Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 22, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Jul 19, 1994, 8:27 PM CDT for Howard County, Iowa. It was in force for 18 min. 1 report 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
- Jul 19, 1994, 8:27 PM CDT (01:27 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 19, 1994, 8:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 18 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Howard County, IA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 8:29 PM CDT | Tornado F2 | Elma To, 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
Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 195 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
- 503 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -73 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 682 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 51 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 14 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 343 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.8
- Supercell composite
- 7.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KALO 200129 TORALO IAC089-200145- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 827 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WATERLOO HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTHEAST IOWA ...SOUTHERN HOWARD COUNTY AT 825 PM...A TORNADO WAS JUST EAST ELMA OR 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DECORAH. THIS WAS REPORTED BY TRAINED SPOTTERS. THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING EAST 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE AFFECTING LOURDES. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW. DURING A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS IN 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. AVOID WINDOWS. &
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 19, 6:15 PM CDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-200020- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 615 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 ...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST IOWA... AT 610 PM CDT...NWS RADAR INDICATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 5 MILES NORTH OF CHARLES CITY AND 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF NEW HAMPTON. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE AFFECTING MITCHELL...HOWARD...FLOYD... AND CHICKASAW COUNTIES. VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO FORMING IN ADVANCE OF A EASTWARD MOVING COLD FRONT. THESE STORMS WERE IN EMMET AND KOSSUTH COUNTIES... AND SHOULD MOVE INTO WINNEBAGO COUNTY THROUGH 715 PM. THESE STORMS WILL PACK VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN...1/2 HAIL...AND WINDS NEAR 40 MILES AN HOUR. BE PREPARED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IF THESE STORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO COMMERCIAL MEDIA TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. DEWALD
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 6:18 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-200020- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 615 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 ...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST IOWA... AT 610 PM CDT...NWS RADAR INDICATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 5 MILES NORTH OF CHARLES CITY AND 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF NEW HAMPTON. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE AFFECTING MITCHELL...HOWARD...FLOYD... AND CHICKASAW COUNTIES. VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO FORMING IN ADVANCE OF A EASTWARD MOVING COLD FRONT. THESE STORMS WERE IN EMMET AND KOSSUTH COUNTIES... AND SHOULD MOVE INTO WINNEBAGO COUNTY THROUGH 715 PM. THESE STORMS WILL PACK VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN...1/2 H@AIL...AND WINDS NEAR 40 MILES AN HOUR. BE PREPARED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IF THESE STORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO COMMERCIAL MEDIA TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. DEWALD
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 6:43 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
IAZALL-200040- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 643 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 AT 633 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF MASON CITY...NEAR BUFFALO CENTER SOUTHWEST TO NEAR EMMETSBURG. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS IN NORTHEAST IOWA 35 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...NEAR NEW HAMPTON. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. PETERSEN
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 7:43 PM CDT, 44 minutes before
IAZALL-200140- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 743 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT... AT 732 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA...GENERALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES NORTH OF FORT DODGE...NEAR LIVERMORE EAST TO 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...NEAR FAYETTE. THE STRONGEST STORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS OVER 40 MILES AN HOUR...SMALL HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WERE LOCATED ALONG THE MINNESOTA BORDER 20 MILES NORTH OF MASON CITY AND 40 MILES EAST OF MASON CITY...NEAR RICEVILLE. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. PETERSEN
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 7:44 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-200145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 744 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST IOWA... AT 740 PM CDT...NWS RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MASON CITY...TO NORTHWOOD...TO NEW HAMPTON...AND TOWARDS DECORAH. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR...BUT WERE REDEVELOPING IN THE SAME AREAS. THESE STORMS WILL CONTAIN UP TO 1/2" HAIL...VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IN A SHORT TIME...AND WINDS NEAR 40 MILES AN HOUR. TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM THESE STORMS WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE NOTICE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND COMMERCIAL MEDIA TO KEEP INFORMED OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. DEWALD
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 7:47 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-200145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 744 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST IOWA... AT 740 PM CDT...NWS RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MASON CITY...TO NORTHWOOD...TO NEW HAMPTON...AND TOWARDS DECORAH. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR...BUT WERE REDEVELOPING IN THE SAME AREAS. THESE STORMS WILL CONTAIN UP TO 1/2" HAIL...VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IN A SHORT TIME...AND WINDS NEAR 40 MILES AN HOUR. TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM THESE< STORMS WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE NOTICE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND COMMERCIAL MEDIA TO KEEP INFORMED OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. DEWALD
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 8:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Chickasaw | 30 min |
| Jul 19, 8:32 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 28 min |
| Jul 19, 8:47 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Howard | 28 min |
| Jul 19, 9:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Winneshiek | 52 min |
| Jul 19, 10:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Allamakee | 30 min |
| Jul 19, 10:27 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Allamakee | 37 min |
| Jul 20, 1:29 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Johnson, Linn | 31 min |
| Jul 20, 1:52 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Johnson | 23 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.