Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2018

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 253, NWS Omaha, NE

September 1, 2018Montgomery County, Iowa

NWS Omaha, NE issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 1, 2018, 1:10 AM CDT for Montgomery County, Iowa. It was in force for 35 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 1, 2018, 1:10 AM CDT (06:10 UTC)
Expired
Sep 1, 2018, 1:45 AM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Omaha, NE
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.25 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Montgomery County, IA

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:12 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 107 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 2018-09-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2615 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 2018-09-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 186 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
2615 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-112 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1197 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
186 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
306 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.2
Supercell composite
24.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 31, 11:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 11:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1149 PM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

.SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Monday)
Issued at 251 PM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

The main forecast concerns for this period will be the potential for
severe convective development this evening and Saturday along a
frontal boundary as it progresses through the forecast area. Another
challenge will be the possibility for heavy rain through the
Labor Day holiday weekend.

Morning showers and thunderstorms over central Nebraska continued
their east/northeastward track into the forecast area early this
afternoon.  A strong 850 mb inversion, seen in the 12Z sounding, and
further disassociation with the LLJ helped keep convection in check
through the morning hours. However, with peak heating occurring at
the time that this disturbance moves through the CWA, expect a few
stronger storms could possibly pulse up and produce isolated
instances of hail this afternoon.

Another more significant round of storms could develop late this
evening and early tonight along a boundary in an area of stronger
warm air advection. At the moment, the most likely location for
storm development appears to be along and east of the Missouri
River, near I-80. CAMS depict storms developing shortly after 7pm
this evening and quickly exiting the forecast area before midnight.
Cloud cover produced by this morning's convection will be highly
influential on the conditional severe weather threat this evening.
That being said, models are indicating areas unaffected by cloud
cover could become extremely unstable, with anywhere from 3000 to
4000+ J/kg of CAPE possible. Shear profiles also look very
favorable early this evening as 0-6km bulk shear increases to
40-50+ kts across the area around 00Z. A strengthening 50kt LLJ
will also likely boost convection this evening. Expect very large
hail and strong winds will be the main threats, with an isolated
tornado not out of the question.

Unsettled weather continues into Saturday as a surface trough
produces lingering showers and thunderstorms through the morning
hours.  There could be a break in precipitation for the afternoon,
before convection redevelops across a stalling cold front early
tomorrow evening. Currently, it appears as though the front could
set up from Lincoln, NE through Hancock, IA. As warm air advection
increases along this boundary, showers and thunderstorms could
increase in coverage through the evening and overnight. With
instability around 2000-3000+ J/kg and bulk shear still around
40kts, there will still be some potential for strong to severe
storms Saturday evening. However, severe or not, thunderstorm
activity could impinge on any outdoor events scheduled for
tomorrow evening.

.LONG TERM...(Monday night through Friday)
Issued at 251 PM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

Active weather will continue through the holiday weekend as the front
remains across the forecast area Sunday and possibly Monday. Showers
and storms will continue into Sunday morning, with a few breaks in
convection expected. A marginal severe threat exists across the
forecast area Sunday, with the best chance for severe development in
the afternoon/evening hours.  Precipitation coverage is expected to
diminish Monday morning, before increasing again in the afternoon
and early evening. Given the numerous rounds of showers and
thunderstorms, and relatively high PWATs of 1.5-2" expected over
the next 72 hours, flooding and flash flooding will be possible
through the Labor Day Weekend.

Looking ahead into next week, the pattern will remain active, with
several more rounds of showers and thunderstorms. At least
temperatures will remain pleasant, with highs in the upper 70s to
low 80s through the period.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Saturday night)
Issued at 1144 PM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

Generally VFR conditions are expected outside of any thunderstorms
that develop through the TAF period. A few thunderstorms may
affect KOMA through 08Z before moving off to the east. More storms
will likely roll into eastern Nebraska around 12Z and linger
late morning. Then stronger storms are forecast near or after 00Z.
Exact placement of storms is in doubt at this time, but KLNK and
KOMA are more likely to see thunderstorms from 00Z to 06Z.
Associated MVFR to IFR conditions will accompany any convective
activity.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...None.
IA...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...KG
LONG TERM...KG
AVIATION...Dergan
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 31, 3:09 PM CDT, 10 hours 1 minute before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
309 PM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-011015-
Monona-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont-
Page-Knox-Cedar-Thurston-Antelope-Pierce-Wayne-Boone-Madison-
Stanton-Cuming-Burt-Platte-Colfax-Dodge-Washington-Butler-
Saunders-Douglas-Sarpy-Seward-Lancaster-Cass-Otoe-Saline-
Jefferson-Gage-Johnson-Nemaha-Pawnee-Richardson-
309 PM CDT Fri Aug 31 2018

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest
Iowa...west central Iowa...east central Nebraska...northeast
Nebraska and southeast Nebraska.

.DAY ONE...Tonight and Saturday

Additional thunderstorms are expected to develop this evening
north of a warm front. The best chance for severe storms will be
along and east of the Missouri River, perhaps developing just
north of Omaha through the evening. These storms will have the
potential for large hail, damaging winds and heavy rain.
Additional scattered thunderstorms will be possible overnight, but
those are not expected to be severe.

Minor flooding will continue along the Missouri River upstream of
Lewis and Clark Lake in northwest Knox county.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday night through Friday

Scattered thunderstorms remain in the forecast this weekend, with
strong storms and locally heavy rain possible Saturday night and
again Sunday night. Some flash flooding could develop. Rainfall
through Monday with numerous rounds of storms could average 2 to 4
inches in some spots across east central Nebraska and western Iowa.

The weather pattern should remain active through next week, with
a continued chance for thunderstorms just about every day.

Minor flooding will continue along the Missouri River upstream of
Lewis and Clark Lake in northwest Knox county.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be be needed this evening along and east
of the Missouri River. Spotter activation is not expected to be
needed Saturday.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 31, 11:53 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 1, 12:22 AM CDT, 48 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 1, 12:24 AM CDT, 46 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 1, 12:42 AM CDT, 28 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 1, 12:54 AM CDT, 16 minutes before
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The office that day

Everything else NWS Omaha, NE issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 1, 2:29 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXPlatte46 min
Sep 1, 2:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXMadison, Platte25 min
Sep 1, 3:17 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXColfax, Platte43 min
Sep 1, 4:07 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXCuming, Stanton, Thurston38 min
Sep 1, 5:20 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXDouglas40 min
Sep 1, 5:23 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXCass, Sarpy37 min
Sep 1, 5:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXSarpy24 min
Sep 1, 5:15 PM CDTFlash Flood WatchOAXButler, Cass, Douglas, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson and 10 more44 hr
Aug 31, 9:33 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXPottawattamie27 min
Aug 31, 11:19 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXMills26 min
Aug 31, 11:53 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXPottawattamie37 min
Aug 31, 11:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXPottawattamie36 min
Sep 1, 12:22 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXMills23 min
Sep 1, 12:24 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXPottawattamie36 min
Sep 1, 12:42 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXMontgomery33 min
Sep 1, 12:54 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXPottawattamie36 min
Sep 1, 1:38 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXCass37 min
Sep 1, 2:16 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXCass29 min
Sep 1, 5:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXMills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie32 min
Sep 1, 6:09 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOAXMontgomery36 min
Sep 1, 6:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOAXMontgomery, Pottawattamie41 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2018Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2018

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.