Tornado Watch 285

Issued

Jul 19, 2018, 3:11 PM CDT (20:11 UTC)

Expired

Jul 19, 2018, 9:37 PM CDT

In force

6 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Largest hail expected

2 in

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 80 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:13 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.

Two or more tornadoes

40%

One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes

10%

Ten or more severe wind reports

30%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

10%

Ten or more severe hail reports

60%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

60%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

80%

• Mesoscale Discussion 1086Jul 19, 2:32 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1089Jul 19, 5:18 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1091Jul 19, 6:26 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1093Jul 19, 9:36 PM CDT

982 
WWUS20 KWNS 192006
SEL5  
SPC WW 192006
IAZ000-MOZ000-200300-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 285
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
310 PM CDT Thu Jul 19 2018

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of 
  East-central and Southeast Iowa
  Far Northeast Missouri

* Effective this Thursday afternoon and evening from 310 PM until
  1000 PM CDT.

* Primary threats include...
  A couple tornadoes possible
  Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter likely
  Isolated damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible

SUMMARY...The air mass continues to steadily destabilize at mid
afternoon across southern into central Iowa where a moist
environment otherwise exists. Strong winds through a deep layer, in
conjunction with sufficiently strong low-level winds, would appear
to support a supercell-related tornado risk aside from severe
hail/wind potential.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
north and south of a line from 5 miles north of Des Moines IA to 50
miles east of Ottumwa IA. For a complete depiction of the watch see
the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.

&&

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 283...WW 284...

AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 27025.

...Guyer

Tornado Watches in Iowa, 2018Tornado Watches in Missouri, 2018Every tornado watch in 2018

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.