Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 47, NWS Des Moines, IA

December 15, 2021Hancock County, Kossuth County, Winnebago County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Dec 15, 2021, 6:19 PM CST for Hancock County, Kossuth County, Winnebago County, 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 outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Dec 15, 2021, 6:19 PM CST (00:19 UTC)
Expired: Dec 15, 2021, 7:00 PM CST
In force: 41 min
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Hancock County, IA, Kossuth County, IA, Winnebago County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 173 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:18 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Dec 15, 1:23 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 177 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.

363 
WFUS53 KDMX 160019
TORDMX
IAC081-109-189-160100-
/O.NEW.KDMX.TO.W.0047.211216T0019Z-211216T0100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
619 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

The National Weather Service in Des Moines  has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Eastern Kossuth County in north central Iowa...
  Northwestern Hancock County in north central Iowa...
  Western Winnebago County in north central Iowa...

* Until 700 PM CST.
    
* At 619 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Algona, moving northeast at 80 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...
  Union Slogh around 630 PM CST.

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 9371 4291 9406 4299 9425 4350 9411
TIME...MOT...LOC 0019Z 202DEG 68KT 4309 9414 

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

$$

Cogil

3 follow-up statements

313 
WWUS53 KDMX 160032
SVSDMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
632 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC081-109-189-160100-
/O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0047.000000T0000Z-211216T0100Z/
Kossuth IA-Hancock IA-Winnebago IA-
632 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CST FOR
NORTHEASTERN KOSSUTH...NORTHWESTERN HANCOCK AND WESTERN WINNEBAGO
COUNTIES...
    
At 632 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles northeast of Union Slogh, or 19 miles west of
Forest City, moving north at 80 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
northeastern Kossuth, northwestern Hancock and western Winnebago
Counties, including the following locations... Woden, Titonka,
Buffalo Center, Rake, Lakota and Thompson.

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 4307 9396 4329 9417 4350 9411 4350 9371
TIME...MOT...LOC 0032Z 202DEG 68KT 4332 9401 

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

$$

Cogil

293 
WWUS53 KDMX 160049 RRA
SVSDMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
649 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC081-160059-
/O.CAN.KDMX.TO.W.0047.000000T0000Z-211216T0100Z/
Hancock IA-
649 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN HANCOCK COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CST for north central
Iowa.

LAT...LON 4338 9378 4345 9412 4350 9411 4350 9371
TIME...MOT...LOC 0049Z 202DEG 68KT 4363 9384 

$$

IAC109-189-160100-
/O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0047.000000T0000Z-211216T0100Z/
Kossuth IA-Winnebago IA-
649 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CST FOR
NORTHEASTERN KOSSUTH AND NORTHWESTERN WINNEBAGO COUNTIES...
    
At 649 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Bricelyn, or 23 miles west of Albert Lea, moving
north at 80 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.

Locations impacted include...
Rake.

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 4338 9378 4345 9412 4350 9411 4350 9371
TIME...MOT...LOC 0049Z 202DEG 68KT 4363 9384 

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

$$

Cogil

153 
WWUS53 KDMX 160100
SVSDMX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
700 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC109-189-160110-
/O.EXP.KDMX.TO.W.0047.000000T0000Z-211216T0100Z/
Kossuth IA-Winnebago IA-
700 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN KOSSUTH AND NORTHWESTERN
WINNEBAGO COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CST for north central
Iowa.

LAT...LON 4338 9378 4345 9412 4350 9411 4350 9371
TIME...MOT...LOC 0100Z 202DEG 68KT 4379 9375 

$$

Cogil

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 15, 6:13 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Appanoose, Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Marion, Monroe and 2 more	62 min
Dec 15, 6:24 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	Clarke, Dallas, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska and 5 more	66 min
Dec 15, 6:30 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Grundy and 6 more	75 min
Dec 15, 6:37 PM CST	Tornado Warning	DMX	Butler, Cerro Gordo, Franklin	20 min
Dec 15, 6:47 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	Grundy, Hardin, Marshall, Story	43 min
Dec 15, 7:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	Appanoose, Davis, Jasper, Lucas, Mahaska, Marion and 5 more	66 min
Dec 15, 7:44 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, Grundy, Tama	27 min
Dec 15, 11:52 PM CST	Wind Advisory	DMX	Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone and 45 more	6 hr

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.