Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2017

Tornado Warning 34, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

August 18, 2017Clay County, O'Brien County, Iowa

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at Aug 18, 2017, 8:37 PM CDT for Clay County, O'Brien County, Iowa. It was in force for 23 min. 5 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
Aug 18, 2017, 8:37 PM CDT (01:37 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 2017, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
23 min
Issued by
NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
2.0 in

Counties Clay County, IA, O'Brien County, IA

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:38 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
Aug 18, 8:41 PM CDTHAIL 12 W Hartley, IA
Aug 18, 8:44 PM CDTHAIL 1.53 E Primghar, IATIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 18, 8:44 PM CDTHAIL 1.754 E Primghar, IAHAIL FROM 830PM TO 845PM. TIME OF LARGEST HAIL ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 18, 8:56 PM CDTHAIL 14 N Sutherland, IATIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 18, 8:56 PM CDTHAIL 1.253 Nnw Sutherland, IATIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

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
Aug 18, 4:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 205 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 2017-08-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1353 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 2017-08-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 30 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1353 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-118 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1673 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
61 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

852 
WFUS53 KFSD 190137
TORFSD
IAC041-141-190200-
/O.NEW.KFSD.TO.W.0034.170819T0137Z-170819T0200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
837 PM CDT FRI AUG 18 2017

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Western Clay County in northwestern Iowa...
  Eastern O'Brien County in northwestern Iowa...

* Until 900 PM CDT
    
* At 837 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Primghar, or 13 miles east of Sheldon, moving
  southeast at 25 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and hail up to two inches in diameter. 

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely. 

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Sutherland around 900 PM CDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Calumet.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 4312 9569 4320 9551 4297 9535 4291 9555
TIME...MOT...LOC 0137Z 331DEG 21KT 4312 9560 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...2.00IN

$$

Ferguson

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 18, 7:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDOsceola30 min
Aug 18, 7:49 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDOsceola26 min
Aug 18, 8:06 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDClay, O'Brien, Osceola24 min
Aug 18, 8:25 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatFSDClay, O'Brien, Osceola35 min
Aug 18, 8:54 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDBuena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, O'Brien36 min
Aug 18, 9:26 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDBuena Vista, Cherokee, O'Brien34 min
Aug 18, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDBuena Vista, Cherokee, Ida37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2017Every tornado warning in 2017Tornadoes in 2017

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.