Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2011
Tornado Warning 33, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at May 11, 2011, 4:11 PM CDT for Adams County, Taylor County, Iowa. It was in force for 49 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
- May 11, 2011, 4:11 PM CDT (21:11 UTC)
- Expired
- May 11, 2011, 5:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 49 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Adams County, IA, Taylor County, IA
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 123 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:15 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 4:22 PM CDT | TORNADO | Sharpsburg, IA | BRIEF TORNADO NEAR SHARPSBURG. FROM GRAVITY FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTTER. WALL CLOUD STILL ROTATING ALTHOUGH CURRENTLY NO TORNADO. |
| May 11, 4:25 PM CDT | TORNADO | 5 Sw Lenox, IA | BRIEF TWIN TORNADOES OCCURRED. LOCATION ESTIMATED. TRAINED SPOTTER LOOKING AT STORM FROM LENOX. |
| May 11, 4:40 PM CDT | TORNADO | Lenox, IA | TAYLOR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS 20 SQUARE BLOCKS OF DAMAGE IN TOWN...EXTENT UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. |
| May 11, 4:50 PM CDT | TORNADO | Lenox, IA | MULTIPLE TORNADOES IN AND AROUND LENOX. TORNADO DAMAGE ON THE WEST SIDE OF LENOX. HOMES AND TRAILERS DAMAGED AND POWER LINES DOWN. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2:53 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 153 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 909 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -95 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1123 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 24 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 55 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 177 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 3.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
017 WFUS53 KDMX 112111 TORDMX IAC003-173-112200- /O.NEW.KDMX.TO.W.0033.110511T2111Z-110511T2200Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 411 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA... NORTH CENTRAL TAYLOR COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA... * UNTIL 500 PM CDT * AT 405 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES NORTH OF BEDFORD...OR 19 MILES EAST OF CLARINDA...AND MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LENOX AND SHARPSBURG. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IMMEDIATELY SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT... OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A REINFORCED BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE...IN A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...FIND THE LOWEST SPOT AVAILABLE AND COVER YOUR HEAD. && LAT...LON 4095 9471 4094 9449 4076 9460 4076 9473 TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 201DEG 9KT 4080 9466 $$ COGIL
5 follow-up statements
422
WWUS53 KDMX 112119
SVSDMX
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
419 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011
IAC003-173-112200-
/O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-110511T2200Z/
TAYLOR IA-ADAMS IA-
419 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS AND
NORTH CENTRAL TAYLOR COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT...
AT 415 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LENOX...OR 20 MILES EAST OF
CLARINDA...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LENOX.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IMMEDIATELY SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT...
OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A REINFORCED BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.
IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE...IN A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...SEEK
SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...FIND THE
LOWEST SPOT AVAILABLE AND COVER YOUR HEAD.
&&
LAT...LON 4079 9471 4095 9465 4094 9449 4076 9460
4076 9461
TIME...MOT...LOC 2119Z 201DEG 9KT 4082 9465
$$
COGIL116 WWUS53 KDMX 112127 SVSDMX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 427 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 IAC003-173-112200- /O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-110511T2200Z/ TAYLOR IA-ADAMS IA- 427 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS AND NORTH CENTRAL TAYLOR COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT... AT 424 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF LENOX...OR 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CRESTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. AT 422 PM...STORM SPOTTERS FROM THE GRAVITY FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED A BRIEF TORNADO NEAR SHARPSBURG. THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE AS OF YET. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LENOX. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IMMEDIATELY SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT... OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A REINFORCED BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE...IN A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...FIND THE LOWEST SPOT AVAILABLE AND COVER YOUR HEAD. && LAT...LON 4082 9470 4095 9465 4094 9449 4078 9459 TIME...MOT...LOC 2127Z 214DEG 12KT 4085 9460 $$ COGIL
352 WWUS53 KDMX 112136 SVSDMX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 436 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 IAC003-173-112200- /O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-110511T2200Z/ TAYLOR IA-ADAMS IA- 436 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS AND NORTH CENTRAL TAYLOR COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT... AT 433 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR LENOX...OR 18 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CRESTON... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. AT 425 PM...TRAINED SPOTTERS REPORTED BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LENOX. ALTHOUGH THE SPOTTER REPORTED THE TORNADO HAD LIFTED TEMPORARILY...RADAR TRENDS INDICATE THE STORM STRENGTHENING AGAIN AND THE TORNADO POTENTIAL INCREASING AS IT MOVES TOWARD LENOX. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LENOX. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IMMEDIATELY SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT... OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A REINFORCED BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE...IN A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...FIND THE LOWEST SPOT AVAILABLE AND COVER YOUR HEAD. && LAT...LON 4082 9470 4095 9465 4094 9449 4078 9459 TIME...MOT...LOC 2135Z 215DEG 14KT 4087 9457 $$ COGIL
255 WWUS53 KDMX 112149 SVSDMX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 449 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 IAC003-173-112200- /O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-110511T2200Z/ TAYLOR IA-ADAMS IA- 449 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS AND NORTHEASTERN TAYLOR COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT... AT 447 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LENOX...OR 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CRESTON... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THIS STORM HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EXTREME NORTHEASTERN TAYLOR AND EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTIES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IMMEDIATELY SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT... OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A REINFORCED BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE...IN A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...FIND THE LOWEST SPOT AVAILABLE AND COVER YOUR HEAD. && LAT...LON 4087 9462 4095 9461 4094 9449 4083 9456 TIME...MOT...LOC 2148Z 214DEG 11KT 4090 9455 $$ COGIL
613 WWUS53 KDMX 112200 SVSDMX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 500 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 IAC003-173-112209- /O.EXP.KDMX.TO.W.0033.000000T0000Z-110511T2200Z/ TAYLOR IA-ADAMS IA- 500 PM CDT WED MAY 11 2011 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS AND NORTHEASTERN TAYLOR COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 500 PM CDT... THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED AREA. ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST ADAMS AND SOUTHWEST UNION COUNTY UNTIL 530 PM CDT. LAT...LON 4087 9462 4095 9461 4094 9449 4083 9456 TIME...MOT...LOC 2159Z 214DEG 11KT 4093 9453 $$ COGIL
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 12:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Cass | 47 min |
| May 11, 2:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Taylor | 55 min |
| May 11, 2:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Adams | 23 min |
| May 11, 2:43 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Adams, Taylor | 6 hr |
| May 11, 2:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Taylor | 39 min |
| May 11, 4:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Taylor | 44 min |
| May 11, 4:42 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Adams, Taylor | 6 hr |
| May 11, 4:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Adams, Union | 40 min |
| May 11, 4:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Taylor | 38 min |
| May 11, 5:32 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Ringgold, Taylor, Union | 43 min |
| May 11, 5:42 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Union | 33 min |
| May 11, 5:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Madison, Ringgold, Warren | 46 min |
| May 11, 6:03 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Union | 6 hr |
| May 11, 6:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adair, Clarke, Madison, Union | 54 min |
| May 11, 6:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Dallas, Madison, Polk, Warren | 53 min |
| May 11, 6:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Warren | 48 min |
| May 11, 6:46 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Wayne | 44 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.