Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

August 7, 1991Cherokee County, Plymouth County, Iowa

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at Aug 7, 1991, 6:09 PM CDT for Cherokee County, Plymouth County, Iowa. It was in force for 36 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 7, 1991, 6:09 PM CDT (23:09 UTC)
Expired
Aug 7, 1991, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area
Whole counties

Counties Cherokee County, IA, Plymouth County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOVN), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 162 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 1991-08-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1226 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 1991-08-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 114 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1226 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-202 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1659 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
114 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
67 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 KSUX 072319 COR
TORSUX
IAC035-149-072345-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX CITY IA
618 PM CDT WED AUG 7 1991

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES

   IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF IOWA
      WESTERN CHEROKEE...EASTERN PLYMOUTH

AT 555 PM CDT PLYMOUTH COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES REPORTED A TORNADO
ON THE GROUND 5 MILES EAST OF REMSEN IOWA OR 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF
SIOUX CITY.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 10 MPH

MARCUS IOWA IS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE IN A
STRONG BUILDING GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. AVOID
WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR
GET INTO A DITCH OR DEPRESSION...COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR REPORTS OF
SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

HOPPES...CORRECTION IN 2ND PARA...TORNADO ON THE GROUND

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, Aug 7, 4:10 PM CDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
SDZ018-019-020-072200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
410 PM CDT WED AUG 7 1991

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
SOUTH DAKOTA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA
THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS EXTENDED FROM CHARLES MIX COUNTY TO MOODY
COUNTY AND WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA THIS EVENING...
AND SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE. IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES YOUR AREA
...SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A REINFORCED BUILDING IMMEDIATELY. ALSO REMEMBER
THAT LIGHTNING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

MENTZER
Special weather statement, Aug 7, 4:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
IAZ001-004-005-072230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX CITY IA
430 PM CDT WED AUG 7 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF THE SIOUXLAND AREA TIL 10 PM...

AT 425 PM...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN ELK
POINT SOUTH DAKOTA...20 MILES NORTHWEST OF SIOUX CITY AND DIXON NEBRASKA
...30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SIOUX CITY. AN AREA OF SHOWERS WAS BETWEEN
AKRON AND ORANGE CITY IOWA OR 25 MILES NORTHWEST TO 40 MILES NORTHEAST
OF SIOUX CITY. THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES
AN HOUR.

THE STRONGER STORMS WERE LIKELY PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY AND SOME SMALL
HAIL. THE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO ELK POINT SOUTH DAKOTA AROUND 5 PM.
PEOPLE IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND FAR NORTHEAST NEBRASKA
SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS...AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

S. QUINN
Special weather statement, Aug 7, 4:41 PM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
IAZ001-072230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
440 PM CDT WED AUG 7 1991

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

AT 435 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED OVER NORTHWEST IOWA...
35 MILES NORTH OF SIOUX CITY OR JUST EAST OF HAWARDEN.  THIS STORM
SHOWED LITTLE MOVEMENT.

PERSONS NEAR THE STORM SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THIS TIHREATENING
WEATHER.  VERY HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING
CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

GEELHART
Special weather statement, Aug 7, 5:42 PM CDT, 27 minutes before
SDZ018-020-072330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
540 PM CDT WED AUG 7 1991

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

AT 535 PM CDT A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 20 MILES
NORTHEAST OF YANKTON TO 30 MILES WEST OF YANKTON.  THE LINE WAS MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OjF BERESFORD.  THIS
STORM WAS ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

PERSONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS
THREATENING WEATHER.  VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...AND HAIL ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

GEELHART
Special weather statement, Aug 7, 5:58 PM CDT, 11 minutes before
SDZ018-020-IAZ001-072345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
555 PM CDT WED AUG 7 1991

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEAST SIOUX COUNTY WILL BE
ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 6 PM.

AT 555 PM CDT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN YANKTON COUNTY.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER.  VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE FROM THESE STORMS.

GEELLHART

The office that day

Everything else NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 7, 5:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDPlymouth28 min
Aug 7, 5:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDSioux52 min
Aug 7, 5:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDPlymouth67 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.