Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 28, NWS Omaha, NE

December 15, 2021Pottawattamie County, Shelby County, Iowa

NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at Dec 15, 2021, 4:46 PM CST for Pottawattamie County, Shelby County, Iowa. It was in force for 20 min. 1 report 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, 4:46 PM CST (22:46 UTC)
Expired
Dec 15, 2021, 5:06 PM CST
In force
20 min
Issued by
NWS Omaha, NE
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Pottawattamie County, IA, Shelby County, IA

The radar

The Omaha radar (KOAX), 102 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:48 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Dec 15, 4:50 PM CSTTSTM WND GST 673 Ene Avoca, IAMESONET STATION RAVI4 AVOCA (I-80).

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Dec 15, 1:23 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 103 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2021-12-15Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2021-12-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 346 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2165 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
346 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
384 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

949 
WFUS53 KOAX 152246
TOROAX
IAC155-165-152330-
/O.NEW.KOAX.TO.W.0028.211215T2246Z-211215T2330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
446 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

The National Weather Service in Omaha has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Pottawattamie County in southwestern Iowa...
  Southeastern Shelby County in southwestern Iowa...

* Until 530 PM CST.
    
* At 446 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 8 miles east of Oakland, or 12 miles west of Atlantic,
  moving northeast at 85 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...
  Walnut around 455 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 4151 9515 4150 9516 4136 9516 4133 9515
      4139 9541 4151 9532 4166 9510 4160 9509
      4160 9504 4151 9504
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 206DEG 72KT 4135 9524 

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

$$

CA
2 follow-up statements
566 
WWUS53 KOAX 152258
SVSOAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
458 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC155-152308-
/O.CAN.KOAX.TO.W.0028.000000T0000Z-211215T2330Z/
Pottawattamie IA-
458 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN POTTAWATTAMIE 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 southwestern
Iowa.

LAT...LON 4151 9515 4150 9516 4151 9531 4151 9532
      4166 9510 4160 9509 4160 9504 4151 9504
TIME...MOT...LOC 2258Z 206DEG 72KT 4157 9510 

$$

IAC165-152330-
/O.CON.KOAX.TO.W.0028.000000T0000Z-211215T2330Z/
Shelby IA-
458 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM CST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN SHELBY COUNTY...
    
At 458 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles northeast of Walnut, or 12 miles north of
Atlantic, moving northeast at 85 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
southeastern Shelby County, including the following locations... Elk
Horn Creek Recreation Area.

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 4151 9515 4150 9516 4151 9531 4151 9532
      4166 9510 4160 9509 4160 9504 4151 9504
TIME...MOT...LOC 2258Z 206DEG 72KT 4157 9510 

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

$$

CA
190 
WWUS53 KOAX 152306
SVSOAX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
506 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

IAC165-152315-
/O.CAN.KOAX.TO.W.0028.000000T0000Z-211215T2330Z/
Shelby IA-
506 PM CST Wed Dec 15 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SHELBY COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. However, a a Tornado 
Warning still remains in effect for northern Shelby County until 530 
PM.

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

LAT...LON 4151 9515 4150 9516 4151 9531 4151 9532
      4166 9510 4160 9509 4160 9504 4151 9504
TIME...MOT...LOC 2304Z 206DEG 72KT 4171 9501 

$$

CA

The office that day

Everything else NWS Omaha, NE issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 15, 3:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatOAXFremont, Harrison, Mills, Pottawattamie70 min
Dec 15, 3:41 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatOAXHarrison, Monona64 min
Dec 15, 3:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatOAXFremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and 1 more80 min
Dec 15, 4:01 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXFremont, Mills14 min
Dec 15, 4:12 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXFremont, Mills33 min
Dec 15, 4:16 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXHarrison, Pottawattamie17 min
Dec 15, 4:21 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXPottawattamie24 min
Dec 15, 4:30 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXMills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie30 min
Dec 15, 4:31 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXHarrison, Monona, Shelby13 min
Dec 15, 4:37 PM CSTTornado Warning Tornado observedOAXHarrison, Shelby23 min
Dec 15, 4:54 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXMontgomery, Page15 min
Dec 15, 4:55 PM CSTTornado WarningOAXShelby14 min

Nearby

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