Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Quad Cities, IA

May 3, 20124 counties in Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this tornado warning at May 3, 2012, 8:58 PM CDT for 4 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 32 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 3, 2012, 8:58 PM CDT (01:58 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2012, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Henry County, IA, Louisa County, IA, Muscatine County, IA, Washington County, IA

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:01 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 3, 7:09 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 2.0 hours before the alert went out and 88 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 00:00Z on 2012-05-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1056 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2012-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 42 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
1056 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-39 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1420 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
100 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

960 
WFUS53 KDVN 040158
TORDVN
IAC087-115-139-183-040230-
/O.NEW.KDVN.TO.W.0005.120504T0158Z-120504T0230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
858 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE QUAD CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN MUSCATINE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTH CENTRAL HENRY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IOWA...
  NORTHWESTERN LOUISA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IOWA...
  SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST IOWA...

* UNTIL 930 PM CDT.

* AT 857 PM CDT...TRAINED SPOTTERS AND DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO NEAR NOBLE...OR 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WASHINGTON...MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  CRAWFORDSVILLE AROUND 905 PM CDT...
  WYMAN AROUND 910 PM CDT...
  AINSWORTH AROUND 915 PM CDT...
  COTTER AND HASKINS AROUND 925 PM CDT...
  GLADWIN...COLUMBUS JUNCTION...COLUMBUS CITY AND FREDONIA AROUND 930
  PM CDT...

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.

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE TWICE AS DEADLY AS DURING THE DAY AND
DIFFICULT TO SEE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 100 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEAST IOWA AND NORTHEAST
MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4143 9148 4142 9139 4130 9123 4109 9154
      4122 9172
TIME...MOT...LOC 0158Z 225DEG 18KT 4120 9158

$$

LE
2 follow-up statements
796 
WWUS53 KDVN 040215
SVSDVN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
915 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

IAC087-040224-
/O.CAN.KDVN.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120504T0230Z/
HENRY IA-
915 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL HENRY COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

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

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING 
FOR NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT 
UNTIL 100 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEAST IOWA AND NORTHEAST 
MISSOURI.

LAT...LON 4143 9148 4142 9139 4130 9123 4117 9143
      4116 9143 4117 9156 4126 9162
TIME...MOT...LOC 0214Z 245DEG 17KT 4122 9148

$$

IAC115-139-183-040230-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120504T0230Z/
WASHINGTON IA-MUSCATINE IA-LOUISA IA-
915 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN LOUISA...SOUTHWESTERN MUSCATINE AND SOUTHEASTERN
WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

AT 910 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY NEAR
CRAWFORDSVILLE...OR 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF COLUMBUS JUNCTION...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  COTTER AROUND 920 PM CDT...
  COLUMBUS CITY...COLUMBUS JUNCTION...FREDONIA AND 8 MILES SOUTHEAST
  OF GLADWIN AROUND 930 PM CDT...

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.

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 100 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEAST IOWA AND NORTHEAST
MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4143 9148 4142 9139 4130 9123 4117 9143
      4116 9143 4117 9156 4126 9162
TIME...MOT...LOC 0214Z 245DEG 17KT 4122 9148

$$

LE
853 
WWUS53 KDVN 040225
SVSDVN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
925 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

IAC183-040235-
/O.CAN.KDVN.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120504T0230Z/
WASHINGTON IA-
925 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON 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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING 
FOR NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT 
UNTIL 100 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST 
ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

LAT...LON 4121 9148 4142 9148 4142 9139 4130 9123
      4117 9143
TIME...MOT...LOC 0225Z 245DEG 17KT 4124 9142

$$

IAC115-139-040230-
/O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120504T0230Z/
MUSCATINE IA-LOUISA IA-
925 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN LOUISA AND SOUTHWESTERN MUSCATINE COUNTIES...

AT 923 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY NEAR
COLUMBUS CITY...OR NEAR COLUMBUS JUNCTION...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 
MPH.  LARGE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH 
THIS STORM.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  COLUMBUS CITY...COLUMBUS JUNCTION...FREDONIA AND 8 MILES SOUTHEAST
  OF GLADWIN AROUND 930 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FRIDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 100 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN IOWA AND NORTHWEST
ILLINOIS AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

&&

LAT...LON 4121 9148 4142 9148 4142 9139 4130 9123
      4117 9143
TIME...MOT...LOC 0225Z 245DEG 17KT 4124 9142

$$

LE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 7:31 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDVNBenton29 min
May 3, 8:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDVNLouisa, Washington52 min
May 3, 8:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBenton15 min
May 3, 8:27 PM CDTTornado WarningDVNHenry, Jefferson, Louisa, Washington33 min
May 3, 8:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Johnson, Linn35 min
May 3, 9:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Clinton, Scott31 min
May 3, 9:29 PM CDTTornado WarningDVNLouisa, Muscatine17 min
May 3, 9:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Muscatine, Scott43 min
May 3, 9:58 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDVNKeokuk, Louisa, Washington6 hr
May 3, 10:20 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDVNCedar, Johnson, Louisa, Muscatine, Washington6 hr
May 3, 10:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNClinton, Scott38 min
May 3, 10:44 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDVNLouisa, Scott6 hr
May 3, 11:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WatchDVNDes Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa and 4 more9 hr
May 4, 12:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNLouisa, Muscatine24 min
May 4, 1:10 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDVNHenry, Jefferson6 hr
May 4, 2:26 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDVNDes Moines, Lee, Van Buren49 min
May 4, 2:40 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDVNLee, Van Buren6 hr
May 4, 3:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNLee38 min
May 4, 4:04 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDVNLouisa, Muscatine, Washington9 hr
May 4, 6:26 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNKeokuk49 min
May 4, 6:34 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDVNKeokuk4 hr
May 4, 11:59 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDVNDes Moines, Henry, Lee71 hr
May 4, 3:31 PM CDTFlash Flood WatchDVNBenton, Cedar, Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa and 12 more11 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.