Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 1, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 24, 1996, 4:07 PM CST for Adams County, Ringgold County, Union County, Iowa. It was in force for 33 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 24, 1996, 4:07 PM CST (22:07 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 24, 1996, 4:40 PM CST
- In force
- 33 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Adams County, IA, Ringgold County, IA, Union County, IA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 24, 4:15 PM CST | Tornado F0 | Mt Ayr, IA | |
| Mar 24, 4:33 PM CST | Thunderstorm Wind 52 | Creston, IA |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 171 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
- 6 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -377 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 844 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 48 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 172 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 171 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WUUS1 KDSM 242205 RRA
SVRDSM
IAC003-159-175-242240-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
407 PM CST SUN MAR 24 1996
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
ADAMS COUNTY - SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
RINGGOLD COUNTY - SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
UNION COUNTY - SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
* UNTIL 440 PM CST
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED
CORNING
CRESTON
MOUNT ARY
* AT 400 PM CST SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM FROM CORNING
TO MOUNT ARY OR 70 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 30 MPH.
* THE STORM WILL BE THROUGH CORNING...CRESTON AND TINGLEY BY 420 PM.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. DO NOT GO OUTDOORS.
JOHNSON
&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, Mar 24, 1:01 PM CST, 3 hours 6 minutes before
IAZALL-242110- IOWA SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 103 PM CST SUN MAR 24 1996 HAZARD...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. AREA OF CONCERN...GENERALLY THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE. TIMING DETAILS...BETWEEN 1 AND 3 PM...THE RISK OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXTEND ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST PART OF IOWA SOUTH OF I80 AND WEST OF I35. BETWEEN 3 AND 6 PM...THE RISK WILL PUSH MORE INTO SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...A STRONG SOUTHERLY JET CONTINUES TO PUSH HIGHER MOISTURE WELL INTO IOWA. DEW POINTS IN THE MID 50S NOW EXTEND ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE STATE. RADAR SHOWS A SLOW INCREASE IN THUNDERSTORM INTENSITY IN THIS AREA WITH THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF CONCERN THE OMAHA VICINITY MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST. SATELLITE SHOWS SOME BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST WHICH WAS INCREASING THE INSTABILITY. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...MORE ISOLATEDD SEVERE IS ANTICIPATED. PRECAUTIONS...CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES. FELDT
Special weather statement, Mar 24, 1:03 PM CST, 3 hours 4 minutes before
IAZALL-242110- IOWA SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 103 PM CST SUN MAR 24 1996 HAZARD...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. AREA OF CONCERN...GENERALLY THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE. TIMING DETAILS...BETWEEN 1 AND 3 PM...THE RISK OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXTEND ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST PART OF IOWA SOUTH OF I80 AND WEST OF I35. BETWEEN 3 AND 6 PM...THE RISK WILL PUSH MORE INTO SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...A STRONG SOUTHERLY JET CONTINUES TO PUSH HIGHER MOISTURE WELL INTO IOWA. DEW POINTS IN THE MID 50S NOW EXTEND ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE STATE. RADAR SHOWS A SLOW INCREASE IN THUNDERSTORM INTENSITY IN THIS AREA WITH THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF CONCERN THE OMAHA VICINITY MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST. SATELLITE SHOWS SOME BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST WHICH WAS INCREASING THE INSTABILITY. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...MORE ISOLATED SEVERE IS ANTICIPATED. PRECAUTIONS...CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES. FELDT
Special weather statement, Mar 24, 2:09 PM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes before
IAZALL-242215- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 210 PM CST SUN MAR 24 1996 HAZARD...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. AREA OF CONCERN...BETWEEN 2 AND 4 PM...THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE STATE...AFTER 4 PM THROUGH EARLY EVENING....THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE ESPECIALLY SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. TIMING DETAILS...THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA WILL CONTINUE STRONG THROUGH 4 PM WITH ISOLATED HAIL. STRONG STORMS DEVELOPING OVER MISSOURI WILL SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN IOWA AFTER 4 PM. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...CLUSTER OF STRONG STORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA ASSOCIATED WITH CONVERGENCE NEAR INTERSECTION OF LOW AND WARM FRONT. ISOLATED HAIL POSSIBLE WITH THESE CELLS. GREATER CONCERN WILL BE CONVECTION IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI. THESE STORMS WILL RAPIDLY MOVE NORTHEAST TOWARDS IOWA BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO AREA OF GREATEST MOISTURE AND HIGHEST TEMPERATURE. ALSO...SOME SIGN OF A WEAK BOUNDRY OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. EXPECT ONLY ISOLATED SEVERE IN FAR WEST IOWA...WITH GREATER CHANCE LATER TODAY IN SOUTH CENTRAL PORTIONS. ALTHOUGH THE GREATEST INSTABILITY WILL BE SOUTH OF IOWA...IF THE STORMS CONTINUE STRONG* SOUTH OF THE STATE...A WATCH IS POSSIBLE AFTER 4 PM. PRECAUTIONS...CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES. . FELDT
Special weather statement, Mar 24, 2:10 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
IAZALL-242215- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 210 PM CST SUN MAR 24 1996 HAZARD...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. AREA OF CONCERN...BETWEEN 2 AND 4 PM...THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE STATE...AFTER 4 PM THROUGH EARLY EVENING....THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE ESPECIALLY SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. TIMING DETAILS...THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA WILL CONTINUE STRONG THROUGH 4 PM WITH ISOLATED HAIL. STRONG STORMS DEVELOPING OVER MISSOURI WILL SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN IOWA AFTER 4 PM. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...CLUSTER OF STRONG STORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA ASSOCIATED WITH CONVERGENCE NEAR INTERSECTION OF LOW AND WARM FRONT. ISOLATED HAIL POSSIBLE WITH THESE CELLS. GREATER CONCERN WILL BE CONVECTION IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI. THESE STORMS WILL RAPIDLY MOVE NORTHEAST TOWARDS IOWA BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO AREA OF GREATEST MOISTURE AND HIGHEST TEMPERATURE. ALSO...SOME SIGN OF A WEAK BOUNDRY OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. EXPECT ONLY ISOLATED SEVERE IN FAR WEST IOWA...WITH GREATER CHANCE LATER TODAY IN SOUTH CENTRAL PORTIONS. ALTHOUGH THE GREATEST INSTABILITY WILL BE SOUTH OF IOWA...IF THE STORMS CONTINUE STRONG SOUTH OF THE STATE...A WATCH IS POSSIBLE AFTER 4 PM. PRECAUTIONS...CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES. . FELDT
Special weather statement, Mar 24, 3:40 PM CST, 27 minutes before
IAZALL-242315- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 340 PM CST SUN MAR 24 1996 HAZARD...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. AREA OF CONCERN...BETWEEN 4 AND 7 PM...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA...SOUTH OF DES MOINES TO OTTUMWA. TIMING DETAILS...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...OVER WESTERN MISSOURI...MAY MOVE INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA IN THE VICINITY OF LAMONI BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM. OTHERWISE...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...AIRMASS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE WITH LIFTED INDICES AROUND -5 AT 3 PM. THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH CENTRAL IOWA SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. PRECAUTIONS...INTERESTS IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION. JOHNSON
Special weather statement, Mar 24, 3:42 PM CST, 25 minutes before
IAZALL-242315- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 340 PM CST SUN MAR 24 1996 HAZARD...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. AREA OF CONCERN...BETWEEN 4 AND 7 PM...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA...SOUTH OF DES MOINES TO OTTUMWA. TIMING DETAILS...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...OVER WESTERN MISSOURI...MAY MOVE INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA IN THE VICINITY OF LAMONI BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM. OTHERWISE...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...AIRMASS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE WITH LIFTED INDICES AROUND -5 AT 3 PM. THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH CENTRAL IOWA SHOULD REMAIN BELOWv SEVERE LIMITS PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. PRECAUTIONS...INTERESTS IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION. JOHNSON
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 24, 4:20 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clarke, Decatur | 35 min |
| Mar 24, 4:48 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adair, Madison, Union | 32 min |
| Mar 24, 5:28 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Lucas, Marion | 27 min |
| Mar 24, 5:28 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Wayne | 27 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1996Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1996
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.