Alert archive / Iowa / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 7, NWS Omaha, NE
NWS Omaha, NE issued this tornado warning at Apr 23, 2026, 6:08 PM CDT for Montgomery County, Page County, Iowa. It was in force for 40 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
- Apr 23, 2026, 6:08 PM CDT (23:08 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 23, 2026, 6:48 PM CDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Omaha, NE
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.0 in
Counties Montgomery County, IA, Page County, IA
The radar
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:10 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 12:02 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 213 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
- 759 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -225 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 565 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 24 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 307 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 437 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.5
The text
As transmitted.
646
WFUS53 KOAX 232308
TOROAX
IAC137-145-240015-
/O.NEW.KOAX.TO.W.0007.260423T2308Z-260424T0015Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
608 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
The National Weather Service in Omaha has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Southeastern Montgomery County in southwestern Iowa...
Northeastern Page County in southwestern Iowa...
* Until 715 PM CDT.
* At 608 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado
were located along a line extending from 8 miles southwest of Red
Oak to 2 miles east of Essex to 6 miles north of Coin, moving
northeast at 35 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.
* These dangerous storms will be near...
Stanton around 620 PM CDT.
Villisca around 625 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 4074 9517 4085 9524 4090 9529 4095 9528
4112 9493 4084 9493
TIME...MOT...LOC 2308Z 226DEG 32KT 4090 9529 4083 9525 4074 9521
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
CA2 follow-up statements
929
WWUS53 KOAX 232324
SVSOAX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska
624 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
IAC137-145-240015-
/O.CON.KOAX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260424T0015Z/
Montgomery IA-Page IA-
624 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY AND NORTHEASTERN PAGE COUNTIES...
At 624 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes
were located along a line extending from 3 miles southwest of Stanton
to 7 miles southwest of Villisca to 3 miles northwest of Clarinda,
moving northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
Locations impacted include...
Villisca.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 4090 9515 4101 9493 4084 9493 4078 9508
TIME...MOT...LOC 2324Z 228DEG 32KT 4095 9514 4088 9510 4079 9506
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
CA065 WWUS53 KOAX 232348 SVSOAX Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Omaha/Valley Nebraska 648 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026 IAC137-145-232357- /O.CAN.KOAX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260424T0015Z/ Montgomery IA-Page IA- 648 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY AND NORTHEASTERN PAGE COUNTIES IS CANCELLED... The rotation which prompted the warning has moved out of the area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 700 PM CDT for southwestern Iowa. Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for much of Montgomery and Page counties. && LAT...LON 4090 9515 4101 9493 4084 9493 4078 9508 TIME...MOT...LOC 2346Z 226DEG 32KT 4109 9495 4102 9491 4093 9487 $$ CA
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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 23, 12:35 PM CDT, 5 hours 33 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Strong to severe thunderstorm potential will continue through afternoon and evening (15% chance of severe for any given storm), with the greatest risk between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- Dry conditions behind the front are driving extreme fire danger for areas of northeast Nebraska, with a Red Flag Warning in effect.
- Cooler temperatures this weekend with additional chances for showers and thunderstorms on Saturday (30-60%) and Sunday (60-90%).
- Near normal temperatures into next week with on and off shower and thunderstorm chances.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 23, 12:35 PM CDT, 5 hours 33 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
1235 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Strong to severe thunderstorm potential will continue through
afternoon and evening (15% chance of severe for any given
storm), with the greatest risk between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- Dry conditions behind the front are driving extreme fire
danger for areas of northeast Nebraska, with a Red Flag
Warning in effect.
- Cooler temperatures this weekend with additional chances for
showers and thunderstorms on Saturday (30-60%) and Sunday
(60-90%).
- Near normal temperatures into next week with on and off
shower and thunderstorm chances.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1137 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
Today:
Water vapor imagery this afternoon features a broad mid/upper trough
pushing to the south and east with forcing for ascent apparent
already over eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Recent surface
observations show the front draped from south-central Nebraska into
northeast Nebraska and northwest Iowa with a slow move to the east
set through the afternoon. This system has brought with it strong
winds throughout the vertical column, helping to increase shear
while lapse rates to work along with steep lapse rates to provide a
favorable environment for severe storms. Even now, increasing
vertical development is occurring over northeast Nebraska,
where updrafts aided by mid/upper height falls and frontal
convergence.
Just to keep things organized, I'll set out the main expectations
for the day and get further into the hazard. Initial showers and
storms are ongoing across northeast Nebraska, as updrafts fight
weak capping at 850-700 mb. These showers and storms are
expected to be strong to marginally severe, with only a handful
of storms being able to make it past the inhibition to reach a
stronger level. This area will generally be limited to areas
north of a line from Columbus to Wahoo through 1 PM. Between 1
and 3 PM, stronger storm development will become likely. Strong
to severe storms will begin to initiate, and be more isolated at
first as weaker updrafts fail fail to break through. Those
cells will be more likely the farther north you move along the
front, and this semi-isolated storm regime will continue until 5
PM. Those cells will initiate generally east of a line From
there, further erosion of any capping inversion will occur and
the largely in-line component of deeper-shear vectors will help
dive upscale growth, and transition storm mode into a liner/QLCS
character as it pushes east and out of the forecast area by 8
PM.
Getting into hazards, the more isolated storms will hold the
greatest threat for hail, as they will be able to maintain rotating
mid/level mesocyclones and tap into the steep lapse rates. Hail
analogs up and down the line show plenty potential for 2+ inch hail,
with some curvature in the lower hodograph to support an isolated
tornado threat. As storms grow upscale, hail would become less
favored, transitioning to wind, QLCS tornado, and marginal hail as
the hazards. The best tornado potential will be associated with
storms that can bend back a bit to be northwest, or where remnants
of any supercells remain embedded in the line. This QLCS regime will
then push eastward, limiting the training that could occur and limit
the overall flood threat.
Not to be forgotten, very dry conditions will fall into place behind
the front with RH values between 10-25% and winds increasing to 20-
30 mph. A wind shift will push through late this evening and
increase to 40 mph gusts, but with increasing RH at that point.
Those factors are pushing fire danger into the extreme category for
northeast Nebraska, and a Red Flag Warning is in effect through 8 PM
for the threat.
Friday and Beyond:
A generally busy pattern is on tap entering the weekend into next
week. Numerous chances for rainfall will move through the area,
driven first by the leftover low spinning over southern Canada
before it gets kicked out by a deepening shortwave that pushes east
from the Pacific Coast later next week. The main period to watch for
will be Sunday into early Monday, where widespread rainfall is set
to move into the area, and potentially some strong storms as well
based on latest machine-learning output. The timing of that system
will entirely dictate if severe weather occurs; a late arrival that
delays most of the rainfall until nighttime would greatly hamper
severe potential. Nevertheless, we should do some good work to make
back some much-needed rainfall to the area as temperatures in the
50s and 60s continue.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1230 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
VFR conditions are forecast through the period at KOFK, while
KOMA and KLNK deal with strong to severe storms shortly. A line
of storms is building to the west of these locations, set to
arrive 1930-2000z lasting for 1-2 hours. As the move through,
potentially strong winds will be possible (greater than 35 kts)
along with hail, and possibly a tornado. Ceilings will dip into
MVFR territory, with visibilities following suit or staying just
above at 6 miles. Once it passes through, winds will become
somewhat variable and then turn northwesterly once the larger
wind shift arrives. There will likely be some increase in gusts
as it arrives for a few hours, before dissipating overnight
while staying out of the north.
&&
.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...Red Flag Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for NEZ011-012-
016-017-030-031-042.
IA...None.
&&
DISCUSSION...Petersen
AVIATION...PetersenHazardous weather outlook, Apr 23, 11:43 AM CDT, 6 hours 25 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 1143 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-241645- Monona-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont-Page- Knox-Cedar-Thurston-Antelope-Pierce-Wayne-Boone-Madison-Stanton- Cuming-Burt-Platte-Colfax-Dodge-Washington-Butler-Saunders-Douglas- Sarpy-Seward-Lancaster-Cass-Otoe-Saline-Jefferson-Gage-Johnson- Nemaha-Pawnee-Richardson- 1143 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Iowa, west central Iowa, east central Nebraska, northeast Nebraska and southeast Nebraska. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Strong to severe thunderstorms are developing and will continue into the evening (15% chance of severe for any given storm), with the greatest risk between 2 PM and 8 PM. Large hail and damaging winds are the primary hazards, though a tornado or two is possible. A Red Flag Warning is in effect through 8 PM this evening across northeast Nebraska, driven by dry conditions and gusty winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. High to very high fire danger is possible for parts of northeast Nebraska through Friday. There is a low (15%) chance of severe thunderstorms on Sunday near the Kansas-Nebraska border. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Apr 23, 4:51 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
451 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0448 PM Hail 5 NW Oakland 41.36N 95.46W
04/23/2026 M1.00 Inch Pottawattamie IA Emergency Mngr
Relayed through emergency management.
&&
DMPLocal storm report, Apr 23, 4:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
455 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0435 PM Hail 4 NNW Tecumseh 40.43N 96.23W
04/23/2026 M1.75 Inch Johnson NE Public
Public report.
&&
DMPLocal storm report, Apr 23, 4:57 PM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
457 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0454 PM Hail 4 SE Lewiston 40.21N 96.35W
04/23/2026 E1.00 Inch Pawnee NE Public
Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
&&
JCLocal storm report, Apr 23, 5:15 PM CDT, 53 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
515 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0509 PM Hail 3 WNW Elk Creek 40.31N 96.18W
04/23/2026 E1.00 Inch Johnson NE Trained Spotter
Estimated quarter size hail, but largely pea
size.
&&
DACLocal storm report, Apr 23, 5:37 PM CDT, 31 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
537 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 PM Hail 3 W Humboldt 40.16N 96.00W
04/23/2026 E1.00 Inch Richardson NE Public
&&
JCLocal storm report, Apr 23, 5:41 PM CDT, 27 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
541 PM CDT Thu Apr 23 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0538 PM Tornado 2 E Riverton 40.69N 95.55W
04/23/2026 Fremont IA Emergency Mngr
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Omaha, NE issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 1:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Monona | 41 min |
| Apr 23, 1:37 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Harrison, Monona | 38 min |
| Apr 23, 2:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Monona | 40 min |
| Apr 23, 2:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Pottawattamie | 53 min |
| Apr 23, 2:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Monona | 52 min |
| Apr 23, 3:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Monona, Shelby | 39 min |
| Apr 23, 3:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Pottawattamie | 49 min |
| Apr 23, 3:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Shelby | 67 min |
| Apr 23, 3:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Pottawattamie | 58 min |
| Apr 23, 4:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Harrison, Pottawattamie, Shelby | 60 min |
| Apr 23, 4:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Pottawattamie, Shelby | 55 min |
| Apr 23, 4:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Shelby | 21 min |
| Apr 23, 4:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Mills, Montgomery | 45 min |
| Apr 23, 5:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Fremont | 43 min |
| Apr 23, 5:04 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Fremont | 41 min |
| Apr 23, 5:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Mills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie | 51 min |
| Apr 23, 5:35 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Fremont, Page | 40 min |
| Apr 23, 5:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OAX | Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page | 76 min |
| Apr 23, 5:56 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OAX | Montgomery, Pottawattamie | 3 hr |
| Apr 23, 6:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OAX | Page | 42 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.