Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 166, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 17, 1998Madison County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 17, 1998, 9:16 AM CDT for Madison County, Iowa. It was in force for 34 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
Jun 17, 1998, 9:16 AM CDT (14:16 UTC)
Expired
Jun 17, 1998, 9:50 AM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Madison County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:15 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

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 197 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 1998-06-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3 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 1998-06-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 96 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
3 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-531 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1182 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
96 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
233 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 171416 RRA
SVRDSM
IAC121-171450-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
916 AM CDT WED JUN 17 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN MADISON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 950 AM CDT

* AT 913 AM CDT... DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 29
  MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  BEVINGTON MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* THIS STORM CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR...
   EAST PERU BY 920 AM CDT
   ST CHARLES BY 920 AM CDT
   TRURO BY 920 AM CDT

DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE LIKELY. GO INSIDE A STURDY
BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS!

FORSTER
N
NNN

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 17, 5:17 AM CDT, 3 hours 59 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-171700-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
517 AM CDT WED JUN 17 1998

HAZARD--SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL...WINDS TO 50 MPH AND
VERY LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL.

TIMING AND AREA OF CONCERN--THROUGH NOON...WEST OF A LINE FROM MASON
CITY...TO NEWTON...TO CORYDON.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--EARLY THIS MORNING...A NARROW ZONE OF LIFT
CAUSED BY MID-LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION EXTENDED FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA INTO SOUTHWEST IOWA.  SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD
DEVELOPED IN THIS AREA AND WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER FAR SOUTHWEST IOWA HAVE GENERALLY BEEN IN THE
ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH RANGE DURING A THREE HOUR PERIOD...
HOWEVER ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF AN
INCH CANNOT BE RULED OUT THIS MORNING.  WITH ALL THE RAIN THAT HAS
FALLEN RECENTLY OVER A LARGE PART OF IOWA...DITCHES MAY RAPIDLY
FILL IN THOSE AREAS THAT RECEIVE THE MOST RAIN THIS MORNING.  SOME
QUICK RISES ON SMALL STREAMS COULD ALSO OCCUR BUT LARGER CREEKS AND
RIVERS SHOULD NOT BE EFFECTED DUE TO THE RELATIVELY FAST MOVEMENT
OF THE PRECIPITATION.  ADDITIONALLY...SOME STRONG WIND GUSTS AND
SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR...BUT THESE SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TODAY
FOR SEVERE WEATHER...THOUGH SOME RAINFALL REPORTS MAY BE REQUIRED
NEAR THE STRONGEST SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.  IF LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN
OCCURS...THERE MAY BE SOME RAPID RISES ON STREAMS.  INFORMATION
REGARDING WATER OVER ROADS OR BRIDGES SHOULD BE CONVEYED TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN DES MOINES.

SEARCY
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 5:17 AM CDT, 3 hours 59 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-171700-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
517 AM CDT WED JUN 17 1998

HAZARD--SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL...WINDS TO 50 MPH AND
VERY LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL.

TIMING AND AREA OF CONCERN--THROUGH NOON...WEST OF A LINE FROM MASON
CITY...TO NEWTON...TO CORYDON.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--EARLY THIS MORNING...A NARROW ZONE OF LIFT
CAUSED BY MID-LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION EXTENDED FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA INTO SOUTHWEST IOWA.  SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD
DEVELOPED IN THIS AREA AND WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER FAR SOUTHWEST IOWA HAVE GENERALLY BEEN IN THE
ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH RANGE DURING A THREE HOUR PERIOD...
HOWEVER ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF AN
INCH CANNOT BE RULED OUT THIS MORNING.  WITH ALL THE RAIN THAT HAS
FALLEN RECENTLY OVER A LARGE PART OF IOWA...DITCHES MAY RAPIDLY
FILL IN THOSE AREAS THAT RECEIVE THE MOST RAIN THIS MORNING.  SOME
QUICK RISES ON SMALL STREAMS COULD ALSO OCCUR BUT LARGER CREEKS AND
RIVERS SHOULD NOT BE EFFECTED DUE TO THE RELATIVELY FAST MOVEMENT
OF THE PRECIPITATION.  ADDITIONALLY...SOME STRONG WIND GUSTS AND
SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR...BUT THESE SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TODAY
FOR SEVERE WEATHER...THOUGH SOME RAINFALL REPORTS MAY BE REQUIRED
NEAR THE STRONGEST SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.  IF LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN
OCCURS...THERE MAY BE SOME RAPID RISES ON STREAMS.  INFORMATION
REGARDING WATER OVER ROADS OR BRIDGES SHOULD BE CONVEYED TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN DES MOINES.

SEARCY
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 5:20 AM CDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-171700-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...CORRECTED AREA OF CONCERN...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
520 AM CDT WED JUN 17 1998

HAZARD--SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL...WINDS TO 50 MPH AND
VERY LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL.

TIMING AND AREA OF CONCERN--THROUGH NOON...WEST OF A LINE FROM
WATERLOO...TO NEWTON...TO CORYDON.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--EARLY THIS MORNING...A NARROW ZONE OF LIFT
CAUSED BY MID-LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION EXTENDED FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA INTO SOUTHWEST IOWA.  SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD
DEVELOPED IN THIS AREA AND WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER FAR SOUTHWEST IOWA HAVE GENERALLY BEEN IN THE
ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH RANGE DURING A THREE HOUR PERIOD...
HOWEVER ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF AN
INCH CANNOT BE RULED OUT THIS MORNING.  WITH ALL THE RAIN THAT HAS
FALLEN RECENTLY OVER A LARGE PART OF IOWA...DITCHES MAY RAPIDLY
FILL IN THOSE AREAS THAT RECEIVE THE MOST RAIN THIS MORNING.  SOME
QUICK RISES ON SMALL STREAMS COULD ALSO OCCUR BUT LARGER CREEKS AND
RIVERS SHOULD NOT BE EFFECTED DUE TO THE RELATIVELY FAST MOVEMENT
OF THE PRECIPITATION.  ADDITIONALLY...SOME STRONG WIND GUSTS AND
SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR...BUT THESE SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TODAY
FOR SEVERE WEATHER...THOUGH SOME RAINFALL REPORTS MAY BE REQUIRED
NEAR THE STRONGEST SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.  IF LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN
OCCURS...THERE MAY BE SOME RAPID RISES ON STREAMS.  INFORMATION
REGARDING WATER OVER ROADS OR BRIDGES SHOULD BE CONVEYED TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN DES MOINES.

SEARCY
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 5:20 AM CDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-171700-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...CORRECTED AREA OF CONCERN...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
520 AM CDT WED JUN 17 1998

HAZARD--SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL...WINDS TO 50 MPH AND
VERY LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL.

TIMING AND AREA OF CONCERN--THROUGH NOON...WEST OF A LINE FROM
WATERLOO...TO NEWTON...TO CORYDON.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--EARLY THIS MORNING...A NARROW ZONE OF LIFT
CAUSED BY MID-LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION EXTENDED FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA INTO SOUTHWEST IOWA.  SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD
DEVELOPED IN THIS AREA AND WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER FAR SOUTHWEST IOWA HAVE GENERALLY BEEN IN THE
ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH RANGE DURING A THREE HOUR PERIOD...
HOWEVER ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO ONE-HALF TO THREE-QUARTERS OF AN
INCH CANNOT BE RULED OUT THIS MORNING.  WITH ALL THE RAIN THAT HAS
FALLEN RECENTLY OVER A LARGE PART OF IOWA...DITCHES MAY RAPIDLY
FILL IN THOSE AREAS THAT RECEIVE THE MOST RAIN THIS MORNING.  SOME
QUICK RISES ON SMALL STREAMS COULD ALSO OCCUR BUT LARGER CREEKS AND
RIVERS SHOULD NOT BE EFFECTED DUE TO THE RELATIVELY FAST MOVEMENT
OF THE PRECIPITATION.  ADDITIONALLY...SOME STRONG WIND GUSTS AND
SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR...BUT THESE SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TODAY
FOR SEVERE WEATHER...THOUGH SOME RAINFALL REPORTS MAY BE REQUIRED
NEAR THE STRONGEST SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.  IF LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN
OCCURS...THERE MAY BE SOME RAPID RISES ON STREAMS.  INFORMATION
REGARDING WATER OVER ROADS OR BRIDGES SHOULD BE CONVEYED TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN DES MOINES.

SEARCY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 17, 8:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGuthrie30 min
Jun 17, 9:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWarren34 min
Jun 17, 10:32 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXLucas33 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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.