Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2012
Tornado Warning 22, NWS Sioux Falls, SD
NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at May 4, 2012, 3:43 PM CDT for O'Brien County, Sioux County, Iowa. It was in force for 32 min. 3 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, 3:43 PM CDT (20:43 UTC)
- Expired
- May 4, 2012, 4:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 32 min
- Issued by
- NWS Sioux Falls, SD
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties O'Brien County, IA, Sioux County, IA
The radar
The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:43 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 3:45 PM CDT | TSTM WND GST 60 | Sheldon, IA | |
| May 4, 3:50 PM CDT | TORNADO | 3 W Primghar, IA | |
| May 4, 4:15 PM CDT | TSTM WND GST 60 | 4 Ene Hartley, IA | SMALL BRANCHES DOWN. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 4, 2:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 9 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 208 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2705 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -17 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 584 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 17 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 10 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 98 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
651
WFUS53 KFSD 042043
TORFSD
IAC141-167-042115-
/O.NEW.KFSD.TO.W.0022.120504T2043Z-120504T2115Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
343 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX FALLS HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
O'BRIEN COUNTY IN NORTHWEST IOWA...
NORTHEASTERN SIOUX COUNTY IN NORTHWEST IOWA...
* UNTIL 415 PM CDT
* AT 342 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS
DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ARCHER...OR 14 MILES EAST OF
ORANGE CITY...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
* THIS TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
PRIMGHAR AND SANBORN AROUND 350 PM CDT...
HARTLEY AROUND 405 PM CDT...
IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT FOR A TORNADO...HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF
BALLS AND WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
&&
LAT...LON 4297 9586 4326 9593 4326 9563 4325 9539
4302 9540
TIME...MOT...LOC 2042Z 252DEG 35KT 4309 9576
$$
SCHUMACHER3 follow-up statements
271
WWUS53 KFSD 042052
SVSFSD
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
352 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
IAC167-042101-
/O.CAN.KFSD.TO.W.0022.000000T0000Z-120504T2115Z/
SIOUX IA-
352 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN SIOUX COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA.
LAT...LON 4298 9580 4324 9582 4326 9563 4325 9539
4302 9540
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 256DEG 42KT 4310 9563
$$
IAC141-042115-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0022.000000T0000Z-120504T2115Z/
O'BRIEN IA-
352 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR O'BRIEN COUNTY UNTIL 415
PM CDT...
AT 351 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A CONFIRMED TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES WEST
OF PRIMGHAR...OR 20 MILES EAST OF ORANGE CITY...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
PRIMGHAR THROUGH 355 PM CDT.
HARTLEY AROUND 405 PM CDT...
AT 350 PM CDT...A TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO 3 MILES WEST OF
PRIMGHAR.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
&&
LAT...LON 4298 9580 4324 9582 4326 9563 4325 9539
4302 9540
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 256DEG 42KT 4310 9563
$$
SCHUMACHER349
WWUS53 KFSD 042059
SVSFSD
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
359 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
IAC141-042115-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0022.000000T0000Z-120504T2115Z/
O'BRIEN IA-
359 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR O'BRIEN COUNTY UNTIL 415
PM CDT...
AT 357 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
TWO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH A CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. ONE
DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED ALONG 2 MILES NORTH OF SANBORN...THE
SECOND DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PRIMGHAR. BOTH STORMS ARE
MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
HARTLEY AROUND 405 PM CDT...
IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES...THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND WINDS TO 70 MPH.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
&&
LAT...LON 4298 9580 4324 9582 4326 9563 4325 9539
4302 9540
TIME...MOT...LOC 2057Z 264DEG 28KT 4322 9554 4310 9559
$$
SCHUMACHER382
WWUS53 KFSD 042114
SVSFSD
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
414 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
IAC141-042124-
/O.EXP.KFSD.TO.W.0022.000000T0000Z-120504T2115Z/
O'BRIEN IA-
414 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR O'BRIEN COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 415 PM
CDT...
THE TORNADO THREAT HAS DIMINISHED...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING HAS
EXPIRED. HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT
FOR THE AREA FOR WINDS GUSTING UP TO 60 MPH.
LAT...LON 4298 9580 4324 9582 4326 9563 4325 9539
4302 9540
TIME...MOT...LOC 2114Z 264DEG 28KT 4323 9536 4311 9541
$$
SCHUMACHERThe office that day
Everything else NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 7:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Cherokee | 33 min |
| May 3, 8:05 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | FSD | Cherokee | 93 min |
| May 3, 8:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Buena Vista, Cherokee | 38 min |
| May 4, 3:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Sioux | 30 min |
| May 4, 3:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Plymouth, Sioux | 31 min |
| May 4, 3:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | O'Brien, Osceola, Sioux | 42 min |
| May 4, 3:20 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FSD | O'Brien, Sioux | 25 min |
| May 4, 3:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Plymouth | 36 min |
| May 4, 4:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Cherokee, O'Brien | 29 min |
| May 4, 4:06 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FSD | Clay | 24 min |
| May 4, 4:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Dickinson, Osceola | 51 min |
| May 4, 4:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Clay, O'Brien | 33 min |
| May 4, 4:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FSD | Clay | 35 min |
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.