Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 24, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Jul 19, 1994, 8:47 PM CDT for Howard County, Iowa. It was in force for 28 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 19, 1994, 8:47 PM CDT (01:47 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 19, 1994, 9:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 28 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Howard County, IA
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 1.8 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 200149 TORALO IAC089-200215- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 847 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WATERLOO HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 915 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTHEAST IOWA ...SOUTHERN HOWARD COUNTY AT 844 PM CDT...SPOTTERS AND CHICKASAW DEPUTIES REPORT FUNNEL CLOUDS JUST NORTH OF THE CHICKASAW/HOWARD COUNTY LINE. THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS SOUTHEAST OF LOURDES OR 20 MILES WEST OF DECORAH. THESE APPEARED TO BE MOVING NORTH AT 20 MILES AN HOUR. CITIES AFFECTED WILL BE CRESCO. 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, 7:43 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 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, 1 hour 3 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, 1 hour 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, 8:35 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
IAZALL-200240- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 835 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT... AT 825 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA...GENERALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES NORTH OF AMES...NEAR JEWELL EAST TO 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF WATERLOO...NEAR POSTVILLE. THE STRONGEST STORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS OVER 40 MILES AN HOUR...SMALL HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WERE LOCATED IN A 10 MILE WIDE BAND CENTERED FROM MASON CITY EAST TO NEAR DECORAH. ANOTHER STORNG STORM WAS DEVELOPING IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...NEAR JEWELL. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. PETERSEN
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 8:38 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
IAZALL-200245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 838 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 AT 832 PM CDT DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA NEAR NEW HAMPTON...ELMA...AND JUST NORTH OF MASON CITY. THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS AREA HAVE PRODUCED TORNADOES...TORRENTIAL RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. IN CENTRAL IOWA A THUNDERSTORM WAS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY ALONG THE COOL FRONT NEAR WEBSTER CITY. THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP SOUTHWARD ALONG THE COOL FRONT FROM THE CLUSTER OF STORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND PARTS OF CENTRAL IOWA...INCLUDING THE AMES...BOONE AND MARSHALLTOWN VICINITIES UNTIL MIDNIGHT. BELLES
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 8:39 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
IAZALL-200245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 838 PM CDT TUE JUL 19 1994 AT 832 PM CDT DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA NEAR NEW HAMPTON...ELMA...AND JUST NORTH OF MASON CITY. THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS AREA HAVE PRODUCED TORNADOES...TORRENTIAL RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. IN CENTRAL IOWA A THUNDERSTORM WAS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY ALONG THE COOL FRONT NEAR WEBSTER CITY. THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP SOUTHWARD ALONG THE COOL FRONT FROM THE CLUSTER OF STORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND PARTS OF CENTRAL IOWA...INCLUDING THE AMES...BOONE AND MARSHALLTOWN VICINITIES UNTIL MIDNIGHT. BELLES
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, 8:27 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Howard | 18 min |
| Jul 19, 8:32 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.