Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2019

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 149, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 20, 20194 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 20, 2019, 10:15 AM CDT for 4 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 60 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
Jul 20, 2019, 10:15 AM CDT (15:15 UTC)
Expired
Jul 20, 2019, 11:15 AM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Humboldt County, IA, Kossuth County, IA, Palo Alto County, IA, Pocahontas County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 148 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:16 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 20, 9:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 222 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 2019-07-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2019-07-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 101 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1482 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
291 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.1

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 Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 20, 5:45 AM CDT, 4 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 5:45 AM CDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
545 AM CDT Sat Jul 20 2019

.DISCUSSION.../Today through Friday/
Issued at 353 AM CDT Sat Jul 20 2019

Main focus today will be on precipitation chances, temperatures and
the progression of the cold front across Iowa through Sunday.
Currently have the surface cold front stretching across southern
Minnesota back southwestward into northwest Iowa and is right near
the IA/MN border across north central Iowa. A few storms have fired
along the boundary through the overnight hours, but have not been
able to sustain themselves and have since dissipated completely. The
boundary is expected to waffle around southern MN/northern Iowa
through the morning into the early afternoon hours. An ongoing MCS
is moving through SD currently and is expected to continue push east
along the 850mb moisture gradient especially into the morning hours
as the moisture transport becomes more oriented into southern MN.
Expect the majority of this activity to remain across southern MN,
but could scrape the northern counties this morning, therefore have
reduced pops across the north. This system will reinforce the cold
front with additional activity expected to fire along the front into
this afternoon as it begins to push further south again and becomes
stalled out across central Iowa this evening. Mean flow will be
parallel to the front across central Iowa tonight, with storms
expected to backbuild and then likely train across the area. Given
the hot and humid conditions, large amounts of instability present
however bulk shear values will be limited. However given the large
instability, some severe storms are still likely across the area
with large hail, damaging winds and possibly even a tornado the main
threats. However the threat for heavy rainfall appears to be even
larger given the tremendous moisture in place with precipitable
water values around 2 inches or higher across the area later today
into tonight. Freezing levels will be up around 15-16kft yielding
deep warm cloud depths, and efficient rain production. These
parameters and the training storms expected, the potential for heavy
rainfall also seems likely. Overall given the dryness in many areas
the past few weeks to a month and full, mature crops in place the
threat of flash flooding will be somewhat dampened so will not issue
any flood headlines at the moment. However the threat will still
have to be assessed during the dayshift for a possibility. The main
worries would be heavy rainfall in a more urban areas and towns. The
majority of FFG across the area has 1,3,6 hour rainfall amounts of 2-
3 inches or higher, with some areas in the far south central pushing
5" FFG amounts for 6 hours.

Into Sunday, much cooler temperatures are anticipated as the frontal
boundary is expected to stall across central/southern Iowa with
continued chances for showers and storms. Highs are expected to top
out in the 70s to around 80. Some lingering storms still possible as
the front moves south Sunday night across far southern Iowa, however
a large, high amplitude upper ridge to build into the
western/central US early next week. This upper ridge will slowly
breakdown and shift east through the week which will allow for
cooler northwesterly upper level flow across the state and dry
conditions through much of the week. An upper wave will move through
the Canadian Rockies toward Thursday and will bring a frontal
boundary through the state by the end of next week/weekend which
will bring a return to some storm chances toward that time period.
Otherwise temperatures to remain cooler than the seasonal averages
through mid week and begin to moderate toward the seasonal averages
by the end of next week.

&&

.AVIATION.../For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Sunday morning/
Issued at 545 AM CDT Sat Jul 20 2019

Still have southerly winds today becoming more northerly to
northeasterly by late today and tonight as a cold front drops
south through Iowa. Some storms have fired across southern MN and
expect them to remain up there north of the Iowa border through
the mid morning hours before starting to sink southward into Iowa
toward mid-day. Entire boundary to then continue southward with
additional development along and ahead of the boundary into the
afternoon/evening hours.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Excessive Heat Warning until 7 PM CDT this evening for
IAZ026>028-035>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097.

&&

DISCUSSION...Beerends
AVIATION...Beerends
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 4:04 AM CDT, 6 hours 11 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
404 AM CDT Sat Jul 20 2019

IAZ026>028-035>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-210915-
Franklin-Butler-Bremer-Webster-Hamilton-Hardin-Grundy-Black Hawk-
Crawford-Carroll-Greene-Boone-Story-Marshall-Tama-Audubon-Guthrie-
Dallas-Polk-Jasper-Poweshiek-Cass-Adair-Madison-Warren-Marion-
Mahaska-Adams-Union-Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-Wapello-Taylor-Ringgold-
Decatur-Wayne-Appanoose-Davis-
404 AM CDT Sat Jul 20 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight

An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for the area. Please refer
to the National Weather Service website at weather.gov/desmoines
for further details.

Thunderstorm chances return today into tonight. A few severe
storms are possible late this afternoon into this evening. Locally
heavy rainfall seems likely, especially over southern and central
Iowa tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

Thunderstorms are possible over southern Iowa on Sunday. A few
storms could be strong to perhaps severe with locally heavy rain
less of a concern than Saturday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated.

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>025-033-034-210915-
Emmet-Kossuth-Winnebago-Worth-Palo Alto-Hancock-Cerro Gordo-
Pocahontas-Humboldt-Wright-Sac-Calhoun-
404 AM CDT Sat Jul 20 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight

Thunderstorm chances return today into tonight. A few severe
storms are possible late this afternoon into this evening. Locally
heavy rainfall seems likely, especially over southern and central
Iowa tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

Thunderstorms are possible over southern Iowa on Sunday. A few
storms could be strong to perhaps severe with locally heavy rain
less of a concern than Saturday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated.

Ansorge

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 20, 10:04 AM CDT, 11 minutes before
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    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
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The office that day

Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 20, 9:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXEmmet, Palo Alto48 min
Jul 20, 10:37 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXEmmet, Palo Alto53 min
Jul 20, 10:53 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXCerro Gordo, Franklin, Hancock, Humboldt, Winnebago, Worth and 1 more52 min
Jul 20, 11:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Hancock, Winnebago, Worth41 min
Jul 20, 11:24 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXBoone, Butler, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Story51 min
Jul 20, 11:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXButler, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin40 min
Jul 20, 12:18 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXBlack Hawk, Grundy, Marshall, Story, Tama57 min
Jul 20, 12:43 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXKossuth, Palo Alto62 min
Jul 20, 3:56 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXGreene49 min
Jul 20, 4:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBoone, Greene46 min
Jul 20, 4:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBoone, Dallas, Polk47 min
Jul 20, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Polk, Story, Warren46 min
Jul 20, 5:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Marion, Polk, Warren46 min
Jul 20, 5:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Lucas, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Poweshiek and 2 more47 min
Jul 20, 6:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAppanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello and 1 more63 min
Jul 20, 6:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison49 min
Jul 20, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMahaska, Poweshiek42 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2019Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2019

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.