Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Quad Cities, IA

May 25, 1994Clayton County, Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this tornado warning at May 25, 1994, 8:08 PM CDT for Clayton County, Iowa. It was in force for 22 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 25, 1994, 8:08 PM CDT (01:08 UTC)
Expired
May 25, 1994, 8:30 PM CDT
In force
22 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Clayton County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 287 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1994-05-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1994-05-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -49 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1108 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-49 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-33 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDBQ 260108
TORDBQ
IAC043-260145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
808 PM CDT WED MAY 25 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DUBUQUE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST IOWA
 
   ...CLAYTON COUNTY
 
AT 805 PM CDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF
DUBUQUE. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. SOME
CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO ARE
GUTENBURG...OSTERDOCK...MILLVILLE.
THESE CITIES WILL BE AFFECTED BETWEEN THE TIMES OF 805 AND 830 PM CDT.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS 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.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
 
HOOPER
 
&
NNNN

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, May 25, 5:16 PM CDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
IAZ030-041-042-053-054-ILZ001-WIZ061-067-252300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
515 PM CDT WED MAY 25 1994

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE ENTIRE
DUBUQUE TRI STATE AREA...

AT 510 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED MOST ALL OF THE PRECIP HAD MOVED EAST OF
THE TRI STATE.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TO THE
EAST OF THE TRI STATE.

THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED THROUGH THE AREA EADRLIER THIS AFTERNOON...
PRODUCED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR IN
NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ACROSS THE TRI STATE.

MONITOR YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ANY
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS.

HOOPER
Special weather statement, May 25, 5:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 29 minutes before
IAZ030-041-042-053-054-ILZ001-WIZ061-067-252300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO HAIL SIZE...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DUBUQUE IA
515 PM CDT WED MAY 25 1994

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE ENTIRE
DUBUQUE TRI STATE AREA...

AT 510 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED MOST ALL OF THE PRECIP HAD MOVED EAST OF
THE TRI STATE.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TO THE
EAST OF THE TRI STATE.

THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON...
PRODUCED MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR IN
NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ACROSS THE TRI STATE.

MONITOR YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ANY
ADDITIONALR STATEMENTS.

HOOPER
Special weather statement, May 25, 6:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
ILZ009-015-016-024-IAZ065>068-078-088-089-099-260030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
635 PM CDT WED MAY 25 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED FOR ENTIRE BISTATE REGION...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NO LONGER THREATEN THE BISTATE AREA.  THUS...THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. ONLY
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS INTO 900 PM.

ZOGG
Special weather statement, May 25, 6:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
ILZ009-015-016-024-IAZ065>068-078-088-089-099-260030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
635 PM CDT WED MAY 25 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED FOR ENTIRE BISTATE REGION...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NO LONGER THREATEN THE BISTATE AREA.  THUS...THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS CANCELLED FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. ONLY
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS INTO 900 PM.

ZOGG
Local storm report, May 25, 7:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
700 PM CDT WED MAY 25 1994

...STORM REPORT FOR EVENT ON MAY 25TH...

TIME (CST)   EVENT

 220 PM      PEA SIZED HAIL IN COLUMBUS JUNCTION...IN LOUISA COUNTY
             IOWA...REPORTED BY THE SHERIFF/S OFFICE.

 228 PM      DIME SIZED HAIL AND STREET FLOODING IN COLUMBUS JUNCTION
             ...IN LOUISA COUNTY IOWA...REPORTED BY SHERIFF/S OFFICE.

 228 PM      40 - 50 MPH WINDS AT THE SCOTT COUNTY PARTK IN SCOTT COUNTY
             IOWA...REPORTED BY SHERIFF/S OFFICE.

 244 PM      50 - 60 MPH WINDS AND TREE LIMBS DOWN AT WAPELLO IN LOUISA
             COUNTY IOWA...REPORTED BY STATE POLICE.
.

BELL/NOEL/GOEHRING/ZOGG/ERVIN
/
Local storm report, May 25, 7:17 PM CDT, 51 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
700 PM CDT WED MAY 25 1994

...STORM REPORT FOR EVENT ON MAY 25TH...

TIME (CST)   EVENT

 220 PM      PEA SIZED HAIL IN COLUMBUS JUNCTION...IN LOUISA COUNTY
             IOWA...REPORTED BY THE SHERIFF/S OFFICE.

 228 PM      DIME SIZED HAIL AND STREET FLOODING IN COLUMBUS JUNCTION
             ...IN LOUISA COUNTY IOWA...REPORTED BY SHERIFF/S OFFICE.

 228 PM      40 - 50 MPH WINDS AT THE SCOTT C(OUNTY PARTK IN SCOTT COUNTY
             IOWA...REPORTED BY SHERIFF/S OFFICE.

 244 PM      50 - 60 MPH WINDS AND TREE LIMBS DOWN AT WAPELLO IN LOUISA
             COUNTY IOWA...REPORTED BY STATE POLICE.
.

BELL/NOEL/GOEHRING/ZOGG/ERVIN

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.