Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2020

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 138, NWS Quad Cities, IA

July 11, 20205 counties in Iowa

NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 11, 2020, 6:34 PM CDT for 5 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 41 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, 6:34 PM CDT (23:34 UTC)
Expired
Jul 11, 2020, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Quad Cities, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
80.0 mph

Counties Cedar County, IA, Clinton County, IA, Jones County, IA, Muscatine County, IA, Scott County, IA

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:38 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 11, 3:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 38 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, 3:12 PM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 11, 3:12 PM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL
312 PM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 211 PM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

Airmass recovery is underway across eastern Iowa and northwest
Illinois in the wake of this mornings convection. At 2 PM
temperatures ranged from the upper 70s to lower 80s along the
Highway 20 corridor to the lower 90s across southeast Iowa,
northeast Missouri and west central Illinois. Dewpoints were in
general in the upper 60s across along the Highway 20 corridor to
the lower to mid 70s south. SPC meso analysis showed mixed layer
CAPE of 32to 3000 J/KG with little inhibition across the area. 0
to 6 km shear of 30 to 40 knots across the area.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Sunday)
ISSUED AT 211 PM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

Key Message:

1. Another round of thunderstorms is possible mid to late this
afternoon into this evening with scattered severe storms possible.

2. The forecast for Sunday will be dry with near normal
temperatures for mid July.

The main forecast concern is for chances of storms into tonight. Mostly
relying on the CAMs for the next 12 hours then turn to the
coarser models for Sunday. Models are in good overall agreement.

A shortwave evident on water vapor and radar has led to the
development of showers and storms across northern Iowa and
southern Minnesota. CAMs today have consistently developed storms
southeastward with time late this afternoon into this evening as
lift from shortwave overspreads the area. CAPE and shear noted in
the synopsis say that severe storms with damaging winds and hail
up to the size of ping pong balls is possible this afternoon into
this evening. There is also the potential for tornadoes if the
storms can anchor to the outflow boundary that was sinking south
of Interstate 80 at 3 PM. This afternoons 19z soundings shows
precipitable water values around 1.40 inches so moderate to heavy
rain is possible with any of these storms.

The GFS, NAM, ECWMF, and Canadian show the shortwave exiting the
area after 06 UTC Sunday with convection exiting the area by now.
High pressure is forecast to build into the region at the surface
and aloft through Sunday. Temperatures across the area will be in
the lower to mid 80s on Sunday will be in the lower to mid 60s.

.LONG TERM...(Sunday Night through Saturday)
ISSUED AT 211 PM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

The difference between the models in the long term continue to
deal with the placement of the jet and the timing of shortwave
during the middle of the week.

High pressure will be moving across the region to start the long
term at the surface and aloft. Some modification of the airmass is
expected on Monday with highs a degree or two warmer than on
Sunday but a dry forecast is still expected.

Tuesday through Friday, the flow aloft transitions to more of a
zonal flow aloft as a trough digs into the Central US from
southern Canada. This will be the start of a more active period as
several shortwaves moves across the area. This will bring the
risk of showers and thunderstorms to the area through the
remainder of the week. The period will not be a total washout and
there will be dry periods with the subsidence behind each of the
shortwaves.

There is disagreement through the period between the models on
placement of the jet stream with the ECWMF, Canadian building the
southwestern US ridge into the area while the GFS keeps it to the
south. The ECMWF/Canadian solution is warmer than the GFS but in
general the forecast shows the temperatures warming to below
normal for the end of the week.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday Afternoon)
ISSUED AT 1232 PM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020

VFR TAFs are forecast through the period. A second round of
thunderstorms are possible in the mid to late afternoon and into
the evening. This would bring MVFR to IFR ceilings and
visibilities in the strongest storms. These storms would exit KBRL
after 06 UTC. Placed thunder in the TAFs at KDBQ and KCID where
they would occur earlier. Conditions will improve in the wake of
these storms.

&&

.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...Cousins
SHORT TERM...Cousins
LONG TERM...Cousins
AVIATION...Cousins
CLIMATE....Gross
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 11, 3:49 AM CDT, 14 hours 45 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, 6:22 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 11, 6:26 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 11, 6:28 PM CDT, 6 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 11, 6:30 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 11, 6:33 PM CDT, 1 minute before
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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, 11:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDVNCedar, Muscatine19 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, 6:46 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.