Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 6, NWS Sioux Falls, SD
NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at Jun 20, 1994, 5:09 PM CDT for Plymouth County, Iowa. It was in force for 36 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jun 20, 1994, 5:09 PM CDT (22:09 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 20, 1994, 5:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 36 min
- Issued by
- NWS Sioux Falls, SD
- Area
- Whole counties
County Plymouth County, IA
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 158 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
- 1380 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -117 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1326 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 9 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 9 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 59 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 KSUX 202209 TORSUX IAC149-202245- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX CITY IA 509 PM CDT MON JUN 20 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX CITY HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTHWEST IOWA ...EASTERN PLYMOUTH COUNTY AT 505 PM CDT A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY MERRIL IOWA...20 MILES NORTHEAST OF SIOUX CITY. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR. THIS TORNADO WILL AFFECT THE TOWN OF KINGSLEY BY 530 PM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM!! TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE IN A STRONG BUILDING GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR DEPRESSION...COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. HUMPHREY &
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 20, 12:47 PM CDT, 4 hours 22 minutes before
SDZ040-055-MNZ071-072-201850- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 1246 PM CDT MON JUN 20 1994 A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM NORTH OF MADISON THROUGH BROOKINGS SOUTH DAKOTA TO NORTH OF MARSHALL MINNESOTA. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY OF MINNESOTA AT 1230 PM. THESE STORMS WERE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AND GUSTY WINDS. BY 100 PM...THE STORMS SHOULD MOVE THROUGH IVANHOE AND LAKE BENTON AND WILL THREATEN MINNEOTA AND CAMDEN STATE PARK. THE STORMS SHOULD ROLL INTO THE MARSHALL AREA BY 115 PM. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON. IF YOU SEE THREATENING WEATHER APPROA CHING SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO FOR LATER STAEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SGE
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 1:38 PM CDT, 3 hours 31 minutes before
MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-098-201940- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 136 PM CDT MON JUN 20 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.... AT 135 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF CURRIE OR 27 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARSHALL. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE LOCATIONS OF LAKE SHETEK AND DOVREY BY 150 PM CDT. IF YOU LIVE IN NORTHEAST MURRAY COUNTY...BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THIS STORM AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE INDOORS BEFORE THE STORM APPROACHES. IF YOU ARE CAMPING OR BOATING AT LAKE SHETEK...MOVE AWAY FROM THE LAKE AND MOVE INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. CONTINUE TO MONITOR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THE WEATHER SITUATION AS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE DAY. HEITKAMP
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 2:10 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-098-202015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 210 PM CDT MON JUN 20 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA... AT 207 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN PARTS OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES EAST OF LAKE SHETEK OR 28 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARSHALL. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS DEVELOPING IN NORTHCENTAL NOBLES COUNTY NEAR THE TOWN OF WILMONT OR 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF WORTHINGTON. HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE AS THESE STORMS MOVE EAST AT 25 MPH. WITH THE POSSIBLITY OF HEAVY RAIN...FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AREAS AND SMALL CREEKS OR RIVERS IS POSSIBLE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR AREAS IN ROCK...NOBLES...AND JACKSON COUNTIES. IF YOU LIVE IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...BE PREPARED FOR ADVERSE WEATHER THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES. HEITKAMP
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 3:59 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
SDZ062-066-067-MNZ089-098-IAZ001-002-012-202300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 400 PM CDT MON JUN 20 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH OF SIOUX FALLS... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RAPIDLY DEVELOPED FROM SIOUX FALLS SOUTH THROUGH NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP SOUTHEAST ABOUT 25 MPH INTO SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN FAR SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...LYON...SIOUX...AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST IOWA...AND ROCK AND NOBLES COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST MINNESTOA THROUGH 500 PM CDT. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...SOME HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAINS OVER AN INCH IN A SHORT TIME. SOME AREAS OF NORTHWEST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA HAVE SATURATED GROUND FROM RECENT RAINS. THE PRESENT THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE SOME ADDITIONAL LOCALIZED FLOODING PROBLEMS FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. RYRHOLM
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 4:23 PM CDT, 46 minutes before
IAZ013-020-021-031-032-043-NEZ013>015-SDZ071-212215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX CITY IA 423 PM CDT MON JUN 20 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING NORTH OF SIOUX CITY... AT 420 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 5 MILES WEST OF BERESFORD SOUTH DAKOTA...45 MILES NORTHWEST OF SIOUX CITY. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR. THE STORM WILL AFFECT BERESFORD BY 430 PM AND ALCESTER AN NORA BY 445 PM. PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS NEAR 45 MILES AN HOUR AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR SHELDON AND SANBORN IOWA. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. HARTLEY AND PRIMGHAR WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS BETWEEN 445 PM AND 500. HUMHREY WWUS35KCSG .
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 4:24 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
IAZ013-020-021-031-032-043-NEZ013>015-SDZ071-212215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX CITY IA 423 PM CDT MON JUN 20 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING NORTH OF SIOUX CITY... AT 420 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 5 MILES WEST OF BERESFORD SOUTH DAKOTA...45 MILES NORTHWEST OF SIOUX CITY. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR. THE STORM WILL AFFECT BERESFORD BY 430 PM AND ALCESTER AN NORA BY 445 PM. PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS NEAR 45 MILES AN HOUR AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR SHELDON AND SANBORN IOWA. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. HARTLEY AND PRIMGHAR WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS BETWEEN 445 PM AND 500. HUMHREY
The office that day
Everything else NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 20, 4:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | O'Brien | 21 min |
| Jun 20, 5:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FSD | Woodbury | 27 min |
| Jun 20, 5:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Woodbury | 33 min |
| Jun 20, 6:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Woodbury | 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.