Alert archive / Iowa / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2023
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 145, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 13, 2023, 6:08 PM CDT for 4 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 37 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 13, 2023, 6:08 PM CDT (23:08 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 13, 2023, 6:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 37 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 1.0 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Cerro Gordo County, IA, Franklin County, IA, Hancock County, IA, Wright County, IA
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 132 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:10 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 nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 216 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 139 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -45 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 890 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 95 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 173 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
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 Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 13, 2:31 PM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 13, 2:31 PM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 231 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023 .SHORT TERM.../Tonight through Friday/ Issued at 226 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023 Key Messages: - Convection developing this afternoon near the Minnesota/Iowa border and moving southeast with severe weather possible - Frontal boundary moving through Friday leading to widespread shower and thunderstorm chances across the state Current satellite imagery shows a band of agitated cumulus at the Minnesota/Iowa border. SPC currently has a slight risk of severe weather for extreme northwest/north central areas of the CWA. Showers and thunderstorms are starting to form here due to an area of convergence seen near the surface. 0-6 km bulk shear per SPC mesoanalysis reveals values of 40 kts in this area with DCAPE values of 900 J/kg. BUFKIT soundings reveal a decent amount of dry air in the upper levels, and combined with the DCAPE, may lead to strong gusts with any storms that form. Small hail is also possible. Storms will move SE over time. Upper level data shows a zone of convergence associated with an approaching shortwave entering western Iowa late tonight into Friday. The HRRR model is picking up on some convective activity by 8z early Fri over western and northern IA and then moving SE while gradually weakening, while other CAMs are not quite picking up on this. Regardless, any storms that form could have the potential for some strong gusts given the amount of dryness in the upper atmosphere. A frontal boundary will also move into Iowa from the northwest on Friday and exit the area by Saturday. Expect to see widespread showers and thunderstorms developing during this timeframe as the boundary moves thru. 0-6 km bulk shear is around 30 kts across the state again and may promote some stronger storms across northern into NE IA given better instability seen here. PWATs are in the range of 1.5 to 1.75 per the GFS near the boundary area, meaning storms have the potential to efficiently produce rainfall. Temperatures tonight will remain in the low 60s north to upper 60s south, with highs for Friday similar to today. Friday nights lows will be cooler in the low 60s north, and may even approach the upper 50s due to the frontal passage. && .LONG TERM.../Friday night through Thursday/ Issued at 226 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023 Key Messages: - Storm chances continue into the weekend. Highest chances Sunday. Severe threat uncertain. - Low humidity and mostly dry early next week. Northwesterly flow around the bottom periphery a deep upper low will stay in place through the extended forecast forecast. Chances for showers and storms remain in the forecast through the weekend, although the most likely time period is still focused around Sunday into Sunday night as an shortwave trough rotates around the parent upper low and activates a cold frontal boundary as it is pushed through the state. Deep layer shear profiles are more than adequate to support organized strong/severe convection, however instability is in question since we may reside in a drier post-frontal environment before initiation occurs. A dry airmass pushes south behind the frontal passage, leading to unseasonably low dewpoints in the mid 40s to mid 50s Monday and perhaps into Tuesday. Guidance suggests parts of northern Iowa may drop into the 40s Monday night. NBM continues to spit out low chance PoPs as models are quick in their attempts to return moisture into the area. Opted not to make any adjustments to the NBM PoPs at this time, but current thinking is the NBM will trend drier as moisture return lags a bit. Both GFS and EC show another shortwave digging south off the Canadian prairies over the middle of next week, which may serve as our next appreciable opportunity for rainfall. && .AVIATION.../For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon/ Issued at 1231 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023 Aviation: Expecting VFR conditions to prevail this afternoon across most TAF sites. May see some scattered showers and thunderstorms form near KMCW after 22z but more likely in the late evening and overnight. Shower and storm activity will progress south and east, however confidence in spatial coverage is too low to mention for other terminals at this time. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...Castillo/Martin LONG TERM...Martin AVIATION...Castillo/Martin
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 13, 2:13 PM CDT, 3 hours 55 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Des Moines IA 213 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-141915- Emmet-Kossuth-Winnebago-Worth-Palo Alto-Hancock-Cerro Gordo- Pocahontas-Humboldt-Wright-Franklin-Butler-Bremer-Sac-Calhoun- Webster-Hamilton-Hardin-Grundy-Black Hawk-Crawford-Carroll-Greene- Boone-Story-Marshall-Tama-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Polk-Jasper- Poweshiek-Cass-Adair-Madison-Warren-Marion-Mahaska-Adams-Union- Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-Wapello-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-Wayne- Appanoose-Davis- 213 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight Scattered thunderstorms return this afternoon into tonight. A few stronger storms are possible, mainly in northern Iowa, with gusty winds the primary threat, though some hail may be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Some storms may linger into early Friday morning with additional thunderstorm chances Friday afternoon and evening. A few stronger storms could occur, mainly in southern Iowa, with locally heavy rainfall also possible. Thunderstorm chances continue into the weekend, most likely from Sunday into Sunday night. The severe threat remains uncertain at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 1:53 PM CDT, 4 hours 15 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
153 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023
IAZ004>007-016-017-132000-
Cerro Gordo IA-Kossuth IA-Winnebago IA-Worth IA-Emmet IA-Hancock IA-
153 PM CDT Thu Jul 13 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northern Emmet,
Worth, northern Kossuth, northern Hancock, Cerro Gordo and Winnebago
Counties through 300 PM CDT...
At 153 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles south of Elmore, or 23 miles north of Algona, moving east at 40
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Forest City, Mason City, Manly, Mason City Municipal Airport and
Clear Lake.
This includes Interstate 35 between mile markers 184 and 218.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4350 9303 4291 9303 4291 9310 4350 9492
TIME...MOT...LOC 1853Z 286DEG 33KT 4340 9413
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
DonavonLocal storm report, Jul 13, 3:23 PM CDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, Jul 13, 4:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 13, 1:53 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | Cerro Gordo, Winnebago, Worth | 67 min |
| Jul 13, 2:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Hancock, Kossuth, Winnebago | 41 min |
| Jul 13, 2:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Winnebago | 23 min |
| Jul 13, 2:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Cerro Gordo, Hancock, Wright | 39 min |
| Jul 13, 3:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Butler | 37 min |
| Jul 13, 5:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Hancock | 44 min |
| Jul 13, 6:19 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | Tama | 26 min |
| Jul 13, 6:44 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | Franklin | 46 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Iowa, 2023Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2023
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.