Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 74, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 24, 1997Carroll County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 24, 1997, 8:30 PM CDT for Carroll County, Iowa. It was in force for 30 min. 1 report 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 24, 1997, 8:30 PM CDT (01:30 UTC)
Expired: Jun 24, 1997, 9:00 PM CDT
In force: 30 min
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Whole counties

County Carroll County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:30 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 24, 8:32 PM CDT	Hail 0.75	Carroll, 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 24, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 148 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 2805 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -11 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1055 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 250130 RRA
SVRDSM
IAC027-250200-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
830 PM CDT TUE JUN 24 1997

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
  CARROLL COUNTY - WEST CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 900 PM CDT
 
* SOME AREAS AFFECTED
    CARROLL
    GLIDDEN
    RALSTON
    WILLEY

* AT 829 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR CARROLL OR
  50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT DODGE MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE STORM WILL BE NEAR GLIDDEN BY 840 PM AND RALSTON BY 850 PM .

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  DO NOT GO OUTDOORS.

SCHAFER

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 24, 3:18 PM CDT, 5 hours 12 minutes before

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-250500-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
320 PM CDT TUE JUN 24 1997

HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

AREA OF CONCERN -- ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITH
THE GREATEST CHANCES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN OVER THE
SOUTHWEST QUARTER.

TIMING DETAILS -- BETWEEN 600 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A COLD FRONT LOCATED FROM MINNESOTA ACROSS
SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND INTO NEBRASKA WILL GRADUALLY MOVE THROUGH
IOWA THIS EVENING.  MOISTURE CONVERGENCE OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA ALONG
WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF UP TO TWO INCHES WILL FOCUS THE
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION OVER THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE STATE.  CAPE
VALUES STATEWIDE RANGE FROM 2000 TO 2500 J/KG.  AN INFLUX OF COLD AIR
AT 18000 FEET WILL LEAD TO FURTHER DESTABILIZATION THIS EVENING.
SUNSHINE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON WILL ALSO ENHANCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.  AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT THUNDERSTORMS WILL
DEVELOP OVER WESTERN IOWA AFTER 600 PM AND THEN SPREAD EAST OVER THE
REMAINDER OF CENTRAL IOWA.  DUE TO THE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE
AVAILABLE...RAINFALL RATES IN EXCESS OF ONE INCH PER HOUR ARE LIKELY.

PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAYBE REQUIRED THIS EVENING.
EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT OF THE LATEST SHORT-TERM
FORECAST FOR THEIR AREA.

SCHAFER

Special weather statement, Jun 24, 3:20 PM CDT, 5 hours 10 minutes before

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-250500-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
320 PM CDT TUE JUN 24 1997

HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

AREA OF CONCERN -- ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITH
THE GREATEST CHANCES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN OVER THE
SOUTHWEST QUARTER.

TIMING DETAILS -- BETWEEN 600 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A COLD FRONT LOCATED FROM MINNESOTA ACROSS
SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND INTO NEBRASKA WILL GRADUALLY MOVE THROUGH
IOWA THIS EVENING.  MOISTURE CONVERGENCE OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA ALONG
WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF UP TO TWO INCHES WILL FOCUS THE
HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION OVER THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE STATE.  CAPE
VALUES STATEWIDE RANGE FROM 2000 TO 2500 J/KG.  AN INFLUX OF COLD AIR
AT 18000 FEET WILL LEAD TO FURTHER DESTABILIZATION THIS EVENING.
SUNSHINE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON WILL ALSO ENHANCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.  AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT THUNDERSTORMS WILL
DEVELOP OVER WESTERN IOWA AFTER 600 PM AND THEN SPREAD EAST OVER THE
REMAINDER OF CENTRAL IOWA.  DUE TO THE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE
AVAILABLE...RAINFALL RATES IN EXCESS OF ONE INCH PER HOUR ARE LIKELY.

PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAYBE REQUIRED THIS EVENING.
EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT OF THE LATEST SHORT-TERM
FORECAST FOR THEIR AREA.

SCHAFER

Special weather statement, Jun 24, 7:32 PM CDT, 58 minutes before

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-250800-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
732 PM CDT TUE JUN 24 1997

HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

AREA OF CONCERN -- ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA.

TIMING DETAILS -- THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND OVERNIGHT FOR
HEAVY RAIN.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
NEAR MASON CITY TO NEAR DENISON IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA IS EXPECTED TO
INTENSIFY AS IT DRIFTS SLOWLY SOUTHEAST.  THE LATEST SOUNDING DATA HAS
CAPE/S OF NEARLY 4000 J/KG AND PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF NEARLY TWO
INCHES.  GIVEN THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS AND PROBABLE TRAINING OF THE
STORMS...FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING.  AS
LITTLE AS TWO INCHES OF RAIN IN THREE HOURS MAY LEAD TO FLOODING
ESPECIALLY OVER CRAWFORD...CARROLL AND AUDUBON COUNTIES IN WEST-CENTRAL
IOWA.  ELSEWHERE THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
WIND PROFILES SUGGEST THAT THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE FROM
DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING.
EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT OF THE LATEST SHORT-TERM
FORECAST FOR THEIR AREA.  PEOPLE LIVING IN OR NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS
SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO RAPID WATER RISES.  NEVER DRIVE INTO STANDING
WATER.

KUBINA

Special weather statement, Jun 24, 7:33 PM CDT, 57 minutes before

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-250800-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
732 PM CDT TUE JUN 24 1997

HAZARD -- ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

AREA OF CONCERN -- ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA.

TIMING DETAILS -- THROUGH MIDNIGHT FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND OVERNIGHT FOR
HEAVY RAIN.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS -- A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
NEAR MASON CITY TO NEAR DENISON IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA IS EXPECTED TO
INTENSIFY AS IT DRIFTS SLOWLY SOUTHEAST.  THE LATEST SOUNDING DATA HAS
CAPE/S OF NEARLY 4000 J/KG AND PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF NEARLY TWO
INCHES.  GIVEN THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS AND PROBABLE TRAINING OF THE
STORMS...FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING.  AS
LITTLE AS TWO INCHES OF RAIN IN THREE HOURS MAY LEAD TO FLOODING
ESPECIALLY OVER CRAWFORD...CARROLL AND AUDUBON COUNTIES IN WEST-CENTRAL
IOWA.  ELSEWHERE THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
WIND PROFILES SUGGEST THAT THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE FROM
DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

PRECAUTIONS -- SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING.
EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT OF THE LATEST SHORT-TERM
FORECAST FOR THEIR AREA.  PEOPLE LIVING IN OR NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS
SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO RAPID WATER RISES.  NEVER DRIVE INTO STANDING
WATER.

KUBINA

Special weather statement, Jun 24, 8:26 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

IAZ004>006-015-023-250300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
826 PM CDT TUE JUN 24 1997

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST IOWA...EMMET...KOSSUTH...WINNEBAGO...PALO ALTO AND
POCAHONTAS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 518 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE DES MOINES AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.

KUBINA

Special weather statement, Jun 24, 8:27 PM CDT, 3 minutes before

IAZ004>006-015-023-250300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
826 PM CDT TUE JUN 24 1997

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST IOWA...EMMET...KOSSUTH...WINNEBAGO...PALO ALTO AND
POCAHONTAS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 518 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE DES MOINES AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.

KUBINA

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 24, 9:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Hamilton	48 min
Jun 24, 9:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Dallas, Guthrie	46 min
Jun 24, 10:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Bremer	32 min
Jun 24, 10:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Marshall, Story	33 min
Jun 24, 10:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Madison	48 min
Jun 24, 10:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Dallas	40 min
Jun 24, 11:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Black Hawk	33 min
Jun 24, 11:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adams, Union	34 min
Jun 24, 11:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Clarke	47 min
Jun 24, 11:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Lucas	34 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1997 Every 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.