Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 17, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Jul 7, 1994, 7:16 PM CDT for Chickasaw County, Fayette County, Winneshiek County, Iowa. It was in force for 29 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 7, 1994, 7:16 PM CDT (00:16 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 7, 1994, 7:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 29 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Chickasaw County, IA, Fayette County, IA, Winneshiek County, IA
The nearest sounding before it
Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 350 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
- 2 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -292 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1127 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 8 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -17 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -3 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 KALO 080019 TORALO IAC037-065-191-080045- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 716 PM CDT THU JUL 7 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WATERLOO HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTHEAST IOWA ...CHICKASAW COUNTY...FAYETTE COUNTY...WINNESHIEK COUNTY AT 705 PM CDT...SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND 7 MILES SOUTH OF NEW HAMPTON. THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE TOWNS OF JERICO...LAWLER...PROTIVIN...WAUCOMA AND CALMAR. DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR. ABANDON YOUR CAR AND SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING. IF NO STRUCTURE IS NEARBY... SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. YOU SHOULD SEEK SHELTER BELOW GROUND LEVEL IF POSSIBLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE AND AVOID WINDOWS. & TRS/GOODSON
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, Jul 7, 5:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
IAZALL-072340- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 545 PM CDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL IOWA AND MUCH OF EASTERN IOWA UNTIL 800 PM CDT... ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EXTREME EAST CENTRAL AND EXTREME NORTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 800 PM CDT... AT 540 PM CDT...A 30 MILE WIDE LINE OF SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM CENTRAL INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM STORY CITY NORTH TO THE IOWA/ MINNESOTA BORDER NORTH OF MASON CITY. SEVERAL OF THE STORMS IN THIS AREA WILL PRODUCE BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND IN SOME CASES WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE SOUTH END OF THIS AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR AMES SOUTH THROUGH DES MOINES HAS WEAKENED CONSIDERABLY... ALTHOUGH A BRIEF HEAVY SHOWER IS STILL POSSIBLE. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORhTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 6:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
IAZ038-080010- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 606 PM CDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8PM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT... AT 600PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO WAS SHOWING VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WATERLOO OR JUST WEST OF GRUNDY CENTER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING INTENSE RAINFALL AND WILL MOST LIKELY PRODUCE STREET FLOODING AND SOME FLOODING ON SMALL STREAMS. THE GROUND HAS ALREADY BEEN SATURATED IN THIS AREA FROM THUNDERSTORMS EARLIER IN THE AFTERNOON AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AREA RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND IF HEAVY RAINS OR FLOODING ARE OBSERVED...BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. LINDENBERG
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 6:07 PM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
IAZ038-080010- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 606 PM CDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8PM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT... AT 600PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO WAS SHOWING VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WATERLOO OR JUST WEST OF GRUNDY CENTER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING INTENSE RAINFALL AND WILL MOST LIKELY PRODUCE STREET FLOODING AND SOME FLOODING ON SMALL STREAMS. THE GROUND HAS ALREADY BEEN SATURATED IN THIS AREA FROM THUNDERSTORMS EARLIER IN THE AFTERNOON AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AREA RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND IF HEAVY RAINS OR FLOODING ARE OBSERVED...BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. LINDENBERG
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 6:24 PM CDT, 52 minutes before
IAZ025-IAZ036-080015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 625 PM CDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...THE STRONGEST STORMS SHIFT INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA... AT 615 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA... WHILE A NARROW BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS REFORMING EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR CONRAD...10 MILES NORTH OF MARHSALLTOWN AND NEAR OSAGE...20 MILES NORTHEAST OF MASON CITY. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS EXTENDED FROM KNOXVILLE NORTH THROUGH MARSHALLTOWN TO CHARLES CITY AND THEN NORTH INTO SOUTHERN MINNEOSTA. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHEAST IOWA. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.R BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 6:31 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
IAZ025-IAZ036-080015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED 3RD PARAGRAPH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 625 PM CDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...THE STRONGEST STORMS SHIFT INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA... AT 615 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA... WHILE A NARROW BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS REFORMING EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR CONRAD...10 MILES NORTH OF MARHSALLTOWN AND NEAR OSAGE...20 MILES NORTHEAST OF MASON CITY. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS EXTENDED FROM KNOXVILLE NORTH THROUGH MARSHALLTOWN TO CHARLES CITY AND THEN NORTH INTO SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHEAST IOWA BETWEEN OSAGE AND DECORAH. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 6:59 PM CDT, 17 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-080100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 657 PM CDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 8PM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT... AT 653 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO WAS SHOWING AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN GRUNDY AND BUTLER COUNTIES IN ADDITION TO WESTERN BREMER COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE WATERLOO/CEDAR FALLS METRO AREA...WAVERLY... DENVER...TRIPOLI AND PLAINFIELD AREAS THROUGH 730 PM. BY 815 PM...THESE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO FAYETTE AND SOUTHERN WINNESHIEK COUNTIES. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS CAN EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAINS ALONG WITH FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLE HAIL WITH THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS DURING THE NEXT HOUR. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8PM. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE IN NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES TO DEVELOP. ALSO A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT. THESE STORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND COULD CAUSE FLASH FLOODING. AT 645 PM...THE TOWN OF WELLSBURG IN WESTERN GRUNDY COUNTY REPORTED 1.09 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN A HALF HOUR PERIOD. AT SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING STORM...TOWERING THUNDERHEADS...DARKENING SKIES...LIGHTNING AND INCREASING WINDS...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. TUNE IN NOAA WEATHER RADIO| OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLASH FLOODING. TRS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 7:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Bremer | 29 min |
| Jul 7, 7:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Fayette | 39 min |
| Jul 8, 2:00 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Adair | 15 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes 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.