Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2020

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 128, NWS Quad Cities, IA

July 11, 2020Cedar County, Muscatine County, Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 11, 2020, 11:30 AM CDT for Cedar County, Muscatine County, Iowa. It was in force for 19 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 11, 2020, 11:30 AM CDT (16:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 11, 2020, 11:49 AM CDT
In force
19 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Cedar County, IA, Muscatine County, IA

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 45 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:29 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 11, 10:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 52 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, Davenport, at 12:00Z on 2020-07-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 183 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, Davenport, at 12:00Z on 2020-07-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 63 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
183 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-228 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1573 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
136 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.3

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 Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 11, 6:23 AM CDT, 5 hours 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 11, 6:23 AM CDT, 5 hours 7 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL
623 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

...12z AVIATION UPDATE...

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 300 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

High pressure was in control over the Upper Mississippi Valley
with NW flow aloft. Temperatures were in the mid 60s to lower 70s
and conditions were fairly humid. The area has been convection
free so far tonight as the organized activity has stayed across
the western part of Iowa and into Nebraska. Latest RAP analysis
has the mean steering vectors and 1000-500mb thicknesses aligned
from NW to SE, which should guide the western Iowa convection to
the southeast across south-central Iowa.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(Today and Tonight)
ISSUED AT 300 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

Main Message:

*Slight risk for severe thunderstorms today across the entire
 area. Scattered storms are likely to develop between the mid
 afternoon and the evening, some of which could become severe. The
 main threats with the strongest storms are damaging wind gusts,
 hail, and frequent lightning. The current forecast has the
 highest chances for showers and storms across the north and east
 (50-70%).

Today and Tonight

A mid-level vorticity max currently over North Dakota will drop to
the southeast today, reaching NE Iowa by this evening. Ascent from
DCVA, and the left exit region of an upper jet, should provide
sufficient lift for scattered storm development as early as the
mid afternoon, but more likely during the late afternoon and
evening.

Today's environment will consist of very warm and humid conditions
with moderate to high instability (SBCAPE between 2000-3500 J/kg)
and low to moderate deep layer shear (30-40 kts). This setup
should provide an instability/shear balance supportive of
organized updrafts and a few supercells. An isolated wind and
large hail threat within a few hours of initiation will transition
to more of a wind dominant threat as cold pools merge and the
convection grows upscale.

The potential for scattered damaging winds, and microbursts from
the strongest storms, is corroborated by high DCAPE (1300+ J/kg)
and theta-e index values (30-35+) on model forecast soundings,
which are a manifestation of dry mid-level air. Due to veered and
weak low-level winds, the overall tornado potential is very low.

Based on HREF members, the most likely timing for storms is
between 3 and 9 PM, before shifting east of the forecast area.
Uttech

.LONG TERM...(Sunday through Friday)
ISSUED AT 300 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

Key Messages:

1. Dry and pleasant conditions Sunday and Monday.

2. Temperatures next week have been lowered some each day in the
extended, with any heat issues likely to remain south of CWA. Best
chance of appreciable rain will be Tuesday night-Wednesday.

Discussion:

Sunday-Monday...any lingering precipitation from overnight will be
just to the east of the area by 12z Sunday. Northwest flow aloft and
a surface high will usher in lower dewpoints resulting in more
comfortable summer conditions. Deep mixing and plentiful sunshine
will help boost highs into the lower 80s, which is near normal for
the middle of July. A nice day outside for sure. There is some
potential for some diurnal showers and storms Sunday afternoon and
evening as hinted by some of the 00z CAMs. However, I feel that this
is overdone, as forecast soundings show quite a bit of mid level dry
air aloft and thus have no mention in the forecast.

Similar conditions are expected Monday with temperatures a few
degrees warmer than Sunday and dewpoints remaining tolerable in the
60s.

Tuesday-Thursday...active zonal flow sets up with several waves
expected to impact the region. Latest 00z model solutions show that
the best chance of rain will be Tuesday night-Wednesday when a cold
front is progged to drop south over the area. Increasing theta-e
advection and pooling moisture ahead of the front will bring a heavy
rain threat. Placement and magnitude of rainfall is still uncertain
and currently with the 00z runs is favored just north of the CWA.
This front will drop south and stall somewhere over northern MO and
eventually lift north as a warm front Thursday and Friday with more
rain chances. Model blend currently has chance PoPs across the CWA
which will be further refined in later forecasts. Many areas in our
IL counties have seen less than 75% of normal rainfall in the past
30 days and could really use some rain.

Friday-Saturday...Increasingly warm and humid conditions will return
to the area as a warm front lifts north into MN/WI. Above normal
temperatures can be expected and is likely to continue beyond the 7
day forecast.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Sunday Morning)
ISSUED AT 614 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

VFR conditions expected through at least early afternoon at all
TAF sites. Scattered thunderstorms will be possible after 21z.11
with MVFR cigs/vsbys. Confidence in storms hitting terminals
remains low at MLI/BRL and thus kept PROB30 wording there until
better timing and location of storms is realized. Brief IFR is
possible in any of the stronger storms. Conditions will return to
VFR after sunset at all terminals.

&&

.CLIMATE...
ISSUED AT 300 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

The Climate Prediction Center 6-10 day and 8-14 day outlooks
continue to show high probabilities of above normal temperatures
across the area. This would be through the 4th full week of July.
With the area already 4-6 degrees above normal for the month of
July, it is quite possible that the month will end up well above
normal.

The latest US Drought Monitor released this past Thursday shows
abnormally dry conditions (D0) developing over portions of
eastern Iowa and central Illinois. These areas have received
50-75% of normal rainfall in the past 30 days.

&&

.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...NONE.
IL...NONE.
MO...NONE.
&&

SYNOPSIS...Uttech
SHORT TERM...Uttech
LONG TERM...Gross
AVIATION...Gross
CLIMATE...Gross
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 11, 3:49 AM CDT, 7 hours 41 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL
349 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007-
009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-120900-
Buchanan-Delaware-Dubuque-Benton-Linn-Jones-Jackson-Iowa-Johnson-
Cedar-Clinton-Muscatine-Scott-Keokuk-Washington-Louisa-Jefferson-
Henry IA-Des Moines-Van Buren-Lee-Jo Daviess-Stephenson-Carroll-
Whiteside-Rock Island-Henry IL-Bureau-Putnam-Mercer-Henderson-
Warren-Hancock-McDonough-Scotland-Clark-
349 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
Illinois...northwest Illinois...west central Illinois...east
central Iowa...northeast Iowa...southeast Iowa and northeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon
and evening mainly between 3 PM and 9 PM.

The Storm Prediction Center has a slight risk for severe storms
across the entire outlook area. The primary threats are damaging
winds, large hail, and frequent lightning. Localized heavy
rainfall is also possible along with a low potential for flash
flooding.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

Thunderstorms will be possible Tuesday evening through Friday. At
this time it is too early to determine any severe risk.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening.

Uttech/Gross

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 11, 11:07 AM CDT, 23 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 11, 11:30 AM CDT, 0 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
1130 AM CDT SAT JUL 11 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 AM     HAIL             2 W STANWOOD            41.89N 91.19W
07/11/2020  E1.25 INCH       CEDAR              IA   BROADCAST MEDIA

            SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT.

&&

TJG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Quad Cities, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 11, 9:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBuchanan, Delaware58 min
Jul 11, 10:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNJones, Linn64 min
Jul 11, 10:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar38 min
Jul 11, 4:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDVNBenton45 min
Jul 11, 4:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBenton36 min
Jul 11, 4:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBenton, Buchanan40 min
Jul 11, 5:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBenton38 min
Jul 11, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNIowa, Johnson, Linn50 min
Jul 11, 5:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNBenton, Linn47 min
Jul 11, 6:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNMuscatine27 min
Jul 11, 6:01 PM CDTTornado WarningDVNJones, Linn15 min
Jul 11, 6:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Johnson, Jones, Linn38 min
Jul 11, 6:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNJohnson51 min
Jul 11, 6:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNIowa42 min
Jul 11, 6:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Clinton, Jones, Muscatine, Scott41 min
Jul 11, 6:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNJohnson, Louisa, Muscatine, Washington44 min
Jul 11, 6:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNKeokuk, Washington53 min
Jul 11, 3:57 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDVNHenry48 min
Jul 11, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNHenry42 min
Jul 11, 6:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNHenry, Mercer, Rock Island, Whiteside48 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2020Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2020

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.