Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2023

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

May 13, 2023Buena Vista County, Iowa

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at May 13, 2023, 1:48 PM CDT for Buena Vista County, Iowa. It was in force for 27 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
May 13, 2023, 1:48 PM CDT (18:48 UTC)
Expired
May 13, 2023, 2:15 PM CDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

County Buena Vista County, IA

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 157 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:48 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
May 13, 2:02 PM CDTTORNADO3 Sw Lakeside, IABRIEF TOUCHDOWN.

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
May 13, 12:54 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 175 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 2023-05-13Temperature 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 2023-05-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 51 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
984 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
51 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
105 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

849 
WFUS53 KFSD 131848
TORFSD
IAC021-131915-
/O.NEW.KFSD.TO.W.0004.230513T1848Z-230513T1915Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
148 PM CDT Sat May 13 2023

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Buena Vista County in northwestern Iowa...

* Until 215 PM CDT.
    
* At 148 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Lakeside, or near Storm Lake, moving north at 20
  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...
  Lakeside around 200 PM CDT.
  Storm Lake around 205 PM CDT.

Other locations in the path of this tornadic thunderstorm include
Alta and Truesdale.

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.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4272 9538 4275 9516 4256 9510 4256 9532
TIME...MOT...LOC 1848Z 165DEG 16KT 4257 9521 

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

$$

Weisser
2 follow-up statements
067 
WWUS53 KFSD 131902
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
202 PM CDT Sat May 13 2023

IAC021-131915-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-230513T1915Z/
Buena Vista IA-
202 PM CDT Sat May 13 2023

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN BUENA VISTA COUNTY...
    
At 202 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Storm Lake, moving north at 15 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...
  Storm Lake, Alta and Truesdale.

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.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4272 9538 4275 9516 4258 9511 4259 9529
TIME...MOT...LOC 1902Z 169DEG 13KT 4262 9522 

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

$$

Weisser
188 
WWUS53 KFSD 131913
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
213 PM CDT Sat May 13 2023

IAC021-131923-
/O.EXP.KFSD.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-230513T1915Z/
Buena Vista IA-
213 PM CDT Sat May 13 2023

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN BUENA VISTA COUNTY WILL
EXPIRE AT 215 PM CDT...
                
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 700 PM CDT for northwestern
Iowa.

LAT...LON 4272 9538 4275 9516 4258 9511 4259 9529
TIME...MOT...LOC 1913Z 165DEG 16KT 4266 9524 

$$

Weisser

The office that day

Everything else NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 12, 7:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDWoodbury33 min
May 12, 7:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDPlymouth, Woodbury44 min
May 12, 7:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDWoodbury40 min
May 12, 7:55 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDWoodbury35 min
May 12, 8:16 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDPlymouth, Woodbury29 min
May 12, 8:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDPlymouth, Sioux28 min
May 12, 8:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDPlymouth, Woodbury48 min
May 13, 11:02 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningFSDDickinson7 days
May 13, 4:25 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedFSDBuena Vista35 min
May 13, 4:36 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDBuena Vista24 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2023Every tornado warning in 2023Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.