Alert archive / Iowa / High Wind Warnings in 2025

High Wind Warning 2, NWS Des Moines, IA

March 4, 202551 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this high wind warning at Mar 4, 2025, 2:36 AM CST for 51 counties in Iowa. It took effect at Mar 4, 2025, 9:00 PM CST. It was in force for 18 hr. 55 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 4, 2025, 2:36 AM CST (08:36 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 4, 2025, 9:00 PM CST
Expired
Mar 5, 2025, 3:00 PM CST
In force
18 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
All 51 counties

Adair County, IA, Adams County, IA, Appanoose County, IA, Audubon County, IA, Black Hawk County, IA, Boone County, IA, Bremer County, IA, Butler County, IA, Calhoun County, IA, Carroll County, IA, Cass County, IA, Cerro Gordo County, IA, Clarke County, IA, Crawford County, IA, Dallas County, IA, Davis County, IA, Decatur County, IA, Emmet County, IA, Franklin County, IA, Greene County, IA, Grundy County, IA, Guthrie County, IA, Hamilton County, IA, Hancock County, IA, Hardin County, IA, Humboldt County, IA, Jasper County, IA, Kossuth County, IA, Lucas County, IA, Madison County, IA, Mahaska County, IA, Marion County, IA, Marshall County, IA, Monroe County, IA, Palo Alto County, IA, Pocahontas County, IA, Polk County, IA, Poweshiek County, IA, Ringgold County, IA, Sac County, IA, Story County, IA, Tama County, IA, Taylor County, IA, Union County, IA, Wapello County, IA, Warren County, IA, Wayne County, IA, Webster County, IA, Winnebago County, IA, Worth County, IA, Wright County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 23 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:38 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
Mar 4, 10:07 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 632 Wnw Gruver, IAASOS station KEST Estherville Airport.
Mar 5, 12:22 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 622 Wnw Gruver, IAEstherville ASOS reported a peak gust of 62 mph, with sustained winds of 49 mph.
Mar 5, 12:53 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 582 Ene Lamoni, IALamoni ASOS reported a peak gust of 58 mph, with sustained winds of 33 mph.
Mar 5, 1:53 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 582 S Ames, IAAmes ASOS reported a gust to 58 mph, with sustained winds of 38 mph.
Mar 5, 2:55 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 583 Sw Glidden, IAAWOS station KCIN Carroll Airport.
Mar 5, 2:55 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 583 Wsw Glidden, IACarroll AWOS measured a gust of 58 mph, with sustained winds of 46 mph.
Mar 5, 3:31 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 582 Ssw Prairie City, IAMesonet station NSWI4 Neil Smith NWR.
Mar 5, 4:55 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 622 Wnw Clarion, IAClarion AWOS recorded a gust to 62 mph, with sustained winds of 41 mph.
Mar 5, 5:01 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 622 Wnw Clarion, IAMeasured at Clarion Airport AWOS.
Mar 5, 5:57 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 622 S Ames, IAAWOS station KAMW 2 SSE Ames.
Mar 5, 6:00 AM CSTSNOW 2.22 W Murray, IA
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 2.3Carroll, IAThe Carroll Cooperative Observer reported an estimated 2.3 inches of snowfall.
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 2.8Hampton, IAThe Hampton Cooperative Observer reported 2.8 inches of snowfall.
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 2.8Hampton, IA
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 45 W West Bend, IA
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 4Mason City, IA
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 4.5Forest City, IA
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 5.5Guthrie Center, IA
Mar 5, 7:00 AM CSTSNOW 6Atlantic, IA
Mar 5, 7:24 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 602 Ene Lamoni, IAMeasured at Lamoni Airport.
Mar 5, 7:28 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 682 Ene Lamoni, IAASOS station KLWD Lamoni Airport.
Mar 5, 7:42 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 582 Se Newton, IAMeasured at the Newton Airport.
Mar 5, 7:42 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 61Des Moines Int Airport, IAASOS station KDSM Des Moines International Airport.
Mar 5, 7:52 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND DMGIndianola, IATree fell across front lawn. Report via WHO-TV.
Mar 5, 8:00 AM CSTSNOW 11 Wnw Lamoni, IA
Mar 5, 8:00 AM CSTSNOW 2Corning, IA
Mar 5, 8:00 AM CSTSNOW 2.41 Se Windsor Heights, IA
Mar 5, 8:00 AM CSTSNOW 41 Ene Webster City, IA
Mar 5, 8:00 AM CSTSNOW 41 Sse Pocahontas, IA
Mar 5, 8:00 AM CSTSNOW 4Creston, IA
Mar 5, 8:01 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 593 W Chariton, IAMeasured at Chariton Airport AWOS.
Mar 5, 9:00 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND DMGBoone, IATree blown over in Boone with adjacent tree leaning severely. Tree fell on power line cutting power to house. Report via WHO-TV.
Mar 5, 9:00 AM CSTSNOW 2Indianola, IA
Mar 5, 9:00 AM CSTSNOW 3Sac City, IA
Mar 5, 9:35 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 593 W Chariton, IAAWOS station KCNC Chariton Airport.
Mar 5, 9:55 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 583 Ssw Knoxville, IAAWOS station KOXV Knoxville Airport.
Mar 5, 9:56 AM CSTSNOW 9Buffalo Center, IA
Mar 5, 10:00 AM CSTBLIZZARD1 Sse Audubon, IASeveral hours of below 1/4 mile visibility along with frequent gusts of 40 mph or greater.
Mar 5, 10:00 AM CSTBLIZZARD2 Wnw Algona, IAVisibilities one quarter mile or below since at least 315am with gusts frequently in excess of 50mph.
Mar 5, 10:00 AM CSTBLIZZARD2 Wnw Clarion, IAVisibilities at 1/4 mile or below since at least 3 am with frequent gusts over 45 mph.
Mar 5, 10:00 AM CSTBLIZZARD3 Wsw Glidden, IASeveral hours of visibilities of 1/4 mile or below in snow or blowing snow along with frequent gusts to 50 mph.
Mar 5, 10:30 AM CSTNON-TSTM WND DMG3 Ne Yale, IAVisibility 1/4 mile or below in snow and blowing snow for at least 6 hours prior to the report time.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND DMG1 Se Ames, IAOutside signage on Caseys canopy torn off and dropped into parking lot. Report via social media.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTSNOW 1.42 Ene Ottumwa, IAStorm Total.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTSNOW 1.7Waterloo Regional Airpo, IAStorm Total.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTSNOW 1.83 S Polk City, IAStorm Total.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTSNOW 2.7Des Moines Int Airport, IAStorm Total.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTSNOW 3Waukee, IAvia social media.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTSNOW 5.5Rockwell City, IAvia social media.
Mar 5, 12:00 PM CSTSNOW 6.3Adair, IAVia social media.
Mar 5, 1:26 PM CSTSNOW 21 Wsw Minburn, IA
Mar 5, 1:44 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 602 S Ames, IA
Mar 5, 1:54 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 59Waterloo Regional Airpo, IA
Mar 5, 2:00 PM CSTSNOW 1Monroe, IAvia social media.
Mar 5, 2:02 PM CSTNON-TSTM WND GST 60Des Moines Int Airport, IA

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 230 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 00:00Z on 2025-03-04Temperature 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 00:00Z on 2025-03-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 220 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1131 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
220 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
311 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

187 
WWUS73 KDMX 040836
NPWDMX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
236 AM CST Tue Mar 4 2025

IAZ004>007-015-016-023>025-033>035-044>046-057-058-070-041845-
/O.UPG.KDMX.HW.A.0001.250305T0000Z-250305T2100Z/
/O.NEW.KDMX.HW.W.0002.250305T0300Z-250305T2100Z/
Emmet-Kossuth-Winnebago-Worth-Palo Alto-Hancock-Pocahontas-
Humboldt-Wright-Sac-Calhoun-Webster-Crawford-Carroll-Greene-
Audubon-Guthrie-Cass-
Including the cities of Northwood, Rolfe, Estherville, Sac City,
Wall Lake, Emmetsburg, Eagle Grove, Manly, Laurens, Schaller,
Manson, Pocahontas, Exira, Denison, Britt, Early, Garner, Forest
City, Rockwell City, Humboldt, Odebolt, Audubon, Gilmore City,
Fort Dodge, Panora, Atlantic, Algona, Guthrie Center, Casey,
Jefferson, Belmond, Clarion, Lake City, Carroll, Lake View,
Bayard, Lake Mills, Pomeroy, Kanawha, and Fonda
236 AM CST Tue Mar 4 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 PM CST 
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...North winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph expected.

* WHERE...Central Iowa.

* WHEN...From 9 PM this evening to 3 PM CST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. 
  Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, 
  especially for high profile vehicles.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...In addition, there is also a Blizzard Warning 
  in effect.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm, and 
avoid windows. Watch for falling debris and tree limbs. Use caution 
if you must drive.

&&

$$

IAZ017-026>028-036>039-047>050-059>062-071>075-081>086-092>097-
041845-
/O.UPG.KDMX.HW.A.0001.250305T0000Z-250305T2100Z/
/O.NEW.KDMX.HW.W.0002.250305T0600Z-250305T2100Z/
Cerro Gordo-Franklin-Butler-Bremer-Hamilton-Hardin-Grundy-Black
Hawk-Boone-Story-Marshall-Tama-Dallas-Polk-Jasper-Poweshiek-Adair-
Madison-Warren-Marion-Mahaska-Adams-Union-Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-
Wapello-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-Wayne-Appanoose-Davis-
Including the cities of Grinnell, Ackley, Waukee, Carlisle,
Corning, Dysart, Creston, Clear Lake, Iowa Falls, Clarksville,
Traer, Fontanelle, Tama, Chariton, Mason City, Centerville, Shell
Rock, Norwalk, Boone, Reinbeck, Marshalltown, Waverly, Lenox,
Toledo, Mount Ayr, Humeston, Greene, Ames, Aplington, Waterloo,
Wellsburg, Newton, Hampton, Dumont, Indianola, Winterset,
Osceola, Bloomfield, Eldora, Grundy Center, Albia, Lamoni,
Bedford, Allerton, Perry, Dike, Adair, Seymour, Leon, Cedar
Falls, Des Moines, Oskaloosa, Adel, Earlham, Webster City,
Parkersburg, Ottumwa, Corydon, Greenfield, Conrad, Stuart,
Allison, Pella, Knoxville, New Market, and Gladbrook
236 AM CST Tue Mar 4 2025

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 3 PM CST 
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Northwest winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to around 60 mph 
  expected.

* WHERE...Central Iowa.

* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 3 PM CST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. 
  Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, 
  especially for high profile vehicles.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...In addition, there is also a Blizzard Warning 
  in effect.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm, and 
avoid windows. Watch for falling debris and tree limbs. Use caution 
if you must drive.

&&

$$

Ansorge

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 4, 11:51 AM CSTBlizzard WarningDMXAdair, Adams, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer and 37 more27 hr
Mar 4, 12:40 PM CSTHigh Wind WarningDMXAdair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone and 45 more29 hr
Mar 4, 2:50 PM CSTWinter Weather AdvisoryDMXAppanoose, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Butler and 33 more27 hr

Nearby

High Wind Warnings in Iowa, 2025Every high wind warning in 2025

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.