Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 34, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 5, 1997, 4:43 PM CDT for Hardin County, Iowa. It was in force for 32 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
- Jun 5, 1997, 4:43 PM CDT (21:43 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 5, 1997, 5:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 32 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Hardin County, IA
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:44 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 4:50 PM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Alden, IA | |
| Jun 5, 5:00 PM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Iowa Falls, 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 12:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Davenport, (KDVN), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 242 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1411 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 24 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 35 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 36 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
597
WUUS1 KDSM 052142 RRA
SVRDSM
IAC083-052215-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
443 PM CDT THU JUN 5 1997
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
NORTHERN HARDIN COUNTY - CENTRAL IOWA
* UNTIL 515 PM CDT
* SOME AREAS AFFECTED
IOWA FALLS
ALDEN
OPEN COUNTRY OF NORTHEAST HARDIN COUNTY
* AT 442 PM CDT STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR IOWA
FALLS OR 45 MILES WEST OF WATERLOO MOVING SOUTH AT 25 MPH.
* THE STORM WILL BE NEAR IOWA FALLS THROUGH 500 PM.
HAIL AROUND 1 INCH IN DIAMETER IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS DANGEROUS
STORM. DO NOT GO OUTDOORS TO VIEW THE STORM.
KULA
&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, Jun 5, 11:19 AM CDT, 5 hours 24 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086- 092>097-061200- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1122 AM CDT THU JUN 5 1997 HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL IN EXCESS OF 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER. DAMAGING WINDS ARE NOT VERY LIKELY...BUT WIND GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS -- NORTH OF US HIGHWAY 20...OR NORTH OF SAC CITY...FORT DODGE AND WATERLOO. STORMS WILL BEGIN ISOLATED IN NATURE...BECOMING MORE SCATTERED AND NUMEROUS BY LATE AFTERNOON. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHEAST MINNESOTA IS FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTH TO NEAR ROCHESTER MINNESOTA BY LATE AFTERNOON. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH IT WHICH WILL HELP TO DESTABILIZE THE AIRMASS QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REACH AROUND 80 DEGREES OR EVEN A BIT HIGHER IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. SURFACE DEWPOINTS AROUND 60 DEGREES WILL BE POOLING ALONG A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY CURRENTLY SITUATED FROM NEAR MASON CITY TO FORT DODGE. THIS BOUNDARY IS NOT EXPECTED TO MOVE MUCH. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RECENTLY DEVELOPED ALONG THIS FRONTAL ZONE NORTH AND NORTH ALGONA AND MASON CITY. THESE STORMS WILL GRADUALLY INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON. VERTICAL SPEED SHEAR WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS A JET STREAM MAXIMUM AT 10000 FT OF NEAR 80 KNOTS DIVES SOUTH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW AND INTO NORTHERN IOWA. TORNADOES ARE NOT A HIGH THREAT TODAY DUE TO LIMITED DIRECTIONAL SHEAR. PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED IN THE AREA OF CONCERN...ESPECIALLY AFTER 200 PM. MONITOR NWS SHORT TERM FORECASTS FOR MORE TIMING INFORMATION OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. KULA
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 11:22 AM CDT, 5 hours 21 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086- 092>097-061200- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1122 AM CDT THU JUN 5 1997 HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL IN EXCESS OF 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER. DAMAGING WINDS ARE NOT VERY LIKELY...BUT WIND GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS -- NORTH OF US HIGHWAY 20...OR NORTH OF SAC CITY...FORT DODGE AND WATERLOO. STORMS WILL BEGIN ISOLATED IN NATURE...BECOMING MORE SCATTERED AND NUMEROUS BY LATE AFTERNOON. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHEAST MINNESOTA IS FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTH TO NEAR ROCHESTER MINNESOTA BY LATE AFTERNOON. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH IT WHICH WILL HELP TO DESTABILIZE THE AIRMASS QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REACH AROUND 80 DEGREES OR EVEN A BIT HIGHER IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. SURFACE DEWPOINTS AROUND 60 DEGREES WILL BE POOLING ALONG A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY CURRENTLY SITUATED FROM NEAR MASON CITY TO FORT DODGE. THIS BOUNDARY IS NOT EXPECTED TO MOVE MUCH. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RECENTLY DEVELOPED ALONG THIS FRONTAL ZONE NORTH AND NORTH ALGONA AND MASON CITY. THESE STORMS WILL GRADUALLY INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON. VERTICAL SPEED SHEAR WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS A JET STREAM MAXIMUM AT 10000 FT OF NEAR 80 KNOTS DIVES SOUTH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW AND INTO NORTHERN IOWA. TORNADOES ARE NOT A HIGH THREAT TODAY DUE TO LIMITED DIRECTIONAL SHEAR. PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED IN THE AREA OF CONCERN...ESPECIALLY AFTER 200 PM. MONITOR NWS SHORT TERM FORECASTS FOR MORE TIMING INFORMATION OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. KULA
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 11:30 AM CDT, 5 hours 13 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086- 092>097-061200- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1130 AM CDT THU JUN 5 1997 HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL IN EXCESS OF 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER. DAMAGING WINDS ARE NOT VERY LIKELY...BUT WIND GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS -- NORTH OF US HIGHWAY 20...OR NORTH OF SAC CITY...FORT DODGE AND WATERLOO. STORMS WILL BEGIN ISOLATED IN NATURE...BECOMING MORE SCATTERED AND NUMEROUS BY LATE AFTERNOON. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHEAST MINNESOTA IS FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTH TO NEAR ROCHESTER MINNESOTA BY LATE AFTERNOON. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH IT WHICH WILL HELP TO DESTABILIZE THE AIRMASS QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REACH AROUND 80 DEGREES OR EVEN A BIT HIGHER IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. SURFACE DEWPOINTS AROUND 60 DEGREES WILL BE POOLING ALONG A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY CURRENTLY SITUATED FROM NEAR MASON CITY TO FORT DODGE. THIS BOUNDARY IS NOT EXPECTED TO MOVE MUCH. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RECENTLY DEVELOPED ALONG THIS FRONTAL ZONE NORTH OF ALGONA AND MASON CITY. THESE STORMS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON. VERTICAL SPEED SHEAR WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS A JET STREAM MAXIMUM AT 10000 FT OF NEAR 80 KNOTS DIVES SOUTH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW AND INTO NORTHERN IOWA. TORNADOES ARE NOT A HIGH THREAT TODAY DUE TO LIMITED DIRECTIONAL SHEAR. PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED IN THE AREA OF CONCERN...ESPECIALLY AFTER 200 PM. MONITOR NWS SHORT TERM FORECASTS FOR MORE TIMING INFORMATION OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. KULA
Special weather statement, Jun 5, 11:31 AM CDT, 5 hours 12 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086- 092>097-061200- CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1130 AM CDT THU JUN 5 1997 HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL IN EXCESS OF 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER. DAMAGING WINDS ARE NOT VERY LIKELY...BUT WIND GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS -- NORTH OF US HIGHWAY 20...OR NORTH OF SAC CITY...FORT DODGE AND WATERLOO. STORMS WILL BEGIN ISOLATED IN NATURE...BECOMING MORE SCATTERED AND NUMEROUS BY LATE AFTERNOON. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHEAST MINNESOTA IS FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTH TO NEAR ROCHESTER MINNESOTA BY LATE AFTERNOON. THIS FEATURE HAS QUITE A BIT OF COLD AIR ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH IT WHICH WILL HELP TO DESTABILIZE THE AIRMASS QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REACH AROUND 80 DEGREES OR EVEN A BIT HIGHER IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. SURFACE DEWPOINTS AROUND 60 DEGREES WILL BE POOLING ALONG A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY CURRENTLY SITUATED FROM NEAR MASON CITY TO FORT DODGE. THIS BOUNDARY IS NOT EXPECTED TO MOVE MUCH. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RECENTLY DEVELOPED ALONG THIS FRONTAL ZONE NORTH OF ALGONA AND MASON CITY. THESE STORMS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE IN INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON. VERTICAL SPEED SHEAR WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS A JET STREAM MAXIMUM AT 10000 FT OF NEAR 80 KNOTS DIVES SOUTH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW AND INTO NORTHERN IOWA. TORNADOES ARE NOT A HIGH THREAT TODAY DUE TO LIMITED DIRECTIONAL SHEAR. PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED IN THE AREA OF CONCERN...ESPECIALLY AFTER 200 PM. MONITOR NWS SHORT TERM FORECASTS FOR MORE TIMING INFORMATION OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. KULA
Local storm report, Jun 5, 12:12 PM CDT, 4 hours 31 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1212 PM CDT THU JUN 5 1997 1204 PM NORTHWOOD IA 5/8 INCH HAIL 06/05/97 WORTH HAIL COVERED GROUND MYERS
Local storm report, Jun 5, 12:24 PM CDT, 4 hours 19 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1225 PM CST SUN APR 07 1997 TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION..... ST ...EVENT/REMARKS... DATE(CST) ....COUNTY LOCATION.... 1214 PM 10 E ALGONA IA 1/4 INCH HAIL 06/05/97 KOSSUTH MYERS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 1:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Butler | 31 min |
| Jun 5, 1:24 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Butler | 31 min |
| Jun 5, 1:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Grundy | 30 min |
| Jun 5, 2:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marshall | 48 min |
| Jun 5, 3:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jasper | 28 min |
| Jun 5, 3:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jasper | 35 min |
| Jun 5, 4:21 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Butler, Franklin | 29 min |
| Jun 5, 5:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Lucas | 29 min |
| Jun 5, 5:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Wayne | 34 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997
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.