Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 89, NWS Quad Cities, IA
NWS Quad Cities, IA issued this tornado warning at Aug 19, 2026, 2:53 PM CDT for Des Moines County, Louisa County, Iowa. It was in force for 24 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 19, 2026, 2:53 PM CDT (19:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 19, 2026, 3:17 PM CDT
- In force
- 24 min
- Issued by
- NWS Quad Cities, IA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Observed
- Hail
- 0.75 in
Counties Des Moines County, IA, Louisa County, IA
The radar
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 82 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:57 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.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 251 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
- 310 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -93 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 917 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 17 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 63 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted.
461 WFUS53 KDVN 191953 TORDVN IAC057-115-192030- /O.NEW.KDVN.TO.W.0089.260819T1953Z-260819T2030Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED Tornado Warning National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL 253 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities has issued a * Tornado Warning for... North central Des Moines County in southeastern Iowa... South central Louisa County in southeastern Iowa... * Until 330 PM CDT. * At 252 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located over Morning Sun, or 7 miles southwest of Wapello, moving southeast at 5 mph. HAZARD...Tornado. SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado. IMPACT...Expect damage to mobile homes, roofs, and vehicles. * The tornado will be near... Morning Sun around 300 PM CDT. 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 4111 9137 4117 9130 4110 9117 4103 9126 TIME...MOT...LOC 1952Z 315DEG 5KT 4110 9130 TORNADO...OBSERVED MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN $$ Gibbs
3 follow-up statements
224 WWUS53 KDVN 192002 SVSDVN Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL 302 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 IAC057-115-192030- /O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-260819T2030Z/ Des Moines IA-Louisa IA- 302 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR NORTH CENTRAL DES MOINES AND SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISA COUNTIES... At 301 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Morning Sun, or 7 miles southwest of Wapello, moving southeast at 5 mph. HAZARD...TORNADO. SOURCE...Weather spotters reported a funnel cloud. IMPACT...Expect damage to mobile homes, roofs, and vehicles. This dangerous storm will be near... Morning Sun and Garland around 305 PM CDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. && LAT...LON 4111 9137 4114 9132 4110 9117 4103 9126 TIME...MOT...LOC 2001Z 315DEG 5KT 4109 9129 TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN $$ Gibbs
254 WWUS53 KDVN 192015 SVSDVN Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL 315 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 IAC057-115-192030- /O.CON.KDVN.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-260819T2030Z/ Des Moines IA-Louisa IA- 315 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR NORTH CENTRAL DES MOINES AND SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISA COUNTIES... At 315 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Morning Sun, or 8 miles southwest of Wapello, moving southeast at 5 mph. HAZARD...TORNADO. SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. IMPACT...Expect damage to mobile homes, roofs, and vehicles. This dangerous storm will be near... Morning Sun and Garland around 320 PM CDT. 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 4109 9132 4111 9130 4108 9120 4103 9126 TIME...MOT...LOC 2015Z 315DEG 5KT 4108 9127 TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN $$ Gibbs
359 WWUS53 KDVN 192017 SVSDVN Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL 317 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 IAC057-115-192027- /O.CAN.KDVN.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-260819T2030Z/ Des Moines IA-Louisa IA- 317 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL DES MOINES AND SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISA COUNTIES IS CANCELLED... The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. && LAT...LON 4109 9132 4111 9130 4108 9120 4103 9126 TIME...MOT...LOC 2016Z 315DEG 5KT 4108 9127 $$ Gibbs
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Aug 19, 1:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Isolated to scattered (20-40%) convection can be expected south of I-80 through sunset. A few storms may be strong to severe.
- More fog is expected late tonight into Thursday morning due to light winds and high moisture levels in the atmosphere.
- Outside of another chance of rain with a front late Thursday night into Friday night, rain chances look very limited into next week.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 19, 1:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 142 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated to scattered (20-40%) convection can be expected south of I-80 through sunset. A few storms may be strong to severe. - More fog is expected late tonight into Thursday morning due to light winds and high moisture levels in the atmosphere. - Outside of another chance of rain with a front late Thursday night into Friday night, rain chances look very limited into next week. && .SHORT TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... Issued at 140 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 Convection has initiated south of I-80 ahead of the slowly advancing cool front. The convergence along the front is weak as is the overall forcing. Thus the convection should rapidly dissipate with sunset. Until the sun sets, mid-level lapse rates are respectable with shear slow increasing from an upper level jet streak and an approaching convectively induced vort max. While the probability is low (<25%) an isolated strong to severe storm cannot be ruled out. Locally heavy rainfall will also be possible with any storm which may result in ponding of water or at worst a low end localized flash flood. Late tonight into Thursday morning, patchy if not areas of fog are expected to develop due to the light winds. Locally dense fog is possible around or shortly after sunrise which may drop visibilities under one half mile in spots. Once the fog burns off around mid-morning Thursday, temperatures near normal with slightly lower humidity levels will be seen. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... Issued at 140 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 Thursday night through Wednesday Assessment...low (20-30%) confidence on late week rain chances The model consensus continues to point to late Thursday night into Friday evening for another, albeit low, chance of rain with the passage of another front. Given what has happened with the previous front, I would not be surprised if the 20-40% chances for rain are delayed until the Friday/Friday night time period. As mentioned yesterday, northwest flow aloft means that any disturbance moving through will be moisture starved. Thus the prospects for any rain outside of the more likely Friday/Friday night time period is very limited. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1218 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 Convective initiation south of I-80 is expected by 20z/19. Isolated to low end scattered (15-35%) SHRA/TSRA will be seen across southeast Iowa and west central Illinois through 02z/20. Light winds after 06z/20 points to patchy or areas of fog developing across eastern Iowa and northern Illinois through 14z/20. Areas of MVFR/IFR conditions are expected with localized LIFR conditions. && .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...None. IL...None. MO...None. && SHORT TERM...08 LONG TERM...08 AVIATION...08
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 19, 1:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 145 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-201845- Buchanan-Delaware-Dubuque-Benton-Linn-Jones-Jackson-Iowa-Johnson- Cedar-Clinton-Muscatine-Scott-Keokuk-Washington-Louisa-Jefferson- Henry IA-Des Moines-Van Buren-Lee-Jo Daviess-Stephenson-Carroll- Whiteside-Rock Island-Henry IL-Bureau-Putnam-Mercer-Henderson- Warren-Hancock-McDonough-Scotland-Clark- 145 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central Illinois...northwest Illinois...west central Illinois...east central Iowa...northeast Iowa...southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT Isolated severe storms are possible this afternoon into early evening south of Interstate 80. Damaging winds, hail and localized flash flooding are the primary threats. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY Patchy fog, some locally dense with visibilities under one half mile, is possible during the Thursday morning commute. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is possible this afternoon into early evening south of Interstate 80.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Aug 19, 2:38 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL
238 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0236 PM Funnel Cloud Galva 41.17N 90.04W
08/19/2026 Henry IL Trained Spotter
Spotter called and sent multiple photos of a
funnel cloud near Galva, IL looking west.
&&
ALESpecial weather statement, Aug 19, 2:38 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL
238 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026
IAZ077-078-087>089-ILZ016-017-024>026-192030-
Warren IL-Mercer IL-Henderson IL-Bureau IL-Henry IL-Henry IA-
Des Moines IA-Washington IA-Louisa IA-Jefferson IA-
238 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026
...Thunderstorms will impact portions of northern Warren, southern
Mercer, northeastern Henderson, western Bureau, southern Henry,
northern Henry, northern Des Moines, southeastern Washington,
southern Louisa and Jefferson Counties through 330 PM CDT...
At 237 PM CDT, trained weather spotters reported a funnel cloud west
of Galva with developing thunderstorms along a line extending from
Abingdon to Galva. These storms were nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Funnel clouds and possibly weak, brief tornadoes.
SOURCE...Trained weather spotters.
IMPACT...Isolated damage to roofs, siding and trees is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Kewanee, Fairfield, Mount Pleasant, Aledo, Wapello, Galva, Burgess,
Mediapolis, Winfield, Wayland, Viola, Morning Sun, Woodhull, New
Boston, Alpha, Keithsburg, Batavia, Joy, Little York, and
Libertyville.
This includes Interstate 74 in Illinois between mile markers 29 and
33.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Conditions are favorable for the development of funnel clouds, and
possibly brief, weak tornadoes. The National Weather Service will
conntinue to closely monitor the situation, and may issue a Tornado
Warning if the threat increases. If you see a funnel cloud please
seek shelter indoors and then contact your local law enforcement
agency for relay to the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 4126 8984 4115 8987 4115 9044 4102 9044
4095 9218 4114 9218
TIME...MOT...LOC 1937Z 140DEG 2KT 4108 9215 4117 9004
MAX HAIL SIZE...<0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<40 MPH
GibbsThe office that day
Everything else NWS Quad Cities, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2:38 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DVN | Henry, Jefferson | 52 min |
| Aug 19, 3:25 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DVN | Des Moines, Henry, Van Buren | 65 min |
| Aug 19, 4:23 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DVN | Des Moines, Lee | 52 min |
| Aug 19, 4:36 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DVN | Des Moines, Henry, Lee | 2 hr |
| Aug 19, 5:12 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DVN | Lee | 63 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.