Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 3, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this tornado warning at Apr 13, 2026, 6:47 PM CDT for Emmet County, Palo Alto County, Iowa. It was in force for 23 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
- Apr 13, 2026, 6:47 PM CDT (23:47 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 13, 2026, 7:10 PM CDT
- In force
- 23 min
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.0 in
Counties Emmet County, IA, Palo Alto County, IA
The radar
The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 173 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 6:50 PM CDT | TORNADO | 4 Ene Graettinger, IA | location estimated. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 3:11 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.8 hours before the alert went out and 193 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
- 8 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -259 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1506 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 124 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 229 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
829
WFUS53 KDMX 132347
TORDMX
IAC063-147-140030-
/O.NEW.KDMX.TO.W.0003.260413T2347Z-260414T0030Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
647 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026
The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Southeastern Emmet County in northwestern Iowa...
Northeastern Palo Alto County in northwestern Iowa...
* Until 730 PM CDT.
* At 647 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Graettinger, or 7 miles north of Emmetsburg,
moving east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.
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...
Ringsted around 715 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Wolden
County Park, Ringsted, and Graettinger.
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 4339 9454 4320 9444 4315 9475 4328 9484
TIME...MOT...LOC 2347Z 251DEG 13KT 4323 9471
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
Dodson2 follow-up statements
356
WWUS53 KDMX 132359
SVSDMX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
659 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026
IAC063-147-140030-
/O.CON.KDMX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260414T0030Z/
Emmet IA-Palo Alto IA-
659 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN EMMET AND NORTHEASTERN PALO ALTO COUNTIES...
At 659 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Graettinger, or 9 miles north of Emmetsburg, moving
east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This dangerous storm will be near...
Ringsted around 715 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Ringsted and Wolden County Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 4339 9454 4320 9444 4319 9469 4329 9475
TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 251DEG 13KT 4324 9465
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
Dodson419 WWUS53 KDMX 140010 SVSDMX Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Des Moines IA 710 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026 IAC063-147-140019- /O.CAN.KDMX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-260414T0030Z/ Emmet IA-Palo Alto IA- 710 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN EMMET AND NORTHEASTERN PALO ALTO COUNTIES IS CANCELLED... The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for north central and northwestern Iowa. Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for Emmet County. LAT...LON 4339 9454 4320 9444 4319 9469 4329 9475 TIME...MOT...LOC 0008Z 251DEG 13KT 4325 9460 $$ Dodson
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 5:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Emmet | 34 min |
| Apr 13, 6:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Emmet, Palo Alto | 36 min |
| Apr 13, 6:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Emmet, Kossuth | 21 min |
| Apr 13, 6:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Emmet, Kossuth | 25 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Iowa, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026
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.