Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2001

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 24, NWS Des Moines, IA

April 8, 2001Ringgold County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 8, 2001, 8:21 PM CDT for Ringgold County, Iowa. It was in force for 29 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Apr 8, 2001, 8:21 PM CDT (01:21 UTC)
Expired: Apr 8, 2001, 8:50 PM CDT
In force: 29 min
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Ringgold County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 120 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:23 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
Apr 8, 8:45 PM CDT	Hail 1.25	Mt Ayr, 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
Apr 8, 7:00 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 179 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: 2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -182 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2153 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 164 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 300 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS53 KDMX 090121
SVRDSM
IAC159-090150-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
821 PM CDT SUN APR 8 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN RINGGOLD COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 850 PM CDT

* AT 818 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 19 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MOUNT AYR...OR ABOUT 81
  MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE...
  5 MILES NORTHWEST OF MOUNT AYR AROUND 840 PM

DAMAGING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS IS LIKELY IN THE WARNED
AREA.C

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM MONDAY MORNING FOR
IOWA.

LAT...LON 4089 9448 4056 9449 4059 9420 4090 9420

JOHNSON

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 Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 8, 7:58 PM CDT, 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 8, 7:58 PM CDT, 23 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
758 PM CST SUN APR 8 2001

FLASH FLOOD WATCH TO BE ISSUED MOMENTARILY FOR SAME COUNTIES AS TOR
WATCH.

.DSM...TOR WATCH TIL 1 AM AND FFA TIL 4 AM FOR SRN 2/3RDS.

KULA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 8, 2:32 PM CDT, 5 hours 49 minutes before

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
232 PM CDT SUN APR 8 2001

A STRONG WARM FRONT HAS PUSHED INTO SOUTHERN IOWA AND IS EXPECTED TO
GO STATIONARY ALONG THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR THIS EVENING. A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS...DEVELOPING IN AN AREA OF MODERATE INSTABILITY AND
HIGH WIND SHEAR...MAY BECOME SEVERE THIS EVENING. RELATIVELY HIGH
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...COMBINED WITH SLOW MOVING STORMS...WILL LIKELY
PRODUCE LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL IN SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE.

SEE SITE SPECIFIC DETAILS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.

IAZ037>039-047>050-057>061-070>073-081-082-092-090000-
ADAIR-ADAMS-AUDUBON-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-CASS-DALLAS-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-
HARDIN-JASPER-MADISON-MARSHALL-POLK-STORY-TAMA-TAYLOR-UNION-WARREN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AMES...ATLANTIC...BOONE...CRESTON...
DES MOINES...INDIANOLA...IOWA FALLS...MARSHALLTOWN...NEWTON...
WATERLOO/CEDAR FALLS
232 PM CDT SUN APR 8 2001

* EVENT TIMING... 8 PM THROUGH 3 AM

* THREAT CATEGORIES...
     TORNADO......... NONE
     DAMAGING WINDS.. LOW
     LARGE HAIL...... LOW
     FLASH FLOODING.. LOW

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... LOW

IAZ062-074-075-083>086-093>097-090000-
APPANOOSE-CLARKE-DAVIS-DECATUR-LUCAS-MAHASKA-MARION-MONROE-POWESHIEK-
RINGGOLD-WAPELLO-WAYNE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CENTERVILLE...CHARITON...GRINNELL...
KNOXVILLE...LAMONI...MOUNT AYR...OSKALOOSA...OTTUMWA
232 PM CDT SUN APR 8 2001

* EVENT TIMING... 8 PM THROUGH 3 AM

* THREAT CATEGORIES...
     TORNADO......... LOW
     DAMAGING WINDS.. LOW
     LARGE HAIL...... MODERATE
     FLASH FLOODING.. MODERATE

* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... MODERATE

* RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY REACH 1 TO 3 INCHES BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING...
POSSIBLY FALLING IN LESS THAN 3 HOURS.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

THREAT KEY:
    TORNADO......... ANY TORNADO OCCURRENCE
    DAMAGING WINDS.. WINDS >= 58 MPH
    LARGE HAIL...... HAIL >= 3/4 INCH DIAMETER
    FLASH FLOODING.. FLOODING CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINS WITHIN 6 HOURS.
                     POSES THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.

THREAT CATEGORY KEY:  PROBABILITY OF THREAT OCCURRING WITHIN 25
                      MILES OF POINT WITHIN FORECAST AREA.
    NONE...... NOT EXPECTED.  LESS THAN 5% ( 2% FOR TORNADOES)
    LOW....... 5-15% (2-15% FOR TORNADOES)
    MODERATE.. 25-35%
    HIGH...... 45% OR GREATER

SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK KEY:
    NOT EXPECTED
    LOW........ ACTIVATION POSSIBLE BUT NOT LIKELY
    MODERATE... POSSIBILITIES ABOUT 50-50
    HIGH....... ACTIVATION LIKELY

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PROBABILISTIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOKS...GO
TO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER WEBSITE AT
WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/OUTLOOK/PROBINFO.HTML.

MYERS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 8, 7:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Jasper	40 min
Apr 8, 7:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adair, Madison	32 min
Apr 8, 7:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Polk	23 min
Apr 8, 7:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Jasper	39 min
Apr 8, 7:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Dallas, Polk	38 min
Apr 8, 8:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Poweshiek	42 min
Apr 8, 8:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Taylor	39 min
Apr 8, 8:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Polk	39 min
Apr 8, 8:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Story	42 min
Apr 8, 8:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adair, Guthrie	39 min
Apr 8, 8:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Jasper	29 min
Apr 8, 8:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Marshall	42 min
Apr 8, 8:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Polk	31 min
Apr 8, 8:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Adair	20 min
Apr 8, 8:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Madison, Union	41 min
Apr 8, 8:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Tama	39 min
Apr 8, 8:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Grundy, Hardin	41 min
Apr 8, 8:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Jasper	29 min
Apr 8, 8:52 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Dallas	38 min
Apr 8, 8:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Marshall, Story	31 min
Apr 8, 8:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Ringgold	39 min
Apr 8, 8:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Ringgold, Taylor	41 min
Apr 8, 9:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Jasper, Marshall	29 min
Apr 8, 9:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Polk	40 min
Apr 8, 9:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Clarke, Decatur	48 min
Apr 8, 9:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Marshall, Tama	31 min
Apr 8, 9:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Clarke, Decatur	49 min
Apr 8, 9:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Ringgold	31 min
Apr 8, 9:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Hardin, Marshall	28 min
Apr 8, 10:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Polk	28 min
Apr 8, 10:20 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Dallas, Polk	6 hr
Apr 8, 10:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Clarke, Decatur	38 min
Apr 8, 10:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Ringgold	24 min
Apr 8, 10:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Lucas	47 min
Apr 8, 10:36 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Ringgold	6 hr
Apr 8, 10:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adams	29 min
Apr 8, 10:54 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Marshall	6 hr
Apr 8, 10:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Marion	40 min
Apr 8, 10:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adair, Union	38 min
Apr 8, 10:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Decatur, Wayne	52 min
Apr 8, 11:11 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Polk, Story	6 hr
Apr 8, 11:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Union	38 min
Apr 8, 11:39 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Wayne	46 min
Apr 9, 12:09 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor	6 hr
Apr 9, 2:21 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Appanoose	39 min
Apr 9, 2:27 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Wayne	4 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2001 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2001

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.