Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 219, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 27, 1998, 11:18 PM CDT for Marshall County, Iowa. It was in force for 62 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 27, 1998, 11:18 PM CDT (04:18 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 28, 1998, 12:20 AM CDT
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Marshall County, IA
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:17 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 27, 11:45 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 56 | State Center, IA | |
| Jun 27, 11:45 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 56 | State Center, 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 27, 9:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 4 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 4.3 hours before the alert went out and 212 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
- 4171 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -42 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1286 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 34 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 11 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 103 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.5
- Supercell composite
- 4.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
020 WUUS1 KDSM 280419 RRA SVRDSM IAC127-153-280520- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1118 PM CDT SAT JUN 27 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... MARSHALL COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA SOUTHERN POLK COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA * UNTIL 1220 AM CDT * AT 1116 PM CDT... DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS 7 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH. * THIS STORM CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR... DES MOINES NOW ALLEMAN NOW PLEASANT HILL BY 1125 PM CDT STATE CENTER BY 1125 PM CDT MARSHALLTOWN BY 1135 PM CDT ALTOONA BY 1125 PM CDT MITCHELLVILLE BY 1129 PM CDT THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF DAMAGING WIND. GO INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS MYERS
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 27, 9:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
IAZ004>006-015-016-023>025-280400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 958 PM CDT SAT JUN 27 1998 HAZARD--ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...EVOLVING INTO A MORE WIDESPREAD LINE OF STORMS...ALL CAPABLE OF DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND INTENSE RAINFALL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS--AFTER 400 PM NEAR THE IOWA/MINNESOTA BORDER...OR NORTH OF HIGHWAY 3 AND NORTHWEST OF ALGONA AND SAC CITY...SPREADING ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN IOWA...MAINLY NORTH OF HIGHWAY 20 OVERNIGHT. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--A FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOCATED FROM SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA THROUGH FAR NORTHWEST IOWA INTO NORTHEAST NEBRASKA WILL BE THE PRIMARY FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FRONT IS STILL PUSHING EAST WHILE THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN ENDS OF THE FRONT HAVE STALLED. VERY UNSTABLE AIR EXISTS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE FRONT WITH MORE POOLING OF MOISTURE EXPECTED TODAY ALONG THE FRONT. THE AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN CAPPED UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON WHEN PEAK HEATING OCCURS. CONVERGENCE WILL BE GREATEST IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA WHERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM RAPIDLY AFTER 400 PM. THEY WILL BE AIDED BY AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH COLDER AIR ALOFT MOVING IN ON STRONGER WESTERLY JET STREAM WINDS LOCATED NOW FROM WYOMING INTO SOUTH DAKOTA. INITIAL DEVELOPMENT WILL LIKELY BE IN THE FORM OF CELLULAR STORMS...THEN EVOLVING INTO A LINEAR COMPLEX WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF BOW ECHOES AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS. THIS OCCURRED OVER PARTS OF MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN LAST NIGHT. THE TRACK WILL BE A BIT FURTHER SOUTH INTO NORTHERN IOWA TONIGHT. THE INSTABILITY AND DEEP MOISTURE AXIS RUNS FROM IOWA EAST INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS...A FAVORABLE SET UP FOR A HEAVY RAIN EPISODE IN NORTHERN IOWA TONIGHT AS SOUTHERLY LOW-LEVEL WINDS INCREASE TONIGHT. THE GROUND REMAINS SATURATED OR NEARLY-SO IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL WILL BE MONITORED MORE THIS AFTERNOON AS NEWER DATA BECOMES AVAILABLE. PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED IN THE AREA OF CONCERN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. MONITOR FUTURE UPDATES CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG AREA RIVERS SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FORECAST THAT WILL BE UPDATED AROUND 400 PM. KULA
Special weather statement, Jun 27, 9:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
IAZ004>006-015-016-023>025-280400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 958 PM CDT SAT JUN 27 1998 HAZARD--ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...EVOLVING INTO A MORE WIDESPREAD LINE OF STORMS...ALL CAPABLE OF DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND INTENSE RAINFALL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS--AFTER 400 PM NEAR THE IOWA/MINNESOTA BORDER...OR NORTH OF HIGHWAY 3 AND NORTHWEST OF ALGONA AND SAC CITY...SPREADING ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN IOWA...MAINLY NORTH OF HIGHWAY 20 OVERNIGHT. METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--A FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOCATED FROM SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA THROUGH FAR NORTHWEST IOWA INTO NORTHEAST NEBRASKA WILL BE THE PRIMARY FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FRONT IS STILL PUSHING EAST WHILE THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN ENDS OF THE FRONT HAVE STALLED. VERY UNSTABLE AIR EXISTS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE FRONT WITH MORE POOLING OF MOISTURE EXPECTED TODAY ALONG THE FRONT. THE AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN CAPPED UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON WHEN PEAK HEATING OCCURS. CONVERGENCE WILL BE GREATEST IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA WHERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM RAPIDLY AFTER 400 PM. THEY WILL BE AIDED BY AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH COLDER AIR ALOFT MOVING IN ON STRONGER WESTERLY JET STREAM WINDS LOCATED NOW FROM WYOMING INTO SOUTH DAKOTA. INITIAL DEVELOPMENT WILL LIKELY BE IN THE FORM OF CELLULAR STORMS...THEN EVOLVING INTO A LINEAR COMPLEX WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF BOW ECHOES AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS. THIS OCCURRED OVER PARTS OF MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN LAST NIGHT. THE TRACK WILL BE A BIT FURTHER SOUTH INTO NORTHERN IOWA TONIGHT. THE INSTABILITY AND DEEP MOISTURE AXIS RUNS FROM IOWA EAST INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS...A FAVORABLE SET UP FOR A HEAVY RAIN EPISODE IN NORTHERN IOWA TONIGHT AS SOUTHERLY LOW-LEVEL WINDS INCREASE TONIGHT. THE GROUND REMAINS SATURATED OR NEARLY-SO IN THE AREA OF CONCERN. FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL WILL BE MONITORED MORE THIS AFTERNOON AS NEWER DATA BECOMES AVAILABLE. PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED IN THE AREA OF CONCERN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. MONITOR FUTURE UPDATES CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG AREA RIVERS SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FORECAST THAT WILL BE UPDATED AROUND 400 PM. KULA
Special weather statement, Jun 27, 9:59 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
IAZ004>006-015-016-023>025-280400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 959 PM CDT SAT JUN 27 1998 THE TORNADO WATCH FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA HAS EXPIRED. HOWEVER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT AS RAINS EARLIER TODAY BEGIN TO RUN OFF. PYTLAK
Special weather statement, Jun 27, 9:59 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
IAZ004>006-015-016-023>025-280400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 959 PM CDT SAT JUN 27 1998 THE TORNADO WATCH FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA HAS EXPIRED. HOWEVER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT AS RAINS EARLIER TODAY BEGIN TO RUN OFF. PYTLAK
Special weather statement, Jun 27, 10:02 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
IAZ025-026-036-037-280405- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1002 PM CDT SAT JUN 27 1998 A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING 45 TO 50 MPH WINDS WILL MOVE THROUGH WRIGHT...HAMILTON...FRANKLIN AND HARDIN COUNTIES THROUGH 1130 PM. SOME SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR AS WELL. WINDS OF 30-40 MPH WERE REPORTED AT CLARION AROUND 950 PM. MYERS
Special weather statement, Jun 27, 10:02 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
IAZ025-026-036-037-280405- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1002 PM CDT SAT JUN 27 1998 A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING 45 TO 50 MPH WINDS WILL MOVE THROUGH WRIGHT...HAMILTON...FRANKLIN AND HARDIN COUNTIES THROUGH 1130 PM. SOME SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR AS WELL. WINDS OF 30-40 MPH WERE REPORTED AT CLARION AROUND 950 PM. MYERS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 7:27 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Worth | 33 min |
| Jun 27, 7:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 47 min |
| Jun 27, 7:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 34 min |
| Jun 27, 8:15 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Franklin | 35 min |
| Jun 27, 8:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 32 min |
| Jun 27, 8:44 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 3 hr |
| Jun 27, 8:49 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo | 21 min |
| Jun 27, 8:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Pocahontas | 36 min |
| Jun 27, 10:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Butler | 32 min |
| Jun 27, 10:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Dallas, Guthrie | 62 min |
| Jun 27, 10:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Boone | 62 min |
| Jun 27, 10:38 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Bremer, Butler | 32 min |
| Jun 27, 10:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Butler | 50 min |
| Jun 27, 10:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Grundy | 48 min |
| Jun 27, 11:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Dallas, Polk, Story | 64 min |
| Jun 27, 11:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Bremer | 50 min |
| Jun 27, 11:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Polk | 62 min |
| Jun 27, 11:21 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Black Hawk | 64 min |
| Jun 27, 11:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Ringgold, Taylor, Union | 61 min |
| Jun 28, 12:01 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Tama | 64 min |
| Jun 28, 12:05 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jasper | 65 min |
| Jun 28, 12:40 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Poweshiek | 65 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.