Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Quad Cities, IA

May 22, 20115 counties in Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this tornado warning at May 22, 2011, 2:38 PM CDT for 5 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 67 min. 12 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, 2:38 PM CDT (19:38 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 2011, 3:45 PM CDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Benton County, IA, Iowa County, IA, Johnson County, IA, Keokuk County, IA, Linn County, IA

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 118 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:39 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, 2:54 PM CDTTORNADO3 Nw North English, IA
May 22, 2:55 PM CDTTORNADO2 W Parnell, IACONFIRMED TORNADO ON THE GROUND NEAR PARNELL.
May 22, 2:58 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 N North English, IATIME ESTIMATED.
May 22, 2:58 PM CDTHAIL 0.751 Ssw Williamsburg, IAPEA TO DIME SIZED HAIL.
May 22, 3:00 PM CDTHAIL 0.755 Nne Holbrook, IAPEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL
May 22, 3:02 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG3 W Parnell, IAPOWER LINES DOWN
May 22, 3:04 PM CDTHAIL 21 Ssw Williamsburg, IATWO INCH DIAMETER HAIL.
May 22, 3:15 PM CDTHAIL 0.754 Ssw Amana, IAHAIL BEGAN AT 3 PM AND HAS CONTINUED FOR PAST 15 MINUTES
May 22, 3:36 PM CDTTORNADO4 Sw North Liberty, IATORNADO ON THE GROUND ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NORTH LIBERTY.
May 22, 3:42 PM CDTHAIL 12 Nnw North Liberty, IA
May 22, 3:45 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDCoralville, IAOFFICERS REPORTED 2 FUNNEL CLOUDS. BOTH HAD BEGUN TO DISSIPATE.
May 22, 3:45 PM CDTHAIL 0.88Ely, IANICKEL SIZED HAIL. TIME ESTIMATED.

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, 12:51 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 124 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.

011 
WFUS53 KDVN 221938
TORDVN
IAC011-095-103-107-113-222045-
/O.NEW.KDVN.TO.W.0004.110522T1938Z-110522T2045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
238 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE QUAD CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN BENTON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...
  IOWA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...
  WESTERN JOHNSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...
  SOUTHWESTERN LINN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTHWESTERN KEOKUK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IOWA...

* UNTIL 345 PM CDT.

* AT 234 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MILLERSBURG...OR 13 MILES NORTH OF
  SIGOURNEY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  MILLERSBURG AND LAKE IOWA AROUND 245 PM CDT...
  NORTH ENGLISH AROUND 250 PM CDT...
  PARNELL AND WILLIAMSBURG AROUND 255 PM CDT...
  HOLBROOK AROUND 300 PM CDT...
  AMISH AROUND 310 PM CDT...
  COSGROVE...WINDHAM AND FRYTOWN AROUND 315 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 205 AND 245.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 21.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE IN A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR INTERIOR ROOM
OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING.

PLEASE REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER OR DAMAGE TO YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

THIS STORM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF GOLF 
BALLS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4170 9231 4205 9153 4156 9151 4146 9231
TIME...MOT...LOC 1938Z 254DEG 35KT 4153 9222

$$

ERVIN
4 follow-up statements
609 
WWUS53 KDVN 221956
SVSDVN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
256 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

IAC011-095-103-107-113-222045-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110522T2045Z/
LINN IA-KEOKUK IA-JOHNSON IA-IOWA IA-BENTON IA-
256 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BENTON...IOWA...WESTERN JOHNSON...NORTHERN KEOKUK AND
SOUTHWESTERN LINN COUNTIES...

AT 251 PM CDT...TRAINED SPOTTERS AND DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY NEAR NORTH
ENGLISH...OR 16 MILES SOUTH OF MARENGO...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  PARNELL AND WILLIAMSBURG AROUND 300 PM CDT...
  HOLBROOK AROUND 310 PM CDT...
  WINDHAM AND AMISH AROUND 320 PM CDT...
  COSGROVE...FRYTOWN AND OXFORD AROUND 325 PM CDT...
  SHARON CENTER AND KENT COUNTY PARK AROUND 330 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 205 AND 245.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 21.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF GOLF 
BALLS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4170 9231 4205 9153 4156 9151 4146 9231
TIME...MOT...LOC 1955Z 254DEG 28KT 4157 9204

$$

ERVIN
637 
WWUS53 KDVN 222003
SVSDVN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
303 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

IAC011-095-103-107-113-222045-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110522T2045Z/
LINN IA-KEOKUK IA-JOHNSON IA-IOWA IA-BENTON IA-
303 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BENTON...IOWA...WESTERN JOHNSON...NORTHERN KEOKUK AND
SOUTHWESTERN LINN COUNTIES...

AT 300 PM CDT...TRAINED SPOTTERS AND DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY NEAR PARNELL...OR 14
MILES SOUTH OF MARENGO...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  HOLBROOK AROUND 310 PM CDT...
  AMISH AROUND 320 PM CDT...
  WINDHAM...COSGROVE...FRYTOWN AND OXFORD AROUND 325 PM CDT...
  SHARON CENTER AND KENT COUNTY PARK AROUND 330 PM CDT...
  TIFFIN AROUND 335 PM CDT...
  CORALVILLE AROUND 340 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 209 AND 245.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 20.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAIN MAY OBSCURE THE APPROACH OF THE TORNADO. TAKE SHELTER NOW!

THIS STORM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF PING 
PONG BALLS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4160 9230 4176 9217 4204 9153 4156 9151
      4146 9231
TIME...MOT...LOC 2003Z 261DEG 28KT 4160 9197

$$

ERVIN
253 
WWUS53 KDVN 222011
SVSDVN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
311 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

IAC011-095-103-107-113-222045-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110522T2045Z/
LINN IA-KEOKUK IA-JOHNSON IA-IOWA IA-BENTON IA-
311 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CDT FOR 
SOUTHEASTERN BENTON...SOUTHEASTERN IOWA...JOHNSON...NORTHERN KEOKUK 
AND SOUTHWESTERN LINN COUNTIES...

AT 308 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY NEAR
HOLBROOK...OR 14 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARENGO...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  AMISH AROUND 320 PM CDT...
  WINDHAM...FRYTOWN AND OXFORD AROUND 325 PM CDT...
  COSGROVE AND KENT COUNTY PARK AROUND 330 PM CDT...
  TIFFIN AND SHARON CENTER AROUND 335 PM CDT...
  CORALVILLE AND OAKDALE AROUND 340 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 216 AND 245.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 19.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAIN MAY OBSCURE THE APPROACH OF THE TORNADO. TAKE SHELTER NOW!

THIS STORM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF 
TENNIS BALL SIZE HAIL.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4160 9230 4170 9206 4182 9203 4204 9153
      4156 9151 4146 9231
TIME...MOT...LOC 2011Z 259DEG 26KT 4162 9191

$$

ERVIN
107 
WWUS53 KDVN 222030
SVSDVN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
330 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

IAC011-107-113-222039-
/O.CAN.KDVN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110522T2045Z/
LINN IA-KEOKUK IA-BENTON IA-
330 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN BENTON...NORTHERN KEOKUK AND
SOUTHWESTERN LINN COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO HAS 
MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN 
CANCELLED.

HOWEVER...THIS STORM IS STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO OVER 
JOHNSON COUNTY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

LAT...LON 4157 9207 4168 9207 4170 9200 4181 9153
      4156 9151
TIME...MOT...LOC 2029Z 259DEG 31KT 4169 9174

$$

IAC095-103-222045-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110522T2045Z/
JOHNSON IA-IOWA IA-
330 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL IOWA AND CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTIES...

AT 325 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY NEAR
OXFORD...OR 13 MILES WEST OF UNIVERSITY OF IOWA...MOVING EAST AT 35
MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  TIFFIN AROUND 335 PM CDT...
  OAKDALE...CORALVILLE AND NORTH LIBERTY AROUND 340 PM CDT...
  SUGAR BOTTOM CAMP GROUND...UNIVERSITY OF IOWA...IOWA CITY AND
  UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS AROUND 345 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 218 AND 245.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 6.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM HAS ALREADY PRODUCED A TORNADO AND REMAINS A THREAT.

THIS STORM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF GOLF 
BALLS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4157 9207 4168 9207 4170 9200 4181 9153
      4156 9151
TIME...MOT...LOC 2029Z 259DEG 31KT 4169 9174

$$

ERVIN

The office that day

Everything else NWS Quad Cities, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 10:09 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDVNIowa, Jefferson, Keokuk51 min
May 22, 2:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBenton, Iowa44 min
May 22, 2:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNIowa, Keokuk, Washington54 min
May 22, 2:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBenton, Iowa, Linn33 min
May 22, 2:45 PM CDTTornado WarningDVNBenton, Iowa, Linn29 min
May 22, 3:22 PM CDTTornado WarningDVNCedar, Iowa, Johnson53 min
May 22, 3:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn65 min
May 22, 3:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNIowa, Johnson, Keokuk, Washington47 min
May 22, 4:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Clinton, Jackson, Jones63 min
May 22, 4:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNJefferson, Keokuk, Washington43 min
May 22, 4:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNIowa, Johnson, Keokuk, Washington43 min
May 22, 4:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Clinton, Johnson58 min
May 22, 4:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClinton, Jackson58 min
May 22, 4:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Clinton, Jackson, Scott64 min
May 22, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine, Scott50 min
May 22, 5:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClinton, Jackson62 min
May 22, 5:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClinton, Scott31 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.