Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Des Moines, IA

March 22, 20114 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Mar 22, 2011, 6:26 PM CDT for 4 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 49 min. 10 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
Mar 22, 2011, 6:26 PM CDT (23:26 UTC)
Expired
Mar 22, 2011, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Dallas County, IA, Madison County, IA, Polk County, IA, Warren County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 31 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:28 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
Mar 22, 6:28 PM CDTTORNADO6 N Winterset, IAOUTBUILDING DEBRIS AND TREE DAMAGE STREWN OVER HIGHWAY 169. REPORTED BY OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE.
Mar 22, 6:37 PM CDTTORNADO6 Sse De Soto, IADAMAGE TO A BUILDING. ROOF BLOWN OFF INTO THE FRONT YARD.
Mar 22, 6:49 PM CDTHAIL 1West Des Moines, IA
Mar 22, 6:54 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD5 W Norwalk, IA
Mar 22, 6:57 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDNorwalk, IALOCATED ALONG 2000 BLOCK OF COUNTY RD R45.
Mar 22, 7:00 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD4 S Des Moines Int Airp, IABRIEF FUNNEL FORMED AND DISSIPATED. NO TOUCHDOWN.
Mar 22, 7:01 PM CDTHAIL 0.25Des Moines, IADES MOINES AIRPORT
Mar 22, 7:07 PM CDTHAIL 0.755 Wnw Des Moines, IA
Mar 22, 7:17 PM CDTHAIL 16 S Earlham, IA
Mar 22, 7:18 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD5 Nnw Des Moines, IASPOTTER WAS OUTDOORS WATCHING WATER PONDING ON THE ROAD AND LOOKED UP TO SEE A ROTATING WALL CLOUD. FUNNEL CLOUD BRIEFLY DEVELOPED THEN WENT BACK IN THE CLOUD.

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
Mar 22, 2:03 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 212 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2011-03-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 486 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2011-03-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 477 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
486 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-475 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
777 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
477 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
501 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.

617 
WFUS53 KDMX 222326
TORDMX
IAC049-121-153-181-230015-
/O.NEW.KDMX.TO.W.0008.110322T2326Z-110323T0015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
626 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN DALLAS COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTHERN MADISON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...
  SOUTHERN POLK COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTHERN WARREN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...

* UNTIL 715 PM CDT

* AT 624 PM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO 6 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF WINTERSET...OR 27 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.
  DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS TORNADO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  DES MOINES...WEST DES MOINES...NORWALK...WINDSOR HEIGHTS...
  CARLISLE...PLEASANT HILL...ALTOONA...BONDURANT...VAN METER...
  MARTENSDALE...CUMMING...SPRING HILL...DES MOINES INT AIRPORT...
  MITCHELLVILLE...RUNNELLS AND HARTFORD.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 113 AND 148.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 58 AND 88.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 235 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 14.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. 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.

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...
THIS STORM IS ALSO EXPECTED TO PRODUCE GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND 
WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE WINDS.

&&

LAT...LON 4134 9414 4147 9419 4174 9336 4141 9333
TIME...MOT...LOC 2326Z 246DEG 32KT 4141 9405

$$

DONAVON
2 follow-up statements
825 
WWUS53 KDMX 222352
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
652 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

IAC049-121-153-181-230015-
/O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110323T0015Z/
POLK IA-DALLAS IA-MADISON IA-WARREN IA-
652 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN WARREN...NORTHERN
MADISON...SOUTHEASTERN DALLAS AND SOUTHERN POLK COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM
CDT...

AT 651 PM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR NORWALK...OR 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES
MOINES...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  DES MOINES...WINDSOR HEIGHTS...CARLISLE...PLEASANT HILL...
  ALTOONA...BONDURANT...DES MOINES INT AIRPORT...HARTFORD...RUNNELLS
  AND MITCHELLVILLE.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 113 AND 149.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 58 AND 89.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 235 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 14.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS ALSO EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 
GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE WINDS.

&&

LAT...LON 4134 9414 4152 9404 4174 9336 4141 9333
TIME...MOT...LOC 2352Z 251DEG 44KT 4152 9371

$$
765 
WWUS53 KDMX 230012
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
712 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

IAC049-121-153-181-230022-
/O.EXP.KDMX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110323T0015Z/
POLK IA-DALLAS IA-MADISON IA-WARREN IA-
712 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 112 AND 149.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 58 AND 89.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 235 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 14.

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN WARREN...NORTHERN MADISON...
SOUTHEASTERN DALLAS AND SOUTHERN POLK COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 715 PM
CDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.

ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A TORNADO 
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

LAT...LON 4134 9414 4152 9404 4174 9336 4141 9333
TIME...MOT...LOC 0012Z 251DEG 44KT 4160 9340

$$

BEERENDS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 22, 6:30 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXBlack Hawk, Bremer, Butler4 days
Mar 22, 10:52 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXPalo Alto16 days
Mar 22, 10:52 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXHumboldt25 days
Mar 22, 4:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Wright13 min
Mar 22, 4:55 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCarroll, Crawford35 min
Mar 22, 5:02 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdair, Adams, Cass43 min
Mar 22, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon, Cass, Guthrie23 min
Mar 22, 5:18 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAudubon, Cass, Guthrie27 min
Mar 22, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon, Carroll, Greene33 min
Mar 22, 5:29 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCrawford35 min
Mar 22, 5:43 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAudubon, Cass, Greene, Guthrie15 min
Mar 22, 5:44 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdair, Madison46 min
Mar 22, 5:47 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdams, Ringgold, Taylor, Union43 min
Mar 22, 6:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDallas, Madison, Polk44 min
Mar 22, 6:27 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdair, Clarke, Madison, Union, Warren39 min
Mar 22, 6:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Hancock, Worth, Wright28 min
Mar 22, 6:45 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXClarke, Decatur, Ringgold30 min
Mar 22, 6:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Dallas, Madison25 min
Mar 22, 6:57 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdair, Madison, Union33 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.