Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 7, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Jun 12, 1994, 8:25 PM CDT for Palo Alto County, Iowa. It was in force for 35 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jun 12, 1994, 8:25 PM CDT (01:25 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 12, 1994, 9:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 35 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Palo Alto County, IA
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 215 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1268 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 61 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 106 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 KDSM 130126 TORDSM IAC147-130200- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 825 PM CDT SUN JUN 12 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTHWEST IOWA ...PALO-ALTO COUNTY A TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND AT 825 PM NEAR RUTHVEN...WHICH IS 15 MILES EAST OF SPENCER. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL APPROACH EMMETSBURG AND AYRSHIRE BY 845 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 LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT. PYTLAK &
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 12, 7:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038- 039-040-130115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 710 PM CDT SUN JUN 12 1994 ...SHOWERS AND STORMS CONTINUE TO THE EAST OF HIGHWAY 63 CORRIDOR... AT 705 PM RADAR WAS SHOWING A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A LINE FROM 5 MILES EAST OF DECORAH TO 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF INDEPENDENCE. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ISOLATED GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ALONG WITH SMALL HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE FOLLOWING TOWNS: WAUKON...ELKADER AND MANCHESTER THROUGH 715 - 735 PM TRI STATE AREA INCLUDING DUBUQUE 720 - 740 PM FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 63 AN AREA OF LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF I-35 TILL 10 PM. MORE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO FAR NORTHWEST IOWA AND WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED FOR NORTH CENTRAL IOWA LATER THIS EVENING. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. TRS
Special weather statement, Jun 12, 7:26 PM CDT, 59 minutes before
IAZALL-130330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 726 PM CDT SUN JUN 12 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN TWO-THIRDS OF IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT... THE POTENTIAL CONTINUES FOR A SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK ACROSS IOWA THIS EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ORGANIZING INTO A BAND FROM SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA TO SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. SEVERAL TORNADOES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ALONG THIS LINE. IT IS EXPECTED TO MARCH EAST ACROSS IOWA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. THEY WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE FORT DODGE AND COUNCIL BLUFFS AREAS BY 900 PM CDT...AND THE DES MOINES/AMES AREAS AFTER 1000 PM CDT. WEATHER BALLOONS...DOPPLER RADAR....AND SATTELITE PICTURES AS OF 700 PM CDT CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR RESIDENTS IN THE TORNADO WATCH AREA. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS... HEAVY RAIN...AND TORNADOES ARE ALL POSSIBLE AS THIS LINE MARCHES EAST ACROSS IOWA TONIGHT. ALL RESIDENTS OF IOWA ARE URGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL MEDIA BROADCASTS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT FOR ALL THE LATEST BULLETINS AND WARNINGS. PYTLAK
Special weather statement, Jun 12, 7:27 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
IAZALL-130330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 726 PM CDT SUN JUN 12 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN TWO-THIRDS OF IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT... THE POTENTIAL CONTINUES FOR A SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK ACROSS IOWA THIS EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ORGANIZING INTO A BAND FROM SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA TO SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. SEVERAL TORNADOES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ALONG THIS LINE. IT IS EXPECTED TO MARCH EAST ACROSS IOWA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. THEY WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE FORT DODGE AND COUNCIL BLUFFS AREAS BY 900 PM CDT...AND THE DES MOINES/AMES AREAS AFTER 1000 PM CDT. WEATHER BALLOONS...DOPPLER RADAR....AND SATTELITE PICTURES AS OF 700 PM CDT CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR RESIDENTS IN THE TORNADO WATCH AREA. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS... HEAVY RAIN...AND TORNADOES ARE ALL POSSIBLE AS THIS LINE MARCHES EAST ACROSS IOWA TONIGHT. ALL RESIDENTS OF IOWA ARE URGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL MEDIA BROADCASTS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT FOR ALL THE LATEST BULLETINS AND WARNINGS. PYTLAK
Special weather statement, Jun 12, 7:45 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
IAZALL-130140- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 745 PM CDT SUN JUN 12 1994 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT THIS SUNDAY EVENING... AT 730 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LLOCATED AROUND SPIRIT LAKE AND ROCK RAPIDS. HAIL...BRIEF TORENTIAL DOWNPOURS...WINDS GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MILES AN HOUR AND NEARLY CONTINUOUS DEADLY LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WERE PART OF AN EXPANDING AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES NORTH OF SIOUX CITY NORTHEAST TO TO ESTHERVILLE. ESTHERVILLE IS 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF SPENCER. ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED OVER THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF IOWA. THIS AREA WAS NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES EAST OF MASON CITY SOUTHEAST TO 10 MILES NORTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE ALL MOVING EAST AT 30 TO 35 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 12, 8:13 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-130215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 813 PM CDT SUN JUN 12 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT... AT 810 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO WAS SHOWING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING IN NORTHWEST IOWA...ALONG THE IOWA/ MINNESOTA BORDER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. NORTH CENTRAL IOWANS WILL SEE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY REDEVELOPING IN THE BRITT...BUFFALO CENTER AND LAKE MILLS AREAS AFTER 930 PM CDT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY TURN SEVERE PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINS AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THOSE SECTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IOWA ALONG AND TO THE WEST OF I-35. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION. TRS
Special weather statement, Jun 12, 8:17 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
IAZ006>011-016>019-026>029-038>040-130215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 813 PM CDT SUN JUN 12 1994 ...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT... AT 810 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WATERLOO WAS SHOWING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING IN NORTHWEST IOWA...ALONG THE IOWA/ MINNESOTA BORDER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. NORTH CENTRAL IOWANS WILL SEE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY REDEVELOPING IN THE BRITT...BUFFALO CENTER AND LAKE MILLS AREAS AFTER 930 PM CDT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY TURN SEVERE PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINS AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THOSE SECTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IOWA ALONG AND TO THE WEST OF I-35. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS SEVExRE WEATHER SITUATION. TRS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 7:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Dickinson | 37 min |
| Jun 12, 7:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Emmet | 30 min |
| Jun 12, 7:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clay, Dickinson | 30 min |
| Jun 12, 8:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clay, Palo Alto | 30 min |
| Jun 12, 8:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Humboldt, Kossuth | 35 min |
| Jun 12, 9:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Humboldt | 34 min |
| Jun 12, 9:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Webster | 38 min |
| Jun 12, 9:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Wright | 34 min |
| Jun 12, 9:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo, Franklin | 34 min |
| Jun 12, 10:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Hamilton | 31 min |
| Jun 12, 10:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Black Hawk | 47 min |
| Jun 12, 11:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Fayette | 29 min |
| Jun 12, 11:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Carroll | 22 min |
| Jun 13, 12:10 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams | 14 min |
| Jun 13, 12:54 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Boone, Dallas | 21 min |
| Jun 13, 1:03 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marion | 28 min |
| Jun 13, 1:03 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Poweshiek | 28 min |
| Jun 13, 1:19 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Mahaska | 26 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.