Alert archive / Iowa / Freeze Warnings in 2011

Freeze Warning 2, NWS La Crosse, WI

October 20, 20117 counties in Wisconsin; 8 counties in Iowa; Houston County, Wabasha County, Winona County, Minnesota

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this freeze warning at Oct 20, 2011, 3:40 AM CDT for 7 counties in Wisconsin; 8 counties in Iowa; Houston County, Wabasha County, Winona County, Minnesota. It took effect at Oct 21, 2011, 1:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 8 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Oct 20, 2011, 3:40 AM CDT (08:40 UTC)
In effect from
Oct 21, 2011, 1:00 AM CDT
Expired
Oct 21, 2011, 9:00 AM CDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI

Counties Allamakee County, IA, Chickasaw County, IA, Clayton County, IA, Fayette County, IA, Floyd County, IA, Howard County, IA, Mitchell County, IA, Winneshiek County, IA, Houston County, MN, Wabasha County, MN, Winona County, MN, Buffalo County, WI, Crawford County, WI, Grant County, WI, La Crosse County, WI, Richland County, WI, Trempealeau County, WI, Vernon County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:45 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 219 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2011-10-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2011-10-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 95 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1486 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
95 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
93 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.

839 
WWUS73 KARX 200840
NPWARX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
340 AM CDT THU OCT 20 2011

...FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TONIGHT...

.LOW TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER 20S ACROSS MUCH OF THE
AREA TONIGHT. THIS WILL OCCUR AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE
UPPER MIDWEST ALLOWING THE SKIES TO BECOME CLEAR AND THE WINDS TO
BECOME LIGHT. WITH THESE TEMPERATURES...A KILLING FREEZE WILL
OCCUR ENDING THE GROWING SEASON FOR THE YEAR.

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-088-096-WIZ032-033-041-053>055-
061-201800-
/O.NEW.KARX.FZ.W.0002.111021T0600Z-111021T1400Z/
MITCHELL-HOWARD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-FLOYD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-
CLAYTON-WABASHA-WINONA-HOUSTON-BUFFALO-TREMPEALEAU-LA CROSSE-
VERNON-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DECORAH...WAUKON...CHARLES CITY...
OELWEIN...WINONA...LA CROSSE...VIROQUA...PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...
RICHLAND CENTER...PLATTEVILLE
340 AM CDT THU OCT 20 2011

...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A FREEZE
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT FRIDAY. 

* TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 20S ARE EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
  EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

* A KILLING FREEZE WILL OCCUR ENDING THE GROWING SEASON FOR THE
  YEAR. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR
HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER
SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

&&

$$

04

WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE
4 follow-up statements
012 
WWUS73 KARX 201833
NPWARX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
133 PM CDT THU OCT 20 2011

...FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TONIGHT...

.LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S TO THE
LOWER 30S UNDER CLEAR SKIES AND DECREASING WINDS. THESE
TEMPERATURES WILL DAMAGE OR KILL SENSITIVE VEGETATION AND
BASICALLY END THE GROWING SEASON FOR AREAS THAT HAVE YET TO HAVE A
KILLING FROST OR FREEZE THIS FALL.

THIS WILL LIKELY BE THE END TO FROST AND FREEZE HEADLINES FOR THE SEASON.

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-088-096-WIZ032-033-041-053>055-
061-210500-
/O.CON.KARX.FZ.W.0002.111021T0600Z-111021T1400Z/
MITCHELL-HOWARD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-FLOYD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-
CLAYTON-WABASHA-WINONA-HOUSTON-BUFFALO-TREMPEALEAU-LA CROSSE-
VERNON-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DECORAH...WAUKON...CHARLES CITY...
OELWEIN...WINONA...LA CROSSE...VIROQUA...PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...
RICHLAND CENTER...PLATTEVILLE
133 PM CDT THU OCT 20 2011

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT
FRIDAY...

* TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER
  30S OVERNIGHT.

* A KILLING FREEZE IS EXPECTED FOR MOST AREAS ENDING THE GROWING
  SEASON FOR THE YEAR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED.
THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

&&

$$

SHEA

WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE
513 
WWUS73 KARX 210152
NPWARX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
852 PM CDT THU OCT 20 2011

...FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TONIGHT...

.LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S TO THE
LOWER 30S UNDER CLEAR SKIES AND DECREASING WINDS. THESE
TEMPERATURES WILL DAMAGE OR KILL SENSITIVE VEGETATION AND
BASICALLY END THE GROWING SEASON FOR AREAS THAT HAVE YET TO HAVE
A KILLING FROST OR FREEZE THIS FALL.

THIS WILL LIKELY BE THE END TO FROST AND FREEZE HEADLINES FOR THE
SEASON.

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-088-096-WIZ032-033-041-053>055-
061-211000-
/O.CON.KARX.FZ.W.0002.111021T0600Z-111021T1400Z/
MITCHELL-HOWARD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-FLOYD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-
CLAYTON-WABASHA-WINONA-HOUSTON-BUFFALO-TREMPEALEAU-LA CROSSE-
VERNON-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DECORAH...WAUKON...CHARLES CITY...
OELWEIN...WINONA...LA CROSSE...VIROQUA...PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...
RICHLAND CENTER...PLATTEVILLE
852 PM CDT THU OCT 20 2011

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CDT
FRIDAY...

* TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 
  30S OVERNIGHT. 

* A KILLING FREEZE IS EXPECTED FOR MOST AREAS ENDING THE GROWING 
  SEASON FOR THE YEAR. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED.
THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

&&

$$

RABERDING

WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE
495 
WWUS73 KARX 210808
NPWARX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
308 AM CDT FRI OCT 21 2011

...FREEZING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED THIS MORNING...

.TEMPERATURES EARLY THIS MORNING WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER 20S AND
LOWER 30S UNDER CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS. THESE TEMPERATURES
WILL DAMAGE OR KILL SENSITIVE VEGETATION AND BASICALLY END THE
GROWING SEASON FOR AREAS THAT HAVE YET TO HAVE A KILLING FROST OR
FREEZE THIS AUTUMN.

THIS WILL LIKELY BE THE END TO FROST AND FREEZE HEADLINES FOR THE
SEASON.

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-088-096-WIZ032-033-041-053>055-
061-211400-
/O.CON.KARX.FZ.W.0002.000000T0000Z-111021T1400Z/
MITCHELL-HOWARD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-FLOYD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-
CLAYTON-WABASHA-WINONA-HOUSTON-BUFFALO-TREMPEALEAU-LA CROSSE-
VERNON-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DECORAH...WAUKON...CHARLES CITY...
OELWEIN...WINONA...LA CROSSE...VIROQUA...PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...
RICHLAND CENTER...PLATTEVILLE
308 AM CDT FRI OCT 21 2011

...FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING...

* TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S AND LOWER 
  30S EARLY THIS MORNING. 

* THIS WILL RESULT IN A KILLING FREEZE...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO END
  THE GROWING SEASON FOR THE YEAR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED.
THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

&&

$$

BOYNE

WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE
338 
WWUS73 KARX 211410
NPWARX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
910 AM CDT FRI OCT 21 2011

...FREEZE WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

.SUNSHINE HAS ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB TO AT OR ABOVE
FREEZING ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY REGION.
LOOK FOR TEMPERATURES TO CONTINUE TO RISING THROUGH THE MORNING.

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-088-096-WIZ032-033-041-053>055-
061-211515-
/O.EXP.KARX.FZ.W.0002.000000T0000Z-111021T1400Z/
MITCHELL-HOWARD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-FLOYD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-
CLAYTON-WABASHA-WINONA-HOUSTON-BUFFALO-TREMPEALEAU-LA CROSSE-
VERNON-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DECORAH...WAUKON...CHARLES CITY...
OELWEIN...WINONA...LA CROSSE...VIROQUA...PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...
RICHLAND CENTER...PLATTEVILLE
910 AM CDT FRI OCT 21 2011

...FREEZE WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN TO AT OR ABOVE FREEZING ACROSS MUCH OF THE
AREA...AND WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH THE MORNING. THEREFORE
THE FREEZE WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

$$

AJ

WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE

Nearby

Freeze Warnings in Iowa, 2011Freeze Warnings in Wisconsin, 2011Freeze Warnings in Minnesota, 2011Every freeze warning in 2011

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.