Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 59, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 4, 2012Emmet County, Palo Alto County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 4, 2012, 4:22 PM CDT for Emmet County, Palo Alto County, Iowa. It was in force for 38 min. 2 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 4, 2012, 4:22 PM CDT (21:22 UTC)
Expired
May 4, 2012, 5:00 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Emmet County, IA, Palo Alto County, IA

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 173 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:25 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 4, 4:41 PM CDTTORNADO3 Sse Ruthven, IA
May 4, 4:45 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 65Estherville, 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 4, 2:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 194 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2012-05-04Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2012-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -52 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1101 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
15 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.

989 
WUUS53 KDMX 042122
SVRDMX
IAC063-147-042200-
/O.NEW.KDMX.SV.W.0059.120504T2122Z-120504T2200Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
422 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN EMMET COUNTY IN NORTHWEST IOWA...
  NORTHERN PALO ALTO COUNTY IN NORTHWEST IOWA...

* UNTIL 500 PM CDT

* AT 418 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
  FOSTORIA...OR 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SPENCER...AND MOVING EAST AT 45
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ESTHERVILLE...EMMETSBURG...RUTHVEN...WALLINGFORD...GRAETTINGER...
  ESTHERVILLE AIRPORT...GRUVER AND RINGSTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A
MOBILE HOME...GET OUT NOW...AND SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED
BUILDING.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCED
WARNING. IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED...IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO THE BASEMENT
OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM OF A REINFORCED BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 4338 9444 4311 9445 4306 9490 4342 9491
TIME...MOT...LOC 2122Z 263DEG 40KT 4323 9518
WIND...HAIL 60MPH 1.00IN

$$

JOHNSON
2 follow-up statements
258 
WWUS53 KDMX 042127 RRA
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
427 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012

IAC063-147-042200-
/O.CON.KDMX.SV.W.0059.000000T0000Z-120504T2200Z/
PALO ALTO IA-EMMET IA-
427 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN EMMET
AND NORTHERN PALO ALTO COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT...

AT 425 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND
DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
FOSTORIA...OR 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF SPENCER...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

A 70 MPH WIND GUST WAS REPORTED IN SPENCER BY THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ESTHERVILLE...EMMETSBURG...RUTHVEN...WALLINGFORD...GRAETTINGER...
  GRUVER AND RINGSTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR YOUR PROTECTION...IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR
ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. THIS STORM HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCED
WARNING. IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED...IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO THE BASEMENT
OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM OF A REINFORCED BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 4338 9444 4311 9445 4306 9490 4342 9491
TIME...MOT...LOC 2127Z 262DEG 49KT 4325 9505
WIND...HAIL 70MPH 1.00IN

$$

JOHNSON
597 
WWUS53 KDMX 042146
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
446 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012

IAC063-147-042200-
/O.CON.KDMX.SV.W.0059.000000T0000Z-120504T2200Z/
PALO ALTO IA-EMMET IA-
446 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN EMMET
AND NORTHERN PALO ALTO COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT...

AT 442 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM ESTHERVILLE TO 10 MILES WEST OF EMMETSBURG...MOVING EAST AT 55
MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  EMMETSBURG AND RINGSTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WINDS...FALLING TREES AND FLYING DEBRIS. MOVE 
INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE HOME...GET
OUT NOW...AND SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 4338 9444 4311 9445 4306 9490 4342 9491
TIME...MOT...LOC 2146Z 260DEG 49KT 4340 9471 4309 9480
WIND...HAIL 60MPH 1.00IN

$$

COGIL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHumboldt28 min
May 3, 11:32 PM CDTFlash Flood WatchDMXAdams, Appanoose, Clarke, Davis, Decatur, Lucas and 8 more9 hr
May 4, 2:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams, Union51 min
May 4, 2:13 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXRinggold, Taylor32 min
May 4, 2:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXRinggold, Taylor45 min
May 4, 2:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams51 min
May 4, 3:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXTaylor48 min
May 4, 5:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXLucas, Marion, Monroe42 min
May 4, 5:44 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXMahaska, Poweshiek4 hr
May 4, 4:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXEmmet, Kossuth55 min
May 4, 4:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXKossuth50 min
May 4, 4:46 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXPalo Alto29 min
May 4, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXEmmet, Kossuth, Palo Alto46 min
May 4, 5:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHancock, Winnebago49 min
May 4, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXKossuth17 min
May 4, 5:40 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXHancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Wright35 min
May 4, 5:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXKossuth15 min
May 4, 6:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Hancock, Winnebago, Worth60 min
May 4, 6:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton, Webster, Wright23 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2012Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2012

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.