Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 37, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 4, 2008Adams County, Union County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Jun 4, 2008, 6:38 PM CDT for Adams County, Union County, Iowa. It was in force for 37 min. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Jun 4, 2008, 6:38 PM CDT (23:38 UTC)
Expired: Jun 4, 2008, 7:15 PM CDT
In force: 37 min
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Adams County, IA, Union County, IA

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jun 4, 6:57 PM CDT	HAIL 0.75	3 N Creston Airport, IA	PENNY SIZE HAIL AT CREST BAPTIST CHURCH IN CRESTON.
Jun 4, 6:57 PM CDT	HAIL 0.88	Creston, IA	UNION COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS NICKEL SIZED HAIL IN CRESTON.
Jun 4, 6:57 PM CDT	HAIL 1	Creston, IA	REPORTED BY KCCI
Jun 4, 7:04 PM CDT	TORNADO	1 S Creston, IA	AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR REPORTS TORNADO ON THE GROUND JUST SOUTH OF CRESTON.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this tornado warning; the first came 26 minutes after it went out.

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
Jun 4, 5:40 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 164 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: 167 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -157 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 739 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 51 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 142 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 
WFUS53 KDMX 042338
TORDMX
IAC003-175-050015-
/O.NEW.KDMX.TO.W.0037.080604T2338Z-080605T0015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
638 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN UNION COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA...

* UNTIL 715 PM CDT.

* AT 636 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR CROMWELL...
  OR 61 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 14 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  CROMWELL BY 650 PM CDT...
  CRESTON BY 710 PM CDT...

THIS TORNADO WARNING REPLACES THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING THAT
WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAME AREA. GO TO A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR
ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR

THIS IS A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT...OR IN AN
INTERIOR ROOM. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OR IN A
CAR...SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT THURSDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4098 9449 4101 9456 4116 9450 4116 9438
      4109 9425
TIME...MOT...LOC 2338Z 218DEG 12KT 4101 9451

$$

SMALL

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS53 KDMX 042359
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
659 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

IAC003-050009-
/O.CAN.KDMX.TO.W.0037.000000T0000Z-080605T0015Z/
ADAMS IA-
659 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

AT 657 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE EITHER WEAKENED OR
MOVED OUT OF THE AREA...AND NO LONGER POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO
LIFE OR PROPERTY. THEREFORE...THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT THURSDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4102 9448 4103 9448 4104 9448 4116 9448
      4116 9438 4114 9435 4109 9425 4100 9445
TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 246DEG 13KT 4103 9440

$$

IAC175-050015-
/O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0037.000000T0000Z-080605T0015Z/
UNION IA-
659 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN UNION COUNTY...

AT 657 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR CROMWELL...OR 56
MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  CRESTON BY 710 PM CDT...

SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT...OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM. STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A CAR OR OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A
REINFORCED BUILDING.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT THURSDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4102 9448 4103 9448 4104 9448 4116 9448
      4116 9438 4114 9435 4109 9425 4100 9445
TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 246DEG 13KT 4103 9440

$$

SMALL

000 
WWUS53 KDMX 050017
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
716 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

IAC175-050026-
/O.EXP.KDMX.TO.W.0037.000000T0000Z-080605T0015Z/
UNION IA-
716 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN UNION COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

AT 714 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
THEREFORE...THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND UNION COUNTIES 
UNTIL 730 PM.  THE TORNADO THREAT WAS LIKELY SOUTHEAST OF CRESTON AT 
THIS TIME.  

REPORT TORNADOES...WIND IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH...HAIL LARGER THAN ONE
HALF INCH...OR STORM DAMAGE BY CALLING LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
ASKING THEM TO RELAY THE REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT THURSDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4102 9448 4103 9448 4104 9448 4116 9448
      4116 9438 4114 9435 4109 9425 4100 9445
TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 246DEG 13KT 4103 9440

$$

SMALL

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Jun 4, 3:14 PM CDT, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 4, 3:14 PM CDT, 3 hours 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
314 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION AND WATCHES IN EFFECT...

.SHORT TERM/TONIGHT...
FOCUS TONIGHT REMAINS ON SEVERE AND HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL. WARM FRONT
HAS LIFTED SLOWLY NORTH TO NEAR THE IA/MO BORDER. GREATEST
INSTABILITY CURRENTLY IS TO THE SOUTHWEST IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. LACK OF 0-3 KM CAPE IN SOUTHERN IOWA NEAR
THE WARM FRONT SUGGESTS THAT SFC BASED CONVECTION IS STILL SEVERAL
HOURS OFF IN IA. ONCE CONVECTION DOES BEGIN ALL MODES OF SVR WX ARE
POSSIBLE NEAR THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. LATER TONIGHT THE LOW LEVEL JET
WILL FOCUS INTO THE STATE AND WILL CONTINUE TO FUEL THUNDERSTORMS
NEAR THE WARM FRONT AS IT LIFTS NORTH OVER IA. AREAS OF HEAVY
RAINFALL REMAIN POSSIBLE BUT THE FORWARD PROPAGATION OF THE STORMS
SHOULD LIMIT POTENTIAL. WILL EXPAND FLASH FLOOD WATCH NORTH TO
HIGHWAY 20 WHERE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD WILL
CAUSE HYDROLOGIC ISSUES GIVEN RECENT HEAVY RAINS.

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY-WEDNESDAY/...
ACTIVE PATTERN CONTINUES THROUGH MUCH OF THE FORECAST PERIOD.
NUMEROUS VIGOROUS WAVES WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FLOW DURING THE PERIOD
WHILE THE MIDWEST REMAINS CONNECTED TO THE MIDWEST. ONGOING ELEVATED
CONVECTION LIKELY ONGOING AT THE START OF THE PERIOD IN ADVANCED OF
A WARM FRONT LIFTING THROUGH THE STATE. MARGINAL SEVERE WX AND
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE THURSDAY MORNING HOWEVER THE BIG
SHOW STILL ON TARGET FOR THURSDAY EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE PRIMARY
SEVERE EVENT LIKELY TO BEGIN AFTER 00Z THURSDAY EVENING THEN TURNING
INTO A COMBINATION SEVERE AND HEAVY RAIN EVENT AFTER MIDNIGHT.
TONIGHTS RAINFALL WILL LIKELY BE A PRIMER FOR THURSDAY NIGHT.
HYDROLOGY CONCERNS WILL GREATLY INCREASE IF CENTRAL IOWA GETS ONE
INCH PLUS TONIGHT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A NORTH TO SOUTH 2 TO 4
INCH BAND THURSDAY NIGHT. ALL MODES FOR SEVERE WEATHER ARE LIKELY
WITH THE TORNADIC POTENTIAL ENHANCED WEST OF INTERSTATE 35. PWATS
APPROACHING 2 INCHES WITH A 60 KT LOW LEVEL JET FEEDING INTO THE
REGION WILL PROMOTE THE POTENTIAL FOR EFFICIENT RAIN PRODUCERS.
STORM MOVEMENT ALONG THE BOUNDARY SUGGESTS TRAINING POTENTIAL.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER FRIDAY MORNING THEN ANOTHER CHANCE OVER
THE EAST IN THE AFTERNOON. A BRIEF BREAK FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY
SATURDAY THEN THE NEXT SYSTEM BRINGS THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL BACK BY
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. POSSIBLE THAT THE WARM FRONT WILL HANG
UP OVER IOWA LEADING TO A PROLONGED THUNDERSTORM CHANCE THROUGH
MONDAY BEFORE FINALLY PUSHING TO THE NORTH BY MIDWEEK.

&&

.AVIATION 05/06Z...
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA...AFFECTING KDSM AND
KMCW...AND VERY NEAR KALO AT THIS TIME. KOTM REMAINS SOUTHEAST OF
THE ACTION BUT WILL PROBABLY GET HIT AT SOME TIME DURING THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS NOT EXPECTED TO END UNTIL CLOSE TO
12Z...AFTER WHICH MVFR CIGS AND PERHAPS SOME BR/HZ WILL LINGER INTO
THE MID/LATE MORNING HOURS. ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL
ENTER THE PICTURE THURS EVENING/NIGHT.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TORNADO WATCH TIL 10Z THURSDAY ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 3. FLASH
FLOOD WATCH TIL 12Z THURSDAY ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 20.

SHORT TERM...REV
LONG TERM...DONAVON
AVIATION...LEE

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 4, 4:24 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
424 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

IAZ057>059-070>072-081>084-092>095-052130-
AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-
LUCAS-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-
424 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. IN
ADDITION...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME FLASH
FLOODING AND MORE RIVER FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. A
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL RETURN SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME FLASH FLOODING AND MORE
RIVER FLOODING INTO NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGH THE END OF
THE WEEK.

IAZ033>039-044>050-060>062-073>075-085-086-096-097-052130-
SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-
CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-
WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-MONROE-WAPELLO-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-
424 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND
AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME FLASH FLOODING AND MORE
RIVER FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. A
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL RETURN SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME FLASH FLOODING AND MORE
RIVER FLOODING INTO NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGH THE END OF
THE WEEK.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-052130-
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-
424 PM CDT WED JUN 4 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY TONIGHT. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND
AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME FLASH FLOODING AND MORE
RIVER FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. A
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL RETURN SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SUNDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE SOME FLASH FLOODING AND MORE
RIVER FLOODING INTO NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGH THE END OF
THE WEEK.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 4, 5:49 PM CDT, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
549 PM CDT WED JUN 04 2008

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

0545 PM     HAIL             5 S CORNING             40.92N 94.72W
06/04/2008  E0.88 INCH       ADAMS              IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A FEW NICKEL SIZED HAIL STONES REPORTED

&&

RDONAVON

Local storm report, Jun 4, 6:01 PM CDT, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
601 PM CDT WED JUN 04 2008

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

0555 PM     HAIL             SW CORNING              40.99N 94.74W
06/04/2008  E0.75 INCH       ADAMS              IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME TO PENNY SIZE HAIL.

&&

PODRAZIK

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 4, 4:16 AM CDT	Flash Flood Watch	DMX	Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone and 45 more	27 hr
Jun 4, 9:19 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	DMX	Polk, Story	69 hr
Jun 4, 5:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adams, Taylor	50 min
Jun 4, 6:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adams	33 min
Jun 4, 6:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adair, Adams, Madison, Union	45 min
Jun 4, 6:53 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Madison, Union	37 min
Jun 4, 6:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Adams, Ringgold, Taylor, Union	34 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2008 Every tornado warning in 2008 Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.