120 AM CST AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO RUMBLE THROUGH
CLAYTON...GRANT...DUBUQUE AND JONES COUNTIES IN THE TRI-STATE.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PATCH GROVE IN JONES COUNTIOWA OR 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DUBUQUE.  THIS STORM COULD PRODUCE HEAVY
RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THE STORM PRODUCED SMALL
HAIL OVER ANAMOSA AND MARTELL IN JONES COUNTY.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH OF BOSCOBEL IN
GRANT COUNY WISCONSIN OR 40 MILES NORTH OF DUBUQYUE.  THIS STORM COULD
PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN THE TRI-STATE SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES.

HINNERS

NNNN

Special weather statement, Mar 27, 11:37 AM CST, 36 minutes before

IAZ008-WIZ018-271845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
1137 AM CST WED MAR 27 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STILL CONTINUE OVER THE TRI-STATE AREA...

AT 1120 CST AM CST AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO RUMBLE THROUGH
CLAYTON...GRANT...DUBUQUE AND JONES COUNTIES IN THE TRI-STATE.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SCOTCH GROVE IN JONES
COUNTY IOWA 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DUBUQUE.  THIS STORM COULD PRODUCE
HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THE STORM PRODUCED
SMALL HAIL OVER ANAMOSA AND MARTELL IN JONES COUNTY.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH OF BOSCOBEL IN
GRANT COUNTY WISCONSIN OR 40 MILES NORTH OF DUBUQUEr.  THIS STORM
COULD PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTINING.

PERSONS IN THE TRI-STATE SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES YOUR AREA.

HINNERS

NNNN

The office that day

Everything else NWS Quad Cities, IA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 26, 10:15 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Des Moines, Henry, Lee	30 min
Mar 27, 12:06 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Dubuque, Jackson	39 min
Mar 27, 12:51 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Clinton	69 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 1991 Every tornado warning in 1991 Tornadoes 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.