Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Des Moines, IA

April 14, 20124 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Apr 14, 2012, 3:47 PM CDT for 4 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 28 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
Apr 14, 2012, 3:47 PM CDT (20:47 UTC)
Expired
Apr 14, 2012, 4:15 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Adair County, IA, Adams County, IA, Madison County, IA, Union County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 74 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:47 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
Apr 14, 3:51 PM CDTTORNADO9 Nw Creston, IARAIN-WRAPPED TORNADO. RETRANSMISSION OF REPORT FROM 352PM.
Apr 14, 4:24 PM CDTHAIL 18 W Winterset, IAAT HIGHWAY 92 AND PITZER ROAD

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
Apr 14, 2:56 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC2 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 171 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 2012-04-14Temperature 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2012-04-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 2 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
1847 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
89 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.

946 
WFUS53 KDMX 142047
TORDMX
IAC001-003-121-175-142115-
/O.NEW.KDMX.TO.W.0002.120414T2047Z-120414T2115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
347 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN ADAIR COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA...
  NORTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA...
  SOUTHWESTERN MADISON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTHWESTERN UNION COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...

* UNTIL 415 PM CDT

* AT 342 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
  STORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTH OF GREENFIELD...OR 11 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF CRESTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ORIENT AND MACKSBURG.

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 4135 9418 4118 9409 4110 9455 4121 9461
TIME...MOT...LOC 2047Z 253DEG 40KT 4119 9446

$$

SKOW
2 follow-up statements
235 
WWUS53 KDMX 142051
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
351 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

IAC001-003-121-175-142115-
/O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120414T2115Z/
UNION IA-MADISON IA-ADAIR IA-ADAMS IA-
351 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN ADAMS...
SOUTHEASTERN ADAIR...SOUTHWESTERN MADISON AND NORTHWESTERN UNION
COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM CDT...

AT 347 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 9 MILES SOUTH OF GREENFIELD...OR 10 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CRESTON...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MACKSBURG.

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.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY HIDE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW. IF YOU WAIT TO
SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT WILL BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

&&

LAT...LON 4135 9418 4118 9409 4110 9455 4121 9461
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 253DEG 40KT 4119 9440

$$

SKOW
615 
WWUS53 KDMX 142117
SVSDMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
417 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

IAC001-003-121-175-142126-
/O.EXP.KDMX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120414T2115Z/
UNION IA-MADISON IA-ADAIR IA-ADAMS IA-
417 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN ADAMS...SOUTHEASTERN ADAIR...
SOUTHWESTERN MADISON AND NORTHWESTERN UNION COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.
 HOWEVER QUARTER SIZED HAIL IS STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

IN ADDITION...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP...AND A TORNADO 
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM.

LAT...LON 4135 9418 4118 9409 4110 9455 4121 9461
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 253DEG 40KT 4119 9440

$$

LEE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 14, 3:53 AM CDTDense Fog AdvisoryDMXAdair, Adams, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll and 22 more5 hr
Apr 14, 2:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Adams, Cass49 min
Apr 14, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Madison36 min
Apr 14, 4:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMadison, Warren48 min
Apr 14, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPolk, Warren38 min
Apr 14, 5:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Polk45 min
Apr 14, 6:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Adams, Cass48 min
Apr 14, 6:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Union34 min
Apr 14, 6:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXTaylor33 min
Apr 14, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and 1 more42 min
Apr 14, 6:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPolk, Warren34 min
Apr 14, 6:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCass3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes 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.