Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2023

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

May 13, 2023Buena Vista County, Iowa

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at May 13, 2023, 4:25 PM CDT for Buena Vista County, Iowa. It was in force for 35 min. 2 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: May 13, 2023, 4:25 PM CDT (21:25 UTC)
Expired: May 13, 2023, 5:00 PM CDT
In force: 35 min
Issued by: NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Hail: 0.75 in

County Buena Vista County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 145 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:29 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
May 13, 4:26 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	4 Ne Newell, IA	SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO OF DAMAGE TO A HOME AND SURROUNDING TREES FROM A TORNADO.
May 13, 4:26 PM CDT	TORNADO	4 Ne Newell, IA	CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 4 NE NEWELL. SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO OF DAMAGE TO A HOME AND SURROUNDING TREES FROM A TORNADO.

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
May 13, 12:54 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 190 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: 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.

411 
WFUS53 KFSD 132125
TORFSD
IAC021-132200-
/O.NEW.KFSD.TO.W.0005.230513T2125Z-230513T2200Z/

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

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  East central Buena Vista County in northwestern Iowa...

* Until 500 PM CDT.

* At 425 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near Newell, or 13
  miles east of Storm Lake, moving north at 15 mph.

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

  SOURCE...Public 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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Albert City.

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 4261 9492 4260 9498 4276 9508 4278 9491
      4265 9492 4265 9491
TIME...MOT...LOC 2125Z 174DEG 14KT 4267 9495 

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

$$

SST

2 follow-up statements

716 
WWUS53 KFSD 132148
SVSFSD

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

IAC021-132200-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-230513T2200Z/
Buena Vista IA-
448 PM CDT Sat May 13 2023

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL BUENA VISTA COUNTY...
    
At 448 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Albert City, or 14 miles northeast of 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...
Albert City.

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 4261 9492 4260 9498 4276 9508 4278 9491
      4265 9492 4265 9491
TIME...MOT...LOC 2148Z 174DEG 14KT 4276 9496 

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

$$

SST

737 
WWUS53 KFSD 132154
SVSFSD

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

IAC021-132204-
/O.EXP.KFSD.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-230513T2200Z/
Buena Vista IA-
454 PM CDT Sat May 13 2023

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL BUENA VISTA COUNTY WILL
EXPIRE AT 500 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.  However heavy rain
is still possible with this thunderstorm.

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

LAT...LON 4261 9492 4260 9498 4276 9508 4278 9491
      4265 9492 4265 9491
TIME...MOT...LOC 2154Z 174DEG 14KT 4278 9496 

$$

SST

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 12, 7:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FSD	Woodbury	33 min
May 12, 7:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FSD	Plymouth, Woodbury	44 min
May 12, 7:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FSD	Woodbury	40 min
May 12, 7:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Woodbury	35 min
May 12, 8:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Plymouth, Woodbury	29 min
May 12, 8:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FSD	Plymouth, Sioux	28 min
May 12, 8:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FSD	Plymouth, Woodbury	48 min
May 13, 11:02 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	FSD	Dickinson	7 days
May 13, 1:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Buena Vista	27 min
May 13, 4:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FSD	Buena Vista	24 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2023 Every tornado warning in 2023 Tornadoes 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.