Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Quad Cities, IA

May 22, 2011Cedar County, Iowa County, Johnson County, Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this tornado warning at May 22, 2011, 3:22 PM CDT for Cedar County, Iowa County, Johnson County, Iowa. It was in force for 53 min. 5 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, 4:15 PM CDT
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Cedar County, IA, Iowa County, IA, Johnson County, IA

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 77 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, 3:36 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, 4:01 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDNorth Liberty, IASTRONG RAPID ROTATION NEAR N. PENN AND I380
May 22, 4:25 PM CDTHAIL 0.752 Sw Iowa City, IA

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, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 84 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.

972 
WFUS53 KDVN 222022
TORDVN
IAC031-095-103-222115-
/O.NEW.KDVN.TO.W.0006.110522T2022Z-110522T2115Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE QUAD CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN CEDAR COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...
  EAST CENTRAL IOWA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...
  CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...

* UNTIL 415 PM CDT.

* AT 317 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO NEAR WINDHAM...OR 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARENGO...MOVING
  EAST AT 35 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  COSGROVE...WINDHAM AND OXFORD AROUND 325 PM CDT...
  KENT COUNTY PARK AROUND 330 PM CDT...
  TIFFIN AROUND 335 PM CDT...
  CORALVILLE...OAKDALE AND NORTH LIBERTY AROUND 340 PM CDT...
  UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND IOWA CITY AROUND 345 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 221 AND 264.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 5.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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

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

&&

LAT...LON 4187 9120 4161 9115 4157 9195 4169 9200
TIME...MOT...LOC 2022Z 261DEG 29KT 4166 9180

$$

ERVIN
4 follow-up statements
403 
WWUS53 KDVN 222039
SVSDVN

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

IAC031-095-103-222115-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-110522T2115Z/
JOHNSON IA-IOWA IA-CEDAR IA-
339 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM CDT FOR WESTERN
CEDAR...EAST CENTRAL IOWA AND CENTRAL JOHNSON COUNTIES...

AT 338 PM CDT...TRAINED SPOTTERS AND DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
TORNADO 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NORTH LIBERTY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  NEWPORT AROUND 345 PM CDT...
  MORSE...ELMIRA AND OASIS AROUND 350 PM CDT...
  WEST BRANCH AROUND 355 PM CDT...
  CEDAR BLUFF...CEDAR VALLEY AND SPRINGDALE AROUND 400 PM CDT...
  BUCHANAN AROUND 405 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 221 AND 264.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 5.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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

&&

LAT...LON 4187 9120 4161 9115 4157 9195 4169 9200
TIME...MOT...LOC 2039Z 259DEG 35KT 4172 9156

$$

ERVIN
545 
WWUS53 KDVN 222047
SVSDVN

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

IAC031-095-103-222115-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-110522T2115Z/
JOHNSON IA-IOWA IA-CEDAR IA-
347 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM CDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL CEDAR...EAST CENTRAL IOWA AND NORTHERN JOHNSON COUNTIES...

AT 342 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY NEAR 
NORTH LIBERTY...OR NEAR UNIVERSITY OF IOWA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. 
TRAINED SPOTTERS INDICATE A WALL CLOUD NEAR NORTH LIBERTY AT 342 PM.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  NEWPORT AROUND 355 PM CDT...
  MORSE AND ELMIRA AROUND 400 PM CDT...
  OASIS AROUND 405 PM CDT...
  CEDAR BLUFF AROUND 410 PM CDT...
  BUCHANAN AND CEDAR VALLEY AROUND 415 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 225 AND 248.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 5.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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

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

&&

LAT...LON 4187 9120 4169 9117 4165 9190 4171 9191
TIME...MOT...LOC 2047Z 257DEG 24KT 4173 9154

$$

ERVIN
716 
WWUS53 KDVN 222101
SVSDVN

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

IAC095-222108-
/O.CAN.KDVN.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-110522T2115Z/
IOWA IA-
401 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL IOWA COUNTY 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 4167 9172 4173 9175 4187 9120 4169 9117
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 253DEG 20KT 4175 9148

$$

IAC031-103-222115-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-110522T2115Z/
JOHNSON IA-CEDAR IA-
401 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM CDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL CEDAR AND NORTHERN JOHNSON COUNTIES...

AT 355 PM CDT...TRAINED SPOTTERED INDICATED A NARROW FUNNELCLOUD 
NEAR NORTH LIBERTY. THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 
NEAR NEWPORT...OR 6 MILES NORTH OF UNIVERSITY OF IOWA...MOVING EAST 
AT 25 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  MORSE...ELMIRA AND OASIS AROUND 405 PM CDT...
  OASIS AROUND 410 PM CDT...
  CEDAR BLUFF...BUCHANAN AND CEDAR VALLEY AROUND 415 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 235 AND 247.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 380 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 4.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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

&&

LAT...LON 4167 9172 4173 9175 4187 9120 4169 9117
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 253DEG 20KT 4175 9148

$$

ERVIN
761 
WWUS53 KDVN 222114
SVSDVN

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

IAC031-103-222123-
/O.EXP.KDVN.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-110522T2115Z/
JOHNSON IA-CEDAR IA-
414 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL CEDAR AND NORTHERN JOHNSON
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 415 PM CDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO HAS
WEAKENED. THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LARGE REMAINS A VERY HIGH THREAT WITH THIS STORM OVER JONES AND 
CEDAR COUNTIES.

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

LAT...LON 4167 9172 4173 9175 4187 9120 4169 9117
TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 253DEG 20KT 4177 9137

$$

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, 2:38 PM CDTTornado WarningDVNBenton, Iowa, Johnson, Keokuk, Linn67 min
May 22, 2:45 PM CDTTornado WarningDVNBenton, Iowa, Linn29 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.