Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 13, NWS Quad Cities, IA

April 15, 1994Lee County, Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 15, 1994, 12:49 AM CDT for Lee County, Iowa. It was in force for 41 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 15, 1994, 12:49 AM CDT (05:49 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 1994, 1:30 AM CDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Lee County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 399 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1994-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2441 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1994-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 127 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2441 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-36 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1451 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
127 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
247 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.4
Supercell composite
13.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KMLI 150549
SVRMLI
IAC111-150630-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
1249 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 130 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY

   IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF IOWA
      LEE

AT 1240 AM CDT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS 15 MILES WEST OF
FT MADISON IOWA...OR 85 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE QUAD CITIES...MOVING
EAST NOTHEAST AT 40 MPH.  THIS STORM WILL REACH DONNELLSON IOWA BY
1250 AM CDT AND FT MADISON IOWA BY 100 AM CDT.  IF YOU LIVE IN THE
PATH OF THIS STORM...TAKE SHELTER NOW!

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.  FOR
YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE
STORM HAS PASSED.

IF TIME PERMITS...ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY
YOUR REPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

T MEYER 0548Z

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, Apr 14, 9:47 PM CDT, 3 hours 2 minutes before
ILZ009-015-016-024-IAZ065>068-078-088-089-099-150500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
945 PM CDT THU APR 14 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA...

AT 945 PM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING JUST SOUTH OF
BURLINGTON AND OVER CEDAR COUNTY IN IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTH AND NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE INCREASING IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE IN THE NEXT
FEW HOURS.

KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE TO THE SKY AND LISTEN TO LATER STATEMENTS ON NOAA
WEATHER RADIO STATION WXJ-73 MOLINE...ILLINOIS OR YOUR FAVORITE RADIO
OR TV STATION.

J NOEL
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 10:14 PM CDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before
ILZ009-015-016-024-IAZ065>068-078-088-089-099-150400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
1010 PM CDT THU APR 14 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA...

AT 1005 PM...A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED IN HENDERSON COUNTY
ILLINOIS NEAR OQUAWKA.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR
AND SHOULD MOVE INTO MERCER COUNTY IN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES.  THIS STORM
SHOULD REACH VIOLA ILLINOIS AROUND 1030 PM.  THIS STORM WILL LIKELY CONTAIN
STRONG WINDS TO 50 MPH...PEA-SIZED TO MARBLE-SIZED HAIL...AND HEAVY RAINS.

NO STORMS WERE IN HENRY OR LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA YET BUT COULD DEVELOP AT
ANY TIME.  THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEfATHER REMAINS STRONG...SO STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV...OR OTHER RADIO STATIONS FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.

T MEYER
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 10:35 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
ILZ009-015-016-024-IAZ065>068-078-088-089-099-150400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
1030 PM CDT THU APR 14 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA...

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE ILLINOIS BISTATE...

AT 1025 PM CDT...THE VERY STRONG STORM THAT MOVED OUT OF HENDERSON COUNTY
ILLINOIS TO NEAR VIOLA ILLINOIS...OR ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTH OF THE QUAD
CITIES.  OTHER THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED NEAR PORT BYRON ILLINOIS...OR
15 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE QUAD CITIES.  ALL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 45 MILES AN HOUR AND LIKELY CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND

ALTHOUGH A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES
IN IOWA...NO THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED IN SOUTHEAST IOWA YET.  HOWEVER...
THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE TV OR RADIO STATION FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR
WARNINGS.

T MEYE
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 10:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
ILZ009-015-016-024-IAZ065>068-078-088-089-099-150400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
1030 PM CDT THU APR 14 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA...

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE ILLINOIS BISTATE...

AT 1025 PM CDT...THE VERY STRONG STORM IN HENDERSON COUNTY ILLINOIS HAD
MOVED TO NEAR VIOLA ILLINOIS...OR ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTH OF THE QUAD
CITIES.  OTHER THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED NEAR PORT BYRON ILLINOIS...OR
15 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE QUAD CITIES AND IN NORTHERN SCOTT COUNTY IOWA...
ABOUT 15 MILES NORTH OF THE QUAD CITIES.  THESE STORMS LIKELY CONTAIN
GUSTY WINDS...PEA- TO MARBLE-SIZED HAIL...AND HEAVY RAINS.

ALTHOUGH A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES
IN IOWA...NO THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED IN SOUTHEAST IOWA YET.  HOWEVER...
THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE TV OR RADIO STATION FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR
WARNINGS.

T MEYER...CORRECTED AND UPDATED STATEMENT
Special weather statement, Apr 14, 11:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
ILZ009-015-016-024-IAZ065>068-078-088-089-099-150500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
1130 PM CDT THU APR 14 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL OF THE BISTATE EXCEPT FOR HENRY
   AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA UNTIL 500 AM CDT...

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA
   UNTIL 3 AM CDT...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CLINTON IOWA HAS EXPIRED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CLINTON COUNTY IOWA EXPIRED AT 1115
PM CDT.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT PRODUCED MARBLE-SIZED HAIL NEAR
DE WITT IOWA EARLIER THIS EVENING HAD MOVED NORTH INTO JACKSON COUNTY IOWA.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE BISTATE...
EXCEPT FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA...UNTIL 500 AM CDT.  THE TORNADO
WATCH FOR HENRY AND LEE COUNTIES IN IOWA REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM.

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM KIRKSVILLE
MISSOURI...OR 150 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE QUAD CITIES...TO OTTUMWA
IOWA...OR ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE QUAD CITIES...TO NEAR THE
ILLINOIS-IOWA-WISCONSIN STATE LINES INTERSECTION...OR 130 MILES
NORTH OF THE QUAD CITIES.  THIS LINE WAS MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT
40 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD REACH THE WESTERN BISTATE BY MIDNIGHT.

PERSONS IN THE WESTERN BISTATE SHOULD WATCH FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND BE
READY TO TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER  OR
YOUR FAVORITE TV OR RADIO STATION FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.

T MEYER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Quad Cities, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 14, 10:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNDelaware33 min
Apr 14, 10:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClayton45 min
Apr 14, 10:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClinton24 min
Apr 14, 11:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNJackson35 min
Apr 15, 12:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNHenry36 min
Apr 15, 12:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNJones29 min
Apr 15, 12:22 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNDelaware38 min
Apr 15, 12:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar42 min
Apr 15, 12:40 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNLouisa50 min
Apr 15, 1:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNDes Moines30 min
Apr 15, 1:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNMuscatine30 min
Apr 15, 1:29 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNScott46 min
Apr 15, 2:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClinton60 min
Apr 15, 2:46 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNScott59 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.