Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 22, NWS La Crosse, WI

December 15, 2021Howard County, Iowa

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this tornado warning at Dec 15, 2021, 7:25 PM CST for Howard County, Iowa. It was in force for 20 min. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Dec 15, 2021, 7:25 PM CST (01:25 UTC)
Expired: Dec 15, 2021, 7:45 PM CST
In force: 20 min
Issued by: NWS La Crosse, WI
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

County Howard County, IA

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 101 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:27 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Dec 15, 7:28 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	2 Wnw Davis Corners, IA	TREES UPROOTED, POWER POLES SNAPPED AND METAL BARN ROOF PARTIALLY BLOWN OFF. REPORT VIA TWITTER. TIME ESTIMATED.
Dec 15, 7:30 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	4 Wsw Vernon Springs, IA	MAJOR DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY LARGE OUTBUILDING SOUTHWEST OF CRESCO. ALSO MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AT A NEARBY HOG FARM. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Dec 15, 7:37 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	Cresco, IA	POWER OUTAGES REPORTED
Dec 15, 7:37 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	Cresco, IA	POWER OUTAGES REPORTED.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Dec 15, 5:30 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 199 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 633 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 770 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 75 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 443 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 470 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 5.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

153 
WFUS53 KARX 160125
TORARX
IAC089-160145-
/O.NEW.KARX.TO.W.0022.211216T0125Z-211216T0145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
725 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

The National Weather Service in La Crosse has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Howard County in northeastern Iowa...

* Until 745 PM CST.
    
* At 725 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Jerico, or 12 miles southwest of Cresco, moving
  northeast at 65 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Lime Springs around 735 PM CST.
  Cresco around 740 PM CST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Lylahs
Marsh County Park, Vernon Springs County Park, Saratoga, Davis
Corners, Maple Leaf, Vernon Springs and Bonair.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4350 9229 4350 9208 4322 9208 4321 9211
      4321 9241 4328 9251
TIME...MOT...LOC 0125Z 217DEG 58KT 4325 9232 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Baumgardt

3 follow-up statements

847 
WWUS53 KARX 160126
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
726 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC089-160145-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0022.000000T0000Z-211216T0145Z/
Howard IA-
726 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CST FOR HOWARD
COUNTY...
        
At 726 PM CST, a confirmed tornado was located near Jerico, or 11
miles southwest of Cresco, moving northeast at 65 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This tornado will be near...
  Lime Springs around 735 PM CST.
  Cresco around 740 PM CST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Lylahs
Marsh County Park, Vernon Springs County Park, Saratoga, Davis
Corners, Maple Leaf, Vernon Springs and Bonair.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a
basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy
building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in
a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect
yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4350 9229 4350 9208 4322 9208 4321 9211
      4321 9241 4328 9251
TIME...MOT...LOC 0126Z 217DEG 58KT 4327 9230 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Baumgardt

740 
WWUS53 KARX 160134
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
734 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC089-160145-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0022.000000T0000Z-211216T0145Z/
Howard IA-
734 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CST FOR EASTERN
HOWARD COUNTY...

At 733 PM CST, a severe squall line capable of producing both
tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage was located near
Cresco, moving northeast at 70 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
eastern Howard County, including the following locations... Vernon
Springs County Park, Davis Corners, Vernon Springs, Bonair, County
Roads V 58 And A 46, County Roads A 23 And V 58 and Schley.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4350 9229 4350 9208 4322 9208 4321 9211
      4322 9223 4336 9240
TIME...MOT...LOC 0133Z 218DEG 62KT 4337 9218 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Baumgardt

460 
WWUS53 KARX 160140
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
740 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC089-160145-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0022.000000T0000Z-211216T0145Z/
Howard IA-
740 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CST FOR
NORTHEASTERN HOWARD COUNTY...

At 740 PM CST, a severe squall line capable of producing both
tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage was located near
Cresco, moving northeast at 65 mph.

This tornado Warning will be allowed to expire at 745 pm as the 
storms will have moved out of the county. 

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Cresco, Lime Springs, Vernon Springs County Park, Vernon Springs,
Bonair, County Roads V 58 And A 46 and County Roads A 23 And V 58.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4350 9229 4350 9208 4325 9208 4330 9215
      4341 9221 4347 9231
TIME...MOT...LOC 0140Z 217DEG 58KT 4346 9209 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Baumgardt

The office that day

Everything else NWS La Crosse, WI issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 15, 6:37 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	ARX	Chickasaw, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell	68 min
Dec 15, 6:44 PM CST	Tornado Warning	ARX	Floyd	32 min
Dec 15, 7:29 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	ARX	Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Winneshiek	61 min
Dec 15, 7:38 PM CST	Tornado Warning	ARX	Winneshiek	37 min
Dec 15, 8:16 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	ARX	Allamakee, Clayton	74 min
Dec 15, 8:29 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	ARX	Allamakee, Clayton	31 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2021 Every tornado warning in 2021 Tornadoes in 2021

Sources

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