Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 361, NWS Des Moines, IA

August 3, 2004Lucas County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 3, 2004, 9:47 PM CDT for Lucas County, Iowa. It was in force for 28 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 3, 2004, 9:47 PM CDT (02:47 UTC)
Expired
Aug 3, 2004, 10:15 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Lucas County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:48 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 3, 4:25 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr
Aug 3, 9:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 249 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, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2004-08-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2771 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, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2004-08-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2771 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-73 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1163 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
163 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.6
Supercell composite
16.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS53 KDMX 040247
SVRDMX
IAC117-040315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
947 PM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  LUCAS COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 1015 PM CDT

* AT 944 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER CHARITON...OR ABOUT 43 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
  DES MOINES...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE...
  IN RURAL AREAS OF
  EAST CENTRAL LUCAS COUNTY.

VERY STRONG WINDS UP TO 60 MPH ARE LIKELY IN THE WARNED AREA.

MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU LIVE IN A
MOBILE HOME...SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. REMEMBER...SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

LAT...LON 4115 9357 4091 9355 4090 9311 4115 9311

$$

SMALL

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.

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 3, 10:35 AM CDT, 11 hours 12 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1035 AM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-058>062-072>075-084>086-
096-097-041100-
APPANOOSE-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-BREMER-BUTLER-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CERRO GORDO-
CRAWFORD-DALLAS-DAVIS-EMMET-FRANKLIN-GREENE-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-HAMILTON-
HANCOCK-HARDIN-HUMBOLDT-JASPER-KOSSUTH-LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION-
MARSHALL-MONROE-PALO ALTO-POCAHONTAS-POLK-POWESHIEK-SAC-STORY-TAMA-
WAPELLO-WARREN-WEBSTER-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT-
1035 AM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL
AND CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
A COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS NEAR SIOUX FALLS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
SOUTHEASTWARD INTO IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS SHOULD APPROACH
ESTHERVILLE TO POCAHONTAS BY 2 PM...FORT DODGE AND MASON CITY BY 4
PM...AND THE REST OF CENTRAL IOWA BETWEEN 4 PM AND 6 PM.
AS THE ATMOSPHERE WARMS THIS AFTERNOON...THE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX
COULD TURN INTO A SIGNIFICANT PRODUCER OF WIND DAMAGE. LARGE HAIL
AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. ANOTHER ROUND OF STORMS
IS FORECAST OVERNIGHT...WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

IAZ057-070-071-081>083-092>095-041100-
ADAIR-ADAMS-AUDUBON-CASS-CLARKE-DECATUR-RINGGOLD-TAYLOR-UNION-WAYNE-
1035 AM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PART OF SOUTHWEST IOWA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
MOST STORMS SHOULD STAY NORTH OF AUDUBON...CRESTON AND CORYDON FOR
THIS AFTERNOON...BUT AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM COULD OCCUR AFTER 5
PM. STORMS OVERNIGHT COULD PRODUCE ONE TO TWO INCH HAIL AND WINDS
OVER 65 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

JUNGBLUTH

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 3, 8:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
800 PM CDT TUE AUG 03 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0733 PM     HAIL             AUBURN                  42.25N 94.88W
08/03/2004  1.00 INCH        SAC                IA   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

ST
Local storm report, Aug 3, 8:11 PM CDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
811 PM CDT TUE AUG 03 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0800 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 W WEST DES MOINES     41.57N 93.85W
08/03/2004  60 MPH           DALLAS             IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

ST
Local storm report, Aug 3, 8:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
818 PM CDT TUE AUG 03 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0530 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MARSHALLTOWN            42.04N 92.91W
08/03/2004                   MARSHALL           IA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN AND UPROOTED.

0530 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ALBION                  42.11N 92.99W
08/03/2004                   MARSHALL           IA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN AND UPROOTED.

&&

ROB
Special weather statement, Aug 3, 8:19 PM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
819 PM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004

IAZ026>028-036>039-047>050-059>062-072>075-083>086-094>097-040300-

...TORNADO WATCH #698 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE
COUNTIES OF...

  APPANOOSE             BLACK HAWK            BOONE
  BREMER                BUTLER                CLARKE
  DALLAS                DAVIS                 DECATUR
  FRANKLIN              GRUNDY                HAMILTON
  HARDIN                JASPER                LUCAS
  MADISON               MAHASKA               MARION
  MARSHALL              MONROE                POLK
  POWESHIEK             STORY                 TAMA
  WAPELLO               WARREN                WAYNE
Special weather statement, Aug 3, 8:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
823 PM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004

IAZ044>046-057-058-070-071-081-082-092-093-040300-

...TORNADO WATCH #700 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE
COUNTIES OF...

  ADAIR                 ADAMS                 AUDUBON
  CARROLL               CASS                  CRAWFORD
  GREENE                GUTHRIE               RINGGOLD
  TAYLOR                UNION
Local storm report, Aug 3, 9:27 PM CDT, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
927 PM CDT TUE AUG 03 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0924 PM     TSTM WND DMG     KNOXVILLE               41.32N 93.10W
08/03/2004                   MARION             IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TWO AND ONE HALF FOOT DIAMETER TREE DOWN AND BLOCKING
            ROADWAY.

&&

ROB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 3, 7:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBoone, Dallas53 min
Aug 3, 7:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin45 min
Aug 3, 7:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon, Guthrie29 min
Aug 3, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPolk49 min
Aug 3, 7:47 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMadison43 min
Aug 3, 7:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin26 min
Aug 3, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWarren52 min
Aug 3, 8:36 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDallas, Polk4 hr
Aug 3, 8:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMarion32 min
Aug 3, 9:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXLucas39 min
Aug 3, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams, Taylor52 min
Aug 3, 10:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWayne51 min
Aug 3, 10:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDecatur45 min
Aug 3, 11:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDecatur, Wayne4 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2004Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2004

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.