Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 31, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

May 3, 2012Buena Vista County, Cherokee County, Iowa

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 2012, 8:37 PM CDT for Buena Vista County, Cherokee County, Iowa. It was in force for 38 min. 4 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 3, 2012, 8:37 PM CDT (01:37 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2012, 9:15 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
58.0 mph

Counties Buena Vista County, IA, Cherokee County, IA

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 146 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:40 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 3, 8:39 PM CDTHAIL 1Aurelia, IA
May 3, 8:43 PM CDTHAIL 1Aurelia, IA
May 3, 8:45 PM CDTHAIL 1Aurelia, IA
May 3, 8:55 PM CDTHAIL 1.75Aurelia, IANICKEL TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL FELL FOR 17 MINUTES...ENDING AT 855 PM

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 176 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 00:00Z on 2012-05-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2202 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 2012-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -6 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
2202 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-27 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1397 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

493 
WUUS53 KFSD 040137
SVRFSD
IAC021-035-040215-
/O.NEW.KFSD.SV.W.0031.120504T0137Z-120504T0215Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
837 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX FALLS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL BUENA VISTA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST IOWA...
  EAST CENTRAL CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST IOWA...

* UNTIL 915 PM CDT

* AT 837 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
  TRACKING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
  HAIL.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR AURELIA...OR 14 MILES NORTHWEST
  OF STORM LAKE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  AURELIA AROUND 845 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES PER
HOUR...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR
YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE
INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

&&

LAT...LON 4272 9524 4259 9549 4273 9556 4285 9537
TIME...MOT...LOC 0137Z 331DEG 7KT 4273 9543
WIND...HAIL <58MPH 1.00IN

$$

JM
2 follow-up statements
910 
WWUS53 KFSD 040155
SVSFSD

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
855 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

IAC021-035-040215-
/O.CON.KFSD.SV.W.0031.000000T0000Z-120504T0215Z/
BUENA VISTA IA-CHEROKEE IA-
855 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL
CHEROKEE AND WEST CENTRAL BUENA VISTA COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM CDT...

AT 854 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
AURELIA...OR 11 MILES WEST OF STORM LAKE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10
MPH.

IN ADDITION...THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF QUARTER SIZE HAIL 
IN AND AROUND AURELIA WITH THIS STORM.

THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EAST
CENTRAL CHEROKEE AND WEST CENTRAL BUENA VISTA COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES PER
HOUR...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR
YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE
INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL. SEEK SHELTER NOW
INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS!

&&

LAT...LON 4272 9524 4259 9549 4273 9556 4280 9538
TIME...MOT...LOC 0154Z 331DEG 7KT 4270 9541
WIND...HAIL 60MPH 1.00IN

$$

JM
587 
WWUS53 KFSD 040208
SVSFSD

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
908 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

IAC021-035-040218-
/O.EXP.KFSD.SV.W.0031.000000T0000Z-120504T0215Z/
BUENA VISTA IA-CHEROKEE IA-
908 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2012

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL CHEROKEE AND WEST
CENTRAL BUENA VISTA COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 915 PM CDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.

LAT...LON 4272 9524 4259 9549 4273 9556 4280 9538
TIME...MOT...LOC 0208Z 331DEG 7KT 4268 9539

$$

JM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 7:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDCherokee33 min
May 3, 8:05 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFSDCherokee93 min
May 4, 3:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDSioux30 min
May 4, 3:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDPlymouth, Sioux31 min
May 4, 3:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDO'Brien, Osceola, Sioux42 min
May 4, 3:20 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDO'Brien, Sioux25 min
May 4, 3:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDPlymouth36 min
May 4, 3:43 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDO'Brien, Sioux32 min
May 4, 4:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDCherokee, O'Brien29 min
May 4, 4:06 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDClay24 min
May 4, 4:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDDickinson, Osceola51 min
May 4, 4:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDClay, O'Brien33 min
May 4, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDClay35 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.