Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 15, NWS La Crosse, WI

May 22, 2011Fayette County, Iowa

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this tornado warning at May 22, 2011, 3:22 PM CDT for Fayette County, Iowa. It was in force for 38 min. 3 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
May 22, 2011, 3:22 PM CDT (20:22 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 2011, 4:00 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Fayette County, IA

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:25 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 22, 3:37 PM CDTTORNADORandalia, IASTORM SURVEY CONDUCTED 5/24. TORNADO BEGAN 3 MILES EAST OF SUMNER...ABOUT A HALF MILE NORTH OF INTERSECTION OF HWY 93 AND U AVENUE. CONTINUED EAST NORTHEAST FOR ABOUT 8 MILES...PASSING JUST NORTH OF RANDALIA AND ENDING 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF FAYETTE AT 345 PM. E
May 22, 4:01 PM CDTHAIL 2West Union, IADELAYED REPORT
May 22, 4:01 PM CDTTORNADO5 E West Union, IASTORM SURVEY CONDUCTED 5/24. TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 5 MILES EAST OF WEST UNION NEAR INTERSECTION OF HWY B64 AND G AVENUE. PATH CONTINUED EAST NORTHEAST FOR ABOUT 1 MILE BEFORE LIFTING 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CLERMONT AT 403 PM. EF-0 DAMAGE. MAX PATH WIDTH 50 YARDS.

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 22, 12:07 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 186 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 12:00Z on 2011-05-22Temperature 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, Davenport, at 12:00Z on 2011-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 233 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1775 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
233 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
287 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.

973 
WFUS53 KARX 222022
TORARX
IAC065-222100-
/O.NEW.KARX.TO.W.0015.110522T2022Z-110522T2100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
322 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...

* UNTIL 400 PM CDT

* AT 315 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HIGHWAY 93 AND COUNTY V 68...OR 15
  MILES NORTHWEST OF OELWEIN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  HIGHWAY 93 AND COUNTY V 68 AND RICHFIELD AROUND 325 PM...  
  HAWKEYE AROUND 330 PM...  
  WAUCOMA AND DONNAN AROUND 335 PM...
  WEST UNION AND DOUGLAS AROUND 340 PM...
  ELDORADO AROUND 345 PM...  
  CLERMONT AND ELGIN AROUND 350 PM...

EXPECT LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL THREAT BEFORE THE TORNADO MOVES IN. 
FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM IN BREMER 
COUNTY...IF IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM IN NORTHERN FAYETTE 
COUNTY...YOU SHOULD SEEK SHELTER NOW.   

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER IN A BASEMENT OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS! CARS AND MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED
FOR A STURDY BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...LAY FLAT IN A DITCH AND
COVER YOUR HEAD.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM SUNDAY EVENING FOR
NORTHEASTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN.

&&

LAT...LON 4276 9209 4298 9209 4308 9202 4308 9161
      4292 9161 4276 9208
TIME...MOT...LOC 2019Z 232DEG 41KT 4283 9210

$$

BAUMGARDT
2 follow-up statements
402 
WWUS53 KARX 222031
SVSARX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
331 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

IAC065-222100-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-110522T2100Z/
FAYETTE IA-
331 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY
UNTIL 400 PM CDT...

GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED AROUND 330 PM ON THE BREMER-FAYETTE 
COUNTY LINE NEAR SUMNER. 

AT 325 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO LOCATED NEAR HIGHWAY 93 AND COUNTY V 68...OR 14 MILES
NORTHWEST OF OELWEIN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. IN ADDITION TO A
TORNADO...THIS STORM CAN PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL UP TO BASEBALL
SIZE AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  HAWKEYE AROUND 335 PM...  
  WAUCOMA AND DONNAN AROUND 340 PM...
  WEST UNION AND DOUGLAS AROUND 345 PM...
  ELDORADO AROUND 350 PM...
  BRAINARD AROUND 355 PM...
  CLERMONT AND ELGIN AROUND 400 PM...

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS STORM. ANY OUTDOOR EVENTS IN NORTHERN 
FAYETTE COUNTY IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE MOVED INDOORS 
IMMEDIATELY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER IN A BASEMENT OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS! CARS AND MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED
FOR A STURDY BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...LAY FLAT IN A DITCH AND
COVER YOUR HEAD.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM SUNDAY EVENING FOR
NORTHEASTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN.

&&

LAT...LON 4276 9209 4298 9209 4308 9202 4308 9161
      4292 9161 4276 9208
TIME...MOT...LOC 2028Z 237DEG 36KT 4286 9203

$$

BAUMGARDT
681 
WWUS53 KARX 222040
SVSARX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
340 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

IAC065-222100-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-110522T2100Z/
FAYETTE IA-
340 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY
UNTIL 400 PM CDT...

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD ABOUT 4 TO 5 
MILES WEST OF FAYETTE AT 335 PM.  A TORNADO HAS YET TO BE CONFIRMED 
FROM THIS STORM...BUT A TORNADO COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME. 

AT 334 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE 
DEVELOPING TORNADO LOCATED NEAR HIGHWAY 93 AND COUNTY W 14...OR 9 
MILES SOUTHWEST OF WEST UNION...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. IN 
ADDITION TO A TORNADO...THIS STORM CAN PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL 
UP TO BASEBALL SIZE AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WEST UNION AND DOUGLAS AROUND 345 PM...
  ELDORADO AROUND 350 PM...  BRAINARD AROUND 355 PM...
  CLERMONT AND ELGIN AROUND 400 PM...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER IN A BASEMENT OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS! CARS AND MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED
FOR A STURDY BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...LAY FLAT IN A DITCH AND
COVER YOUR HEAD.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM SUNDAY EVENING FOR
NORTHEASTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN.

&&

LAT...LON 4276 9209 4298 9209 4308 9202 4308 9161
      4292 9161 4276 9208
TIME...MOT...LOC 2038Z 237DEG 36KT 4291 9192

$$

BAUMGARDT

The office that day

Everything else NWS La Crosse, WI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 2:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXFloyd, Howard, Mitchell57 min
May 22, 2:43 PM CDTTornado WarningARXHoward62 min
May 22, 4:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXAllamakee, Clayton, Fayette56 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.