Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 76, NWS Quad Cities, IA

October 29, 1996Jo Daviess County, Illinois

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Oct 29, 1996, 1:56 PM CST for Jo Daviess County, Illinois. It was in force for 49 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Oct 29, 1996, 1:56 PM CST (19:56 UTC)
Expired
Oct 29, 1996, 2:45 PM CST
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Jo Daviess County, IL

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 89 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:56 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 281 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 1996-10-29Temperature 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 1996-10-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 160 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
674 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
160 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
197 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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.

NWS Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Oct 29, 9:46 AM CST, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 29, 9:46 AM CST, 4 hours 10 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 29, 10:16 AM CST, 3 hours 40 minutes before
IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-
007-009-015>018-024>026-034-035-301200-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1016 AM CST TUE OCT 29 1996

...POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION THIS AFTERNOON AND STRONG
WINDS TONIGHT...

ACTIVE WEATHER IS EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A RAPIDLY DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
WILL MOVE FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA LATE THIS MORNING TO SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA
BY EVENING. THIS LOW WILL PUMP GULF MOISTURE... MARKED BY DEWPOINTS AT
OR ABOVE 60 DEGREES F... INTO THE AREA. ABOVE THE SURFACE VERY STRONG
WINDS AT 850MB /ABOUT 5000FT/ UP TO 60 MPH AND EVEN HIGHER WINDS UP TO
140 MPH IN THE JET STREAM WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE STRONG SPEED AND
DIRECTIONAL SHEAR ACROSS THE AREA.

A COLD FRONT OVER CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND KANSAS WILL RACE EAST
NORTHEAST... REACHING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY 600 PM. THE COLD FRONT
WILL INTERACT WITH THE GULF MOISTURE... VERY STRONG SPEED AND
DIRECTIONAL SHEAR AND INSTABILITY TO 1000 J/KG /CAPE/ TO PRODUCE
POTENTIALLY VIOLENT DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE PRIMARY
THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH OR GREATER. HOWEVER...
DUE TO THE FAVORABLE WIND PROFILE... A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE.

AS FOR TIMING... EASTERN IOWA WILL BE UNDER THE GUN AFTER 100 PM WITH
NORTHWEST ILLINOIS UNDER THE THREAT AFTER 300 PM.

AFTER THE STORM PASSES TIGHTLY PACKED ISOBARS AROUND THE DEEP LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL USHER IN COLDER AIR FROM THE WEST. THE WIND
CREATED BY THE PACKED ISOBARS /GRADIENT WIND/ WILL PRODUCE WIND
SPEEDS FROM 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE
EVENING ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS. THE HAZARD COMMUNITY SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

HENDRICKS/HOLSTEN
Special weather statement, Oct 29, 10:17 AM CST, 3 hours 39 minutes before
IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-
007-009-015>018-024>026-034-035-301200-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1016 AM CST TUE OCT 29 1996

...POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION THIS AFTERNOON AND STRONG
WINDS TONIGHT...

ACTIVE WEATHER IS EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A RAPIDLY DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
WILL MOVE FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA LATE THIS MORNING TO SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA
BY EVENING. THIS LOW WILL PUMP GULF MOISTURE... MARKED BY DEWPOINTS AT
OR ABOVE 60 DEGREES F... INTO THE AREA. ABOVE THE SURFACE VERY STRONG
WINDS AT 850MB /ABOUT 5000FT/ UP TO 60 MPH AND EVEN HIGHER WINDS UP TO
140 MPH IN THE JET STREAM WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE STRONG SPEED AND
DIRECTIONAL SHEAR ACROSS THE AREA.

A COLD FRONT OVER CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND KANSAS WILL RACE EAST
NORTHEAST... REACHING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY 600 PM. THE COLD FRONT
WILL INTERACT WITH THE GULF MOISTURE... VERY STRONG SPEED AND
DIRECTIONAL SHEAR AND INSTABILITY TO 1000 J/KG /CAPE/ TO PRODUCE
POTENTIALLY VIOLENT DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE PRIMARY
THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH OR GREATER. HOWEVER...
DUE TO THE FAVORABLE WIND PROFILE... A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE.

AS FOR TIMING... EASTERN IOWA WILL BE UNDER THE GUN AFTER 100 PM WITH
NORTHWEST ILLINOIS UNDER THE THREAT AFTER 300 PM.

AFTER THE STORM PASSES TIGHTLY PACKED ISOBARS AROUND THE DEEP LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL USHER IN COLDER AIR FROM THE WEST. THE WIND
CREATED BY THE PACKED ISOBARS /GRADIENT WIND/ WILL PRODUCE WIND
SPEEDS FROM 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE
EVENING ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS. THE HAZARD COMMUNITY SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

HENDRICKS/HOLSTEN
Special weather statement, Oct 29, 10:42 AM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007-
009-015>018-024>026-034-035-300245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1042 AM CST TUE OCT 29 1996

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CST FOR A SMALL PORTION OF
EASTERN IOWA...

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A SMALL PORTION OF EASTERN IOWA UNTIL
500 PM CST. THIS INCLUDES THE COUNTY OF KEOKUK. SOME CITIES IN THE
WATCH AREA ARE SIGOURNEY... WHAT CHEER AND LANCASTER.

THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS ARE NOT CURRENTLY
UNDER A WATCH. REPEATING... THE MAJOR METROPOLITIAN AREAS OF EASTERN
IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS... INCLUDING CEDAR RAPIDS... DUBUQUE... THE
QUAD CITIES AND BURLINGTON ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA.

STAY TUNED TO LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

HENDRICKS
Special weather statement, Oct 29, 10:43 AM CST, 3 hours 13 minutes before
IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007-
009-015>018-024>026-034-035-300245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1042 AM CST TUE OCT 29 1996

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CST FOR A SMALL PORTION OF
EASTERN IOWA...

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A SMALL PORTION OF EASTERN IOWA UNTIL
500 PM CST. THIS INCLUDES THE COUNTY OF KEOKUK. SOME CITIES IN THE
WATCH AREA ARE SIGOURNEY... WHAT CHEER AND LANCASTER.

THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS ARE NOT CURRENTLY
UNDER A WATCH. REPEATING... THE MAJOR METROPOLITIAN AREAS OF EASTERN
IOWA AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS... INCLUDING CEDAR RAPIDS... DUBUQUE... THE
QUAD CITIES AND BURLINGTON ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA.

STAY TUNED TO LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

HENDRICKS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 29, 1:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNDubuque, Jackson, Jones42 min
Oct 29, 1:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNDubuque, Jackson, Jones36 min
Oct 29, 2:33 PM CSTTornado WarningDVNJohnson, Washington42 min
Oct 29, 2:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar50 min
Oct 29, 3:02 PM CSTTornado WarningDVNJones43 min
Oct 29, 3:03 PM CSTTornado WarningDVNCedar42 min
Oct 29, 3:23 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClinton, Scott52 min
Oct 29, 3:26 PM CSTTornado WarningDVNClinton, Scott49 min
Oct 29, 3:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNHenry, Whiteside42 min
Oct 29, 4:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCarroll, Jo Daviess56 min
Oct 29, 4:09 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBureau, Putnam66 min
Oct 29, 4:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNWhiteside41 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.