Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2013

Tornado Warning 17, NWS La Crosse, WI

May 31, 2013Howard County, Mitchell County, Iowa

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this tornado warning at May 31, 2013, 6:26 PM CDT for Howard County, Mitchell County, Iowa. It was in force for 34 min. 1 report 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 31, 2013, 6:26 PM CDT (23:26 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 2013, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Howard County, IA, Mitchell County, IA

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 121 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:26 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 31, 6:32 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD5 E New Haven, IANUMEROUS REPORT OF FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR COUNTY LINE. NO TOUCHDOWNS REPORTED SO FAR.

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 31, 2:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 188 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 2013-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 60 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2013-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 256 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
60 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-221 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1191 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
256 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
269 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

201 
WFUS53 KARX 312326
TORARX
IAC089-131-010000-
/O.NEW.KARX.TO.W.0017.130531T2326Z-130601T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
626 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN HOWARD COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...
  SOUTHEASTERN MITCHELL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...

* UNTIL 700 PM CDT

* AT 623 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED 7 MILES WEST OF
  ELMA...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

  HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO.

  SOURCE...LAW ENFORCEMENT CONFIRMED TORNADO. A TORNADO WAS REPORTED 
  NORTH OF CHARLES CITY.

  IMPACT...MOBILE HOMES WILL BE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
           SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL
           OCCUR. FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.
           EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE IS LIKELY.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  ELMA AROUND 635 PM CDT.
  RICEVILLE AROUND 640 PM CDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE LYLAHS MARSH COUNTY PARK...
MAPLE LEAF AND SARATOGA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. 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 4347 9256 4330 9226 4321 9256 4326 9272
TIME...MOT...LOC 2326Z 225DEG 23KT 4327 9257

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

HALBACH
3 follow-up statements
494 
WWUS53 KARX 312336
SVSARX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
636 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

IAC089-131-010000-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-130601T0000Z/
MITCHELL IA-HOWARD IA-
636 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL HOWARD AND
EAST CENTRAL MITCHELL COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 630 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTH OF
RICEVILLE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO.

SOURCE...LAW ENFORCEMENT CONFIRMED TORNADO. A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN   
         EARLIER NORTHEAST OF FLOYD AND NUMEROUS FUNNEL CLOUD        
         REPORTS HAVE SINCE COME INTO MITCHELL COUNTY LAW            
         ENFORCEMENT.

IMPACT...MOBILE HOMES WILL BE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
         SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL
         OCCUR. FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.
         EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE IS LIKELY.

THIS TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  RICEVILLE AROUND 640 PM CDT.
  SARATOGA AROUND 650 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. 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 4325 9249 4331 9267 4347 9256 4330 9226
TIME...MOT...LOC 2334Z 225DEG 23KT 4331 9252

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

HALBACH
082 
WWUS53 KARX 312343
SVSARX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
643 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

IAC131-312353-
/O.CAN.KARX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-130601T0000Z/
MITCHELL IA-
643 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL MITCHELL COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED 
AREA.

LAT...LON 4346 9254 4330 9226 4329 9246 4333 9255
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 225DEG 23KT 4335 9246

$$

IAC089-010000-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-130601T0000Z/
HOWARD IA-
643 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL HOWARD COUNTY
UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 641 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR RICEVILLE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

HAZARD...DEVELOPING TORNADO.

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUD. FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE  
         BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM SOUTH OF RICEVILLE.

IMPACT...MOBILE HOMES WILL BE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
         SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL
         OCCUR. FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.
         EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE IS LIKELY.

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF WEST CENTRAL
HOWARD COUNTY...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS SARATOGA.

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 4346 9254 4330 9226 4329 9246 4333 9255
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 225DEG 23KT 4335 9246

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

HALBACH
038 
WWUS53 KARX 312348
SVSARX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
648 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

IAC089-312358-
/O.CAN.KARX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-130601T0000Z/
HOWARD IA-
648 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL HOWARD COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED ACROSS AND MOVED 
OUT OF THE WARNED AREA.

LAT...LON 4346 9254 4330 9226 4329 9246 4333 9255
TIME...MOT...LOC 2348Z 225DEG 23KT 4337 9243

$$

HALBACH

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2013Every tornado warning in 2013Tornadoes in 2013

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.