Alert archive / Nebraska / Tornado Warnings in 2013

Tornado Warning 15, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

October 4, 2013Union County, South Dakota; Plymouth County, Iowa; Dakota County, Dixon County, Nebraska

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at Oct 4, 2013, 6:11 PM CDT for Union County, South Dakota; Plymouth County, Iowa; Dakota County, Dixon County, Nebraska. It was in force for 49 min. 10 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: Oct 4, 2013, 6:11 PM CDT (23:11 UTC)
Expired: Oct 4, 2013, 7:00 PM CDT
In force: 49 min
Issued by: NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Hail: 1.75 in

Counties Plymouth County, IA, Dakota County, NE, Dixon County, NE, Union County, SD

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:11 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
Oct 4, 6:23 PM CDT	TORNADO	3 Wsw North Sioux City, SD	TREES DOWN AND HOUSE DAMAGE
Oct 4, 6:28 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 Wnw North Sioux City, SD	SHED AND TREE DAMAGE. DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE ROOF.
Oct 4, 6:30 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 Nw North Sioux City, SD	DAMAGE TO ROOF.
Oct 4, 6:31 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 Sse Jefferson, SD	DAMAGE TO HOME AND FEEDLOT BUILDINGS. TREE LIMBS DOWN.
Oct 4, 6:34 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 Se Jefferson, SD	LARGE AREA OF CORN FLATTENED. ROAD SIGNS REMOVED. OUTBUILDINGS DAMAGED. TREES SNAPPED.
Oct 4, 6:36 PM CDT	TORNADO	1 E Jefferson, SD	POWER POLES SNAPPED. GRAIN BIN CRUSHED IN.
Oct 4, 6:40 PM CDT	TORNADO	3 Ne Jefferson, SD	SEVERAL GRAIN BINS REMOVED OR DAMAGED. LARGE BRANCHES DOWN. POWER POLES SNAPPED.
Oct 4, 6:41 PM CDT	TORNADO	10 W Hinton, IA	1/2 TO 1 MILE WIDE TORNADO
Oct 4, 6:48 PM CDT	TORNADO	8 Wnw Hinton, IA	SEVERAL TREES SNAPPED. DAMAGE TO OUTBUILDINGS.
Oct 4, 7:01 PM CDT	TORNADO	10 Wsw Le Mars, IA	BRANCHES DOWN. MINOR ROOF DAMAGE.

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
Oct 4, 2:38 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 137 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 97 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -211 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 898 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 76 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 128 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 4.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

343 
WFUS53 KFSD 042311
TORFSD
IAC149-NEC043-051-SDC127-050000-
/O.NEW.KFSD.TO.W.0015.131004T2311Z-131005T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
611 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX FALLS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN PLYMOUTH COUNTY IN NORTHWEST IOWA...
  NORTHWESTERN DAKOTA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...
  EAST CENTRAL DIXON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...
  SOUTHEASTERN UNION COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...

* UNTIL 700 PM CDT

* AT 607 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO
  WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF HUBBARD...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT
  35 MPH.

  THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

  HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO.

  SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO.

  IMPACT...YOU ARE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MOBILE HOMES WILL
           BE DESTROYED. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO HOMES...BUSINESSES
           AND VEHICLES IS LIKELY AND COMPLETE DESTRUCTION POSSIBLE.
           FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. EXPECT
           TREES TO BE UPROOTED OR SNAPPED.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  JACKSON AROUND 615 PM CDT.
  PONCA AROUND 620 PM CDT.
  NORTH SIOUX CITY AROUND 625 PM CDT.
  JEFFERSON AROUND 630 PM CDT.

AT 559 PM CDT...A LARGE TORNADO WAS REPORTED 5 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST 
OF EMERSON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. TAKE COVER IN A 
BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 4243 9684 4285 9655 4268 9624 4256 9639
      4256 9648 4254 9647 4252 9649 4249 9647
      4236 9664
TIME...MOT...LOC 2310Z 211DEG 33KT 4245 9667

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

CHAPMAN

3 follow-up statements

627 
WWUS53 KFSD 042323
SVSFSD

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
623 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

IAC149-NEC043-051-SDC127-050000-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-131005T0000Z/
PLYMOUTH IA-DAKOTA NE-DIXON NE-UNION SD-
623 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN UNION...EAST
CENTRAL DIXON...NORTHWESTERN DAKOTA AND SOUTHWESTERN PLYMOUTH
COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 619 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A LARGE
AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR NORTH SIOUX CITY...
AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO.

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.

IMPACT...YOU ARE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MOBILE HOMES WILL
         BE DESTROYED. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO HOMES...BUSINESSES AND
         VEHICLES IS LIKELY AND COMPLETE DESTRUCTION POSSIBLE. FLYING
         DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. EXPECT TREES TO
         BE UPROOTED OR SNAPPED.

THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EAST CENTRAL DIXON...
NORTHWESTERN DAKOTA...SOUTHEASTERN UNION AND SOUTHWESTERN PLYMOUTH
COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. TAKE COVER IN A
BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 4243 9684 4285 9655 4268 9624 4256 9639
      4256 9648 4254 9647 4252 9649 4249 9647
      4236 9664
TIME...MOT...LOC 2323Z 218DEG 33KT 4255 9654

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...2.50IN

$$

CHAPMAN

383 
WWUS53 KFSD 042335
SVSFSD

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
635 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

IAC149-NEC043-051-SDC127-050000-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-131005T0000Z/
PLYMOUTH IA-DAKOTA NE-DIXON NE-UNION SD-
635 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN UNION...EAST
CENTRAL DIXON...NORTHWESTERN DAKOTA AND SOUTHWESTERN PLYMOUTH
COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 632 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO WAS
LOCATED NEAR JEFFERSON...AND MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH.

THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO.

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO.

IMPACT...YOU ARE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MOBILE HOMES WILL
         BE DESTROYED. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO HOMES...BUSINESSES AND
         VEHICLES IS LIKELY AND COMPLETE DESTRUCTION POSSIBLE. FLYING
         DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. EXPECT TREES TO
         BE UPROOTED OR SNAPPED.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
JEFFERSON...AKRON AND WESTFIELD.

AT 630 PM...NORTH SIOUX CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED A TORNADO WITH 
CONSIDERABLE DEBRIS IN JEFFERSON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A LARGE...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY
TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE...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 4243 9684 4285 9655 4268 9624 4256 9639
      4256 9648 4254 9647 4252 9649 4249 9647
      4236 9664
TIME...MOT...LOC 2334Z 199DEG 22KT 4259 9654

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...2.50IN

$$

CHAPMAN

647 
WWUS53 KFSD 042347
SVSFSD

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
647 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

IAC149-NEC043-051-SDC127-050000-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-131005T0000Z/
PLYMOUTH IA-DAKOTA NE-DIXON NE-UNION SD-
647 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN UNION...EAST
CENTRAL DIXON...NORTHWESTERN DAKOTA AND SOUTHWESTERN PLYMOUTH
COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 641 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO WAS
LOCATED NEAR JEFFERSON...AND MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH.

THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO.

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO.

IMPACT...YOU ARE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MOBILE HOMES WILL
         BE DESTROYED. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO HOMES...BUSINESSES AND
         VEHICLES IS LIKELY AND COMPLETE DESTRUCTION POSSIBLE. FLYING
         DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS. EXPECT TREES TO
         BE UPROOTED OR SNAPPED.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RURAL AREAS NORTHWEST OF HINTON.

AT 644 PM CDT...A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SPOTTED NEAR MILNERVILLE NEAR 
HIGHWAY K 18 AND C 43.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. TAKE COVER IN A
BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 4243 9684 4285 9655 4268 9624 4256 9639
      4256 9648 4254 9647 4252 9649 4249 9647
      4236 9664
TIME...MOT...LOC 2346Z 199DEG 22KT 4266 9651

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...2.50IN

$$

CHAPMAN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Oct 4, 6:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Union	18 min
Oct 4, 6:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Woodbury	38 min
Oct 4, 6:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Cherokee, Ida, Plymouth, Woodbury	47 min
Oct 4, 6:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	FSD	Plymouth, Sioux	50 min
Oct 4, 5:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	FSD	Dixon	40 min
Oct 4, 5:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	FSD	Dakota, Dixon	42 min
Oct 4, 6:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Dixon	29 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Nebraska, 2013 Tornado Warnings in South Dakota, 2013 Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2013 Every tornado warning in 2013 Tornadoes 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.