Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 13, 1993Warren County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Jun 13, 1993, 6:25 PM CDT for Warren County, Iowa. It was in force for 35 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 13, 1993, 6:25 PM CDT (23:25 UTC)
Expired
Jun 13, 1993, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Warren County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 235 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 1993-06-13Temperature 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 1993-06-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -246 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1167 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-246 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-120 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 132322
TORDSM
IAC181-140000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
625 PM CDT SUN JUN 13 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  700 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...NORTHERN WARREN COUNTY
 
AT 615 PM CDT SPOTTERS IN NORTHERN WARREN COUNTY OBSERVED NUMEROUS
FUNNEL CLOUDS. THE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS WAS
LOCATED 15 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES OR JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF
INDIANOLA.
 
THE STORM IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD CROSS
HIGHWAY 65/69 NORTH OF INDIANOLA AROUND 630 PM. THE CITY OF HARTFORD IS
IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM AND WILL PASS BY THE TOWN AROUND 645 PM.
 
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 LO
WEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
 
LEWIS/BURKE

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, Jun 13, 5:25 PM CDT, 1 hour before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-132315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
520 PM CDT SUN JUN 13 1993

...ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...

THROUGH 615 PM CDT...ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE
DUNCAN...GARNER AND VENTURA AREAS.  THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL.

OTHERWISE...SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUED TO PLAGUE THE FOREST CITY AND
MANLY AREAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO PLAGUE THESE AREAS THROUGH 615 PM CDT.

THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...INCREASING CLOUDINESS IS EXPECTED
ACROSS NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWAH WITH THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO THE WEST OF HIGHWAY 150.  THE MERCURY WILL
HOLD STEADY IN THE LOWER 80S ALONG AND TO THE EAST OF HIGHWAY 218 WITH
MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S PREVAILING TO THE WEST OF THE HIGHWAY.

TRS
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 5:28 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
IAZ059-072-074-049-060-048-073-132330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
528 PM CDT SUN JUN 13 1993

AS OF 520 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
JUST SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES INTO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF IOWA. THIS
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO ENTER THE DES MOINES METRO AREA
BETWEEN 530 PM AND 545 PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS...LARGE HAIL
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT
FOR THE DES MOINES METRO AREA UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO...AND LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES FOR WARNINGS AS THEY ARE ISSUED.

LEWIS

 b
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 5:28 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
IAZ059-072-074-049-060-048-073-132330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
528 PM CDT SUN JUN 13 1993

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA
UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT...

AS OF 520 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
JUST SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES INTO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF IOWA. THIS
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO ENTER THE DES MOINES METRO AREA
BETWEEN 530 PM AND 545 PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS...LARGE HAIL
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT
FOR THE DES MOINES METRO AREA UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO...AND LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES FOR WARNINGS AS THEY ARE ISSUED.

LEWIS
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 5:30 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
IAZ059-072-074-049-060-048-073-132330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
528 PM CDT SUN JUN 13 1993

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA
UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT...

AS OF 520 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
JUST SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES INTO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF IOWA. THIS
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO ENTER THE DES MOINES METRO AREA
BETWEEN 530 PM AND 545 PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS...LARGE HAIL
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT
FOR THE DES MOINES METRO AREA UNTIL 10 PM TONdIGHT.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO...AND LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES FOR WARNINGS AS THEY ARE ISSUED.

LEWIS
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 5:47 PM CDT, 38 minutes before
IAZALL-132340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
547 PM CDT SUN JUN 13 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA
   UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 530 PM CDT...A 25 MILE WIDE CLUSTER OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WITH
EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST IOWA...FROM 35 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR RED OAK...TO 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES
MOINES NEAR GREENFIELD.  OTHER INTENSE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN A 20 MILE
WIDE BAND BETWEEN CARROLL AND PERRY...OR FROM 25 TO 65 MILES NORTHWEST
OF DES MOINES.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL.  THE EXTREME RAINFALL WAS CAUSING
URBAN FLOODING IN SOME LOCATIONS.  IN ADAMS COUNTY THE RAIN HAS ALREADY
WASHED OUT TWO BRIDGES ON COUNTY ROADS.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS OCCURRING OVER
THE WEST HALF OF IOWA...WEST OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF MASON
CITY...TO 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES NEAR MARSHALLTOWN...TO NEAR
LAMONI.

THE AREA OF STORMS AND SHOWERS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 10 MILES
AN HOUR...WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES
AN HOUR.

JAK/WPM
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 5:47 PM CDT, 38 minutes before
IAZALL-132340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
547 PM CDT SUN JUN 13 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA
   UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 530 PM CDT...A 25 MILE WIDE CLUSTER OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WITH
EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST IOWA...FROM 35 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR RED OAK...TO 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES
MOINES NEAR GREENFIELD.  OTHER INTENSE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN A 20 MILE
WIDE BAND BETWEEN CARROLL AND PERRY...OR FROM 25 TO 65 MILES NORTHWEST
OF DES MOINES.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL.  THE EXTREME RAINFALL WAS CAUSING
URBAN FLOODING IN SOME LOCATIONS.  IN ADAMS COUNTY THE RAIN HAS ALREADY
WASHED OUT TWO BRIDGES ON COUNTY ROADS.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS OCCURRING OVER
THE WEST HALF OF IOWA...WEST OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF MASON
CITY...TO 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES NEAR MARSHALLTOWN...TO NEAR
LAMONI.

THE AREA OF STORMS AND SHOWERS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 10 MILES
AN HOUR...WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES
AN HOUR.

JAK/WPM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 12, 10:24 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXHamilton, Webster81 min
Jun 13, 3:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCass54 min
Jun 13, 4:03 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCass27 min
Jun 13, 4:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams45 min
Jun 13, 4:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Union49 min
Jun 13, 5:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGreene32 min
Jun 13, 5:40 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXAdams2 hr
Jun 13, 6:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXRinggold, Union27 min
Jun 13, 6:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFloyd, Mitchell41 min
Jun 13, 6:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDecatur53 min
Jun 13, 6:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXRinggold37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 1993Every tornado warning in 1993Tornadoes in 1993

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.