Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 182, NWS Des Moines, IA

September 21, 1994Butler County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 21, 1994, 3:49 PM CDT for Butler County, Iowa. It was in force for 22 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 21, 1994, 3:49 PM CDT (20:49 UTC)
Expired
Sep 21, 1994, 4:11 PM CDT
In force
22 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Butler County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 244 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1994-09-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 49 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1994-09-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 53 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
49 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-104 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
834 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
53 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
93 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 KALO 212050 RRA
SVRALO
IAC023-212130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
349 PM CDT WED SEP 21 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WATERLOO HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...SOUTHERN BUTLER COUNTY
 
AT 345 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES WEST OF WATERLOO NEAR THE TOWN OF
PARKERSBURG. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 20 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE
TOWNS OF PARKERSBURG AND NEW HARTFORD.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINhDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
 
COGIL

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 21, 2:52 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
IAZ036-037-212100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
252 PM CDT WED SEP 21 1994

...STRONG STORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL IOWA...

AT 250 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM JUST EAST OF WEBSTER CITY OR ABOUT 60 MILES NORTH OF DES
MOINES. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HALF-INCH DIAMETER HAIL
AS IT MOVES EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN
EASTERN HAMILTON COUNTY. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD SEEK SHELTER.
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 2:53 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
IAZ036-037-212100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
252 PM CDT WED SEP 21 1994

...STRONG STORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL IOWA...

AT 250 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM JUST EAST OF WEBSTER CITY OR ABOUT 60 MILES NORTH OF DES
MOINES. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HALF-INCH DIAMETER HAIL
AS IT MOVES EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN
EASTERN HAMILTON COUNTY. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD SEEK SHELTER.
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 3:21 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-212125-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
321 PM CDT WED SEP 21 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA...

AT 315 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO SHOWED AN
AREA OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE LEADING EDGE
FROM NEW HAMPTON SOUTHWESTWARD TO PARKERSBURG THEN WESTWARD TO
JEWELL.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 10 MILES WEST OF PARKERSBURG.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE
COMMUNITIES OF NEW HAMPTON...PARKERSBURG AND ACKLEY IN THE NEXT HOUR.

PERSONS IN THESE AREAS AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES CAN EXPECT VERY
HEAVY RAIN...DEADLY LIGHTNING...GUSTY THUNDERSTORM WINDS...AND POSSIBLE
SMALL HAIL

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AFFECTED
AREAS AND PERSONS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER SHOULD THESE STORMS
BECOME SEVERE.

COGIL
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 3:22 PM CDT, 27 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-212125-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
321 PM CDT WED SEP 21 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA...

AT 315 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO SHOWED AN
AREA OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE LEADING EDGE
FROM NEW HAMPTON SOUTHWESTWARD TO PARKERSBURG THEN WESTWARD TO
JEWELL.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 10 MILES WEST OF PARKERSBURG.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE
COMMUNITIES OF NEW HAMPTON...PARKERSBURG AND ACKLEY IN THE NEXT HOUR.

PERSONS IN THESE AREAS AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES CAN EXPECT VERY
HEAVY RAIN...DEADLY6 LIGHTNING...GUSTY THUNDERSTORM WINDS...AND POSSIBLE
SMALL HAIL

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AFFECTED
AREAS AND PERSONS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER SHOULD THESE STORMS
BECOME SEVERE.

COGIL
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 3:40 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
IAZALL-212140-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
340 PM CDT WED SEP 21 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL
   900 PM CDT...

AT 330 CDT...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER THE
NORTHWEST HALF OF IOWA...NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM SHENANDOAH THROUGH
DES MOINES TO DECORAH. THE STRONGEST STORMS IN THIS AREA WERE BETWEEN
AMES AND MARSHALLTOWN...NEAR ESTHERVILLE AND BETWEEN COUCIL BLUFFS AND
ATLANTIC. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO 3/4 INCH IN
DIAMETER...GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL.

MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS EAST AT 25 MPH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
/
PETERSEN
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 3:41 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
IAZALL-212140-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
340 PM CDT WED SEP 21 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF IOWA UNTIL
   900 PM CDT...

AT 330 CDT...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER THE
NORTHWEST HALF OF IOWA...NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM SHENANDOAH THROUGH
DES MOINES TO DECORAH. THE STRONGEST STORMS IN THIS AREA WERE BETWEEN
AMES AND MARSHALLTOWN...NEAR ESTHERVILLE AND BETWEEN COUCIL BLUFFS AND
ATLANTIC. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO 3/4 INCH IN
DIAMETER...GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL.

MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS EAST AT 25 MPH.

STAY TUNED TPO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
/
PETERSEN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 21, 3:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXEmmet31 min
Sep 21, 3:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXStory26 min
Sep 21, 3:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClay41 min
Sep 21, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPocahontas41 min
Sep 21, 4:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXKossuth38 min
Sep 21, 4:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon40 min
Sep 21, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton31 min
Sep 21, 6:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBoone20 min
Sep 21, 6:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXStory45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

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.