Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 69, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 20, 1996Crawford County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 20, 1996, 5:11 PM CDT for Crawford County, Iowa. It was in force for 34 min. 4 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
Jun 20, 1996, 5:11 PM CDT (22:11 UTC)
Expired
Jun 20, 1996, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Crawford County, IA

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:12 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 20, 5:16 PM CDTHail 0.75Denison, IA
Jun 20, 5:23 PM CDTHail 1Deloit, IA
Jun 20, 5:41 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 50Schleswig, IA
Jun 20, 5:45 PM CDTHail 1.25Schleswig, 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, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 114 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 1996-06-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2885 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 1996-06-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 145 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
2885 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-108 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
717 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
145 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
147 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
10.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 202211
SVRDSM
IAC047-202245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
511 PM CDT THU JUN 20 1996

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
  EASTERN CRAWFORD COUNTY - WEST CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 545 PM CDT
 
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED
    DELOIT
    VAIL
    WESTSIDE

* AT 509 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM JUST WEST OF
  DELOIT OR 55 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SIOUX CITY MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25
  MPH.

* THE STORM WILL BE NEAR VAIL AT 520 PM CDT.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  DO NOT GO OUTDOORS.

STARK

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

Local storm report, Jun 20, 12:40 PM CDT, 4 hours 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA                                          1225 AM CST THU JUN 20 1996

TIME(CDT)   .....CITY LOCATION.....  ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
DATE(CDT)   ....COUNTY LOCATION....
                                                                                1147 PM    NORTH OF ODEBOLT          IA   1.75 INCH HAIL                        6/19/96    SAC                                                                                                                                                  1247 AM    NORTH OF ODEBOLT          IA   1.75 INCH HAIL                        6/20/96    SAC                                                                                                                                                  0118 AM    DENISON                   IA   1.75 INCH HAIL                        6/20/96    CRAWFORD                                                                                                                                             0140 AM    6 N DENISON               IA   .75 INCH HAIL                         6/20/96    CRAWFORD                                                                                                                                             0222 AM    10 NE AUDUBON             IA   70 MPH WIND GUST
                                                                                6/20/96    AUDUBON                                                                                                                                              0247 AM    10 NE AUDUBON             IA   WIND DAMAGE LARGE TREES               6/20/96    AUDUBON                        DAMAGED                                                                                                               0941 AM    10 SW AUDUBON             IA   WIND DAMAGE LARGE TREES               6/20/96    AUDUBON                        DOWN                                                                                                                  0945 AM    AUDUBON                   IA   WIND DAMAGE POWER LINES               6/20/96    AUDUBON                        DOWN                                                                                                                  1010 AM    5 NE GUTHRIE CENTER       IA   .75 INCH HAIL                         6/20/96    GUTHRIE                                                                                                                                              1015 AM    STUART                    IA   WIND DAMAGE LARGE TREES               6/20/96    GUTHRIE                        DOWN AND CAR DAMAGE                                                                                                   1056 AM    CRESTON                   IA   59 MPH WIND GUST                      6/20/96    UNION

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Local storm report, Jun 20, 12:40 PM CDT, 4 hours 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1240 PM CST THU JUN 20 1996

TIME(CDT)   .....CITY LOCATION.....  ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
DATE(CDT)   ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1147 PM    NORTH OF ODEBOLT          IA   1.75 INCH HAIL
6/19/96    SAC

1247 AM    NORTH OF ODEBOLT          IA   1.75 INCH HAIL
6/20/96    SAC

0118 AM    DENISON                   IA   1.75 INCH HAIL
6/20/96    CRAWFORD

0140 AM    6 N DENISON               IA   .75 INCH HAIL
6/20/96    CRAWFORD

0222 AM    10 NE AUDUBON             IA   70 MPH WIND GUST

6/20/96    AUDUBON

0247 AM    10 NE AUDUBON             IA   WIND DAMAGE LARGE TREES
6/20/96    AUDUBON                        DAMAGED

0941 AM    10 SW AUDUBON             IA   WIND DAMAGE LARGE TREES
6/20/96    AUDUBON                        DOWN

0945 AM    AUDUBON                   IA   WIND DAMAGE POWER LINES
6/20/96    AUDUBON                        DOWN

1010 AM    5 NE GUTHRIE CENTER       IA   .75 INCH HAIL
6/20/96    GUTHRIE

1015 AM    STUART                    IA   WIND DAMAGE LARGE TREES
6/20/96    GUTHRIE                        DOWN AND CAR DAMAGE

1056 AM    CRESTON                   IA   59 MPH WIND GUST
6/20/96    UNION

JOHNSON
Local storm report, Jun 20, 12:43 PM CDT, 4 hours 28 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1243 PM CST THU JUN 20 1996

TIME(CDT)   .....CITY LOCATION.....  ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
DATE(CDT)   ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1230 AM    SCHALLER                  IA   1.75 INCH HAIL
6/20/96    SAC

0230 AM    10 NE AUDUBON             IA   NUMEROUS LARGE TREES DOWN
6/20/96    AUDONBON

JOHNSON
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 2:54 PM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
IAZ004>006-015-016-023>025-033>036-044>048-057>060-070>073-081>083-
092>094-202230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
255 PM CDT THU JUN 20 1996

HAZARD...SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND
GUSTS TO 75 MPH...HAIL ONE INCH IN DIAMETER...AND ISOLATED RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES.

AREA OF CONCERN...WESTERN HALF OF IOWA...ALONG AND WEST OF A LAMONI TO
DES MOINES TO LAKE MILLS LINE.

TIMING DETAILS...LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS FAR NORTHWEST IOWA AND
THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IOWA.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...A STATIONARY FRONT LOCATED ACROSS NORTHEAST
THROUGH SOUTHWEST IOWA WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS FORECAST TO PUSH OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE
PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTERACT WITH AN EXTREMELY UNSTABLE
AIRMASS ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA. THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALREADY OCCURRING
OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA INTO NORTHWEST IOWA AND FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT IS ANTICIPATED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE MOVES EAST. LOW LEVEL WIND PROFILES ACROSS WESTERN IOWA
ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT LATE
THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING AS THE DISTURBANCE INTERACTS WITH
THE STATIONARY FRONTAL SYSTEM LYING ACROSS THE STATE. LATEST VISIBLE
SATELLITE PICTURES INDICATE SKIES WERE CLEARING ACROSS PARTS OF
SOUTHWEST IOWA WHICH WILL ALLOW THE ATMOSPHERE TO DESTABILIZE EVEN
FURTHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON. LIFTED INDICES ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA
WERE ALREADY RANGING FROM -10 TO -15 INDICATING EXTREME INSTABILITY
PRESENT IN THIS AREA. THUNDERSTORMS WILL INTENSIFY ACROSS NORTHWEST
IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED FURTHER
SOUTH INTO FAR WEST AND SOUTHWEST IOWA BY THIS EVENING.

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES...THERE ALSO EXISTS THE REAL THREAT OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY
RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE. PRESENT
INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS
EXTREME NORTHERN IOWA LATER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. FURTHER
SOUTH...RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM ONE HALF TO ONE INCH WHICH
WILL FURTHER AGGRAVATE THE ALREADY SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONS...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO
TONIGHT. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND WATER RESOURCE PERSONNEL SHOULD KEEP
ABREAST OF THE SITUATION.

SMITH
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 2:57 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
IAZ004>006-015-016-023>025-033>036-044>048-057>060-070>073-081>083-
092>094-202230-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
255 PM CDT THU JUN 20 1996

HAZARD...SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND
GUSTS TO 75 MPH...HAIL ONE INCH IN DIAMETER...AND ISOLATED RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES.

AREA OF CONCERN...WESTERN HALF OF IOWA...ALONG AND WEST OF A LAMONI TO
DES MOINES TO LAKE MILLS LINE.

TIMING DETAILS...LATE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS FAR NORTHWEST IOWA AND
THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IOWA.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...A STATIONARY FRONT LOCATED ACROSS NORTHEAST
THROUGH SOUTHWEST IOWA WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS FORECAST TO PUSH OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE
PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTERACT WITH AN EXTREMELY UNSTABLE
AIRMASS ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA. THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALREADY OCCURRING
OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA INTO NORTHWEST IOWA AND FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT IS ANTICIPATED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE MOVES EAST. LOW LEVEL WIND PROFILES ACROSS WESTERN IOWA
ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT LATE
THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING AS THE DISTURBANCE INTERACTS WITH
THE STATIONARY FRONTAL SYSTEM LYING ACROSS THE STATE. LATEST VISIBLE
SATELLITE PICTURES INDICATE SKIES WERE CLEARING ACROSS PARTS OF
SOUTHWEST IOWA WHICH WILL ALLOW THE ATMOSPHERE TO DESTABILIZE EVEN
FURTHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON. LIFTED INDICES ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA
WERE ALREADY RANGING FROM -10 TO -15 INDICATING EXTREME INSTABILITY
PRESENT IN THIS AREA. THUNDERSTORMS WILL INTENSIFY ACROSS NORTHWEST
IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED FURTHER
SOUTH INTO FAR WEST AND SOUTHWEST IOWA BY THIS EVENING.

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES...THERE ALSO EXISTS THE REAL THREAT OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY
RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE. PRESENT
INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS
EXTREME NORTHERN IOWA LATER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. FURTHER
SOUTH...RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM ONE HALF TO ONE INCH WHICH
WILL FURTHER AGGRAVATE THE ALREADY SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONS...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO
TONIGHT. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND WATER RESOURCE PERSONNEL SHOULD KEEP
ABREAST OF THE SITUATION.

SMITH
Special weather statement, Jun 20, 4:04 PM CDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
IAZ004>006-015-016-023>025-033>036-044>048-057>060-070>073-081>083-
092>094-202230-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
410 PM CDT THU JUN 20 1996

HAZARD...SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DOWNBURST
WIND GUSTS TO 75 MPH...ISOLATED TORNADOES...HAIL ONE INCH IN
DIAMETER...AND ISOLATED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES.

AREA OF CONCERN...NORTHWEST THIRD OF IOWA THIS EVENING...NORTHWEST OF
AN ALGONA TO DENISON LINE. OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN IOWA LATE THIS
EVENING AND TONIGHT...ALONG AND WEST OF A LAMONI TO DES MOINES TO LAKE
MILLS LINE.

TIMING DETAILS...THIS EVENING ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA AND OVERNIGHT
FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IOWA.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS...A STATIONARY FRONT LOCATED ACROSS NORTHEAST
THROUGH SOUTHWEST IOWA WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. AN UPPER
LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS FORECAST TO PUSH OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE
PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTERACT WITH AN EXTREMELY UNSTABLE
AIRMASS ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA. THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALREADY OCCURRING
OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA INTO NORTHWEST IOWA AND FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT IS ANTICIPATED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE MOVES EAST. LOW LEVEL WIND PROFILES ACROSS WESTERN IOWA
ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT LATE
THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING AS THE DISTURBANCE INTERACTS WITH
THE STATIONARY FRONTAL SYSTEM LYING ACROSS THE STATE. LATEST VISIBLE
SATELLITE PICTURES INDICATE SKIES CONTINUING TO CLEAR OVER PARTS OF
SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL IOWA WHICH WILL ALLOW THE ATMOSPHERE TO
DESTABILIZE EVEN FURTHER THIS EVENING. LIFTED INDICES ACROSS EASTERN
NEBRASKA WERE ALREADY RANGING FROM -10 TO -15 INDICATING EXTREME
INSTABILITY PRESENT IN THIS AREA. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALREADY
OCCURRING OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EASTWARD THIS
EVENING WHILE ADDITIONAL STORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED FURTHER
SOUTH INTO FAR WEST AND SOUTHWEST IOWA THIS EVENING.

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES...THERE ALSO EXISTS THE THREAT OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY
RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE. PRESENT
INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS
EXTREME NORTHERN IOWA LATER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. FURTHER
SOUTH...RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE FROM ONE HALF TO ONE INCH WHICH
WILL FURTHER AGGRAVATE THE ALREADY SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONS...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.
EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND WATER RESOURCE PERSONNEL SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF
THE SITUATION.

SMITH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 19, 11:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXSac31 min
Jun 20, 12:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXSac21 min
Jun 20, 1:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford25 min
Jun 20, 1:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXSac3 hr
Jun 20, 1:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford32 min
Jun 20, 9:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon, Cass30 min
Jun 20, 9:49 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Guthrie41 min
Jun 20, 10:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDallas, Madison44 min
Jun 20, 10:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPolk, Warren39 min
Jun 20, 10:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMadison, Union29 min
Jun 20, 1:18 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXAudubon3 hr
Jun 20, 4:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford37 min
Jun 20, 5:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford43 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.