Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 60, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 25, 2008Bremer County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 25, 2008, 5:49 PM CDT for Bremer County, Iowa. It was in force for 26 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: May 25, 2008, 5:49 PM CDT (22:49 UTC)
Expired: May 25, 2008, 6:15 PM CDT
In force: 26 min
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Bremer County, IA

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 25, 3:30 PM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 189 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 843 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 229 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 297 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 252248
SVRDMX
IAC017-252315-
/O.NEW.KDMX.SV.W.0060.080525T2249Z-080525T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
549 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN BREMER COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT.

* AT 544 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
  DENVER...OR 13 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...AND MOVING EAST AT 43 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  READLYN BY 555 PM CDT...
  ORAN BY 605 PM CDT...

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 UNTIL 1000 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING
FOR IOWA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
SUNDAY EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4264 9209 4264 9239 4264 9242 4264 9243
      4264 9247 4277 9245 4280 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 2249Z 268DEG 37KT 4268 9230

$$

VACHALEK

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS53 KDMX 252300
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
600 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAC017-252315-
/O.CON.KDMX.SV.W.0060.000000T0000Z-080525T2315Z/
BREMER IA-
600 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM CDT
FOR SOUTHERN BREMER COUNTY...

AT 556 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE
HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED NEAR READLYN...OR 13 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...MOVING EAST AT
36 MPH.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  RURAL SOUTHEASTERN BREMER COUNTY AT 610 PM CDT

THIS STORM IS NORTH OF THE TORNADO PRODUCING STORM AND HAS POTENTIAL 
FOR WIND DAMAGE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING
FOR IOWA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
SUNDAY EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4264 9209 4264 9239 4264 9242 4264 9243
      4264 9247 4277 9245 4280 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 2300Z 276DEG 31KT 4266 9221

$$

VACHALEK

000 
WWUS53 KDMX 252316
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
615 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAC017-252325-
/O.EXP.KDMX.SV.W.0060.000000T0000Z-080525T2315Z/
BREMER IA-
615 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHERN BREMER COUNTY HAS
EXPIRED...

AT 613 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE WEAKENED...AND NO
LONGER POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY. THEREFORE...THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

BE ALERT FOR STRONG WINDS UNTIL 630 PM AND HEAVY RAINFALL.  DO NOT 
DRIVE INTO STORM DAMAGED AREAS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING
FOR IOWA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
SUNDAY EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4264 9209 4264 9239 4264 9242 4264 9243
      4264 9247 4277 9245 4280 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 2300Z 276DEG 31KT 4266 9221

$$

VACHALEK

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 May 25, 3:38 PM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 25, 3:38 PM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
338 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

.DISCUSSION...
FOCUS IS ON DEVELOPING WEATHER. AMPLE MOISTURE IN PLACE AS 70
DEGREE DEW POINTS STREAMING INTO THE CWA. SC LOW IN MN WITH A WARM
FRONT EXTENDING DOWN FM WRN MN INTO ERN IA AND A COLD FRONT FM THE
DAKOTAS INTO ERN NEB WILL SINK SE THROUGH TONIGHT. THE FRONT WILL
SETTLE SOUTH OF IA LATE MONDAY MORNING. ALL MODES OF SEVERE
WEATHER POSSIBLE WITH 4000-5000 J/KG CAPE OVER THE CWA ALONG WITH
50+ KNOTS OF SHEAR. THE CAP IS VIRTUALLY GONE AS WELL AND WITH
THE SUN BREAKING OUT THERE WILL BE RAPID DESTABILIZATION ACROSS
THE CWA WITH STORMS EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY EVOLVE AND BECOME SEVERE.
THE SCENARIO HAS NOT CHANGED IN EVOLVING A COMPLEX OF STORMS OVER
SRN IA TONGIGHT WITH AN INCREASING HEAVY RAIN THREAT AFTER THE
SEVERE EVENT THIS EVENING. AS A RESULT THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL
REMAIN IN PLACE.

THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES AS FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL
AND SEVERAL SHORTWAVES PUSH ACROSS THE CWA. NEXT SYSTEM HAS
ALREADY BEEN ADVERTISED FOR THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT
THEN AGAIN MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. AT THIS POINT SEVERE POTENTIAL
LOOKS DECENT FOR THE FRIDAY SYSTEM BUT THERE IS SOME QUESTION ON
TRACK AND TIMING FOR THE MONDAY SYSTEM MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO
DETERMINE ANY SEVERE POTENTIAL AT THIS POINT.

AS FOR TEMPS...A COOL DOWN IS EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM
WITH HIGHS DIPPING INTO THE 60S AND 70S BUT AS FLOW BECOMES
ZONAL...HIGHS SHOULD BE CLOSER TO NORMAL BY MIDWEEK.

&&

.AVIATION...25/18Z
LOW STRATUS DECK PERSISTED THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING HOURS IN
CENTRAL IOWA. BY 18Z...EXPECT ST GO THIN AND DISSIPATE. CDFRONT
MOVG INTO NW IA THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD BE THE FOCUS FOR TSTM
DEVELOPMENT. WL FORECAST 3-4 HOUR TSTM PERIOD IN THE TAF/S AT THE
MOST LIKELY TIMES. IN TIMES WHERE TSTMS ARE STILL PSBL WILL US
VCTS IN TAFS. FRONTAL BOUNDARY SHOULD BE IN SRN IA/NRN MO BY END
OF FCST PD SHIFTING THE TSTM CHANCES SOUTH.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY
MORNING FOR ADAIR-ADAMS-APPANOOSE-AUDUBON-BOONE-CARROLL-CASS-
CLARKE-CRAWFORD-DALLAS-DAVIS-DECATUR-GREENE-GUTHRIE-JASPER-LUCAS-
MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION-MARSHALL-MONROE-POLK-POWESHIEK-RINGGOLD-
STORY-TAMA-TAYLOR-UNION-WAPELLO-WARREN-WAYNE.

&&

AVIATION...JOHNSON
SHORT TERM/LONG TERM...FAB

Hazardous weather outlook, May 25, 8:31 AM CDT, 9 hours 18 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
831 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAZ044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-261345-
CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-
DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-
MAHASKA-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-
DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-
831 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A FEW ISOLATED NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE
DAY. HOWEVER...MORE INTENSE STORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP LATE
THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN IOWA. THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO
BE POSSIBLE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING TIME FRAMES. THE
STORMS ARE FORECAST TO CONSOLIDATE OVERNIGHT WITH HEAVY RAINS
ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. SEVERAL INCHES OF NEW RAIN ARE
POSSIBLE LEADING TO FLASH FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN
ISSUED FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IOWA TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

ADDITIONAL THREATS FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY AND
EARLY TUESDAY AS WELL AS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO LATE FRIDAY. THE
THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS LIMITED EARLY IN THE WEEK
ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAINS WILL PERSIST. SEVERE
WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE ON THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AS WELL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT.
SPOTTER MAY ALSO BE NEEDED THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. AN
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE CALL HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR NOON TODAY.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-261345-
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-
831 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A FEW ISOLATED NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE
DAY. HOWEVER...MORE INTENSE STORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP LATE
THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN IOWA. THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE
WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO
BE POSSIBLE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING TIME FRAMES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. SEVERE
WEATHER IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT.
SPOTTER MAY ALSO BE NEEDED THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. AN
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE CALL HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR NOON
TODAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 25, 5:36 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
536 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

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

0523 PM     HAIL             3 S DENVER              42.63N 92.34W
05/25/2008  E1.75 INCH       BLACK HAWK         IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RK

Local storm report, May 25, 5:40 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
540 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

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

0533 PM     TSTM WND GST     WATERLOO AIRPORT        42.56N 92.40W
05/25/2008  M76 MPH          BLACK HAWK         IA   ASOS

&&

MS MAY 08

Local storm report, May 25, 5:41 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
541 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

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

0529 PM     HAIL             4 NE WATERLOO AIRPORT   42.60N 92.34W
05/25/2008  E1.00 INCH       BLACK HAWK         IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RK

Local storm report, May 25, 5:42 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
542 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

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

0537 PM     TSTM WND GST     WATERLOO AIRPORT        42.56N 92.40W
05/25/2008  M93 MPH          BLACK HAWK         IA   ASOS

            THE SUSTAINED WIND SPEED WAS 65 MPH.

&&

MS MAY 08

Local storm report, May 25, 5:43 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
543 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

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

0539 PM     HAIL             3 S DENVER              42.63N 92.34W
05/25/2008  E4.00 INCH       BLACK HAWK         IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            BASEBALL TO SOFTBALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED 7 MILES NORTH OF
            WATERLOO.

&&

KJ

Local storm report, May 25, 5:44 PM CDT, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
544 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

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

0535 PM     HAIL             WAVERLY                 42.73N 92.47W
05/25/2008  E0.88 INCH       BREMER             IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RK

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 25, 3:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Franklin, Wright	52 min
May 25, 4:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Cerro Gordo, Franklin	42 min
May 25, 4:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Franklin	28 min
May 25, 4:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Butler, Franklin, Grundy, Hardin	43 min
May 25, 4:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Butler, Franklin, Grundy, Hardin	23 min
May 25, 4:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Butler, Grundy	44 min
May 25, 5:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Black Hawk, Bremer	56 min
May 25, 5:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Black Hawk, Bremer	24 min
May 25, 5:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Butler	14 min
May 25, 5:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Black Hawk	38 min
May 25, 5:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Clarke, Decatur, Lucas	43 min
May 25, 6:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Clarke, Lucas	48 min
May 25, 6:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Lucas	36 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2008 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

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.