Alert archive / Iowa / Polk County
Weather alerts in Polk County, Iowa, 2023
103 weather alerts in 2023, from the National Weather Service and the Storm Prediction Center. An alert counts here when it covered this county.
Polk County and its neighbors
Each county as a circle sized by its count in 2023. Tap one for its archive.
- Alerts
- 103
- Warnings
- 34
- Watches
- 16
- Advisories
- 25
- Busiest month
- April31 alerts
- Busiest day
- April 4, 20238 alerts
Over time
By month
Warning verification
How often warnings here had a storm report inside them, and how much warning the reports had.
0 of 1 tornado warnings covering Polk County in 2023 had a tornado report inside them.
Polk County, 2023
| Warnings | With a report | False alarm ratio | Reports | Inside a warning | Mean lead time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado warnings | 1 | 0 | 100% | 0 | ||
| Severe thunderstorm warnings | 25 | 17 | 32% | 7 | 86% | 25 min |
| Flash flood warnings | 0 | 0 |
Each office's whole area, 2023
| Warnings | With a report | False alarm ratio | Reports | Inside a warning | Mean lead time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NWS Des Moines, IA: tornado warnings | 37 | 13 | 65% | 26 | 73% | 15 min |
| NWS Des Moines, IA: severe thunderstorm warnings | 195 | 120 | 38% | 328 | 88% | 22 min |
| NWS Des Moines, IA: flash flood warnings | 5 | 3 | 40% | 4 | 75% | 103 min |
An office's figures cover every county it serves, including across state lines.
Verified by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow, which matches each storm-based warning with the local storm reports inside its polygon while it was in force, within 15 km of its edge: a tornado warning counts as verified on a tornado report, a severe thunderstorm warning on hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more, or wind damage, a flash flood warning on a flash flood report. The false alarm ratio is the share of warnings with no such report; "inside a warning" is the probability of detection, the share of reports that fell inside one; lead time runs from the warning's issue to each report inside it, counting zero for a report that came first. A warning with no report is not proof nothing happened: reports come from spotters, the public and damage surveys, and are thin where few people live.
The alerts
Every alert, in the order issued. Times are local, Central Time. Each opens its own page with the text, the map, the radar and the sounding.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 4:42 AM CST | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 7 hr |
| Jan 17, 3:07 AM CST | Winter Storm Watch | DMX | 12 hr |
| Jan 17, 3:09 PM CST | Winter Weather Advisory | DMX | 45 hr |
| Jan 18, 12:53 PM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 5 hr |
| Jan 24, 5:49 AM CST | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 5 hr |
| Jan 28, 2:06 PM CST | Wind Chill Advisory | DMX | 21 hr |
| Feb 2, 3:14 AM CST | Wind Chill Advisory | DMX | 30 hr |
| Feb 15, 3:27 AM CST | Winter Weather Advisory | DMX | 39 hr |
| Feb 16, 8:02 AM CST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 6 hr |
| Feb 21, 2:47 AM CST | Winter Weather Advisory | DMX | 57 hr |
| Mar 8, 3:04 PM CST | Winter Weather Advisory | DMX | 33 hr |
| Mar 12, 1:44 AM CST | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 4 hr |
| Mar 16, 3:12 AM CDT | Wind Advisory | DMX | 25 hr |
| Mar 25, 2:41 PM CDT | Winter Weather Advisory | DMX | 22 hr |
| Mar 31, 3:30 AM CDT | Wind Advisory | DMX | 28 hr |
| Mar 31, 11:24 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 96 min |
| Mar 31, 11:46 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 8 hr |
| Mar 31, 2:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 29 min |
| Mar 31, 2:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 47 min |
| Mar 31, 3:17 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 88 min |
| Apr 4, 1:49 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 116 min |
| Apr 4, 2:48 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
| Apr 4, 4:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 41 min |
| Apr 4, 5:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 49 min |
| Apr 4, 6:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 50 min |
| Apr 4, 6:18 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 87 min |
| Apr 4, 6:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 45 min |
| Apr 4, 6:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 51 min |
| Apr 4, 7:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 48 min |
| Apr 4, 8:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 47 min |
| Apr 4, 8:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 42 min |
| Apr 4, 9:10 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 65 min |
| Apr 12, 2:57 AM CDT | Red Flag Warning | DMX | 17 hr |
| Apr 12, 2:20 PM CDT | Red Flag Warning | DMX | 30 hr |
| Apr 15, 2:47 PM CDT | Wind Advisory | DMX | 44 hr |
| Apr 19, 5:23 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 28 min |
| Apr 19, 8:21 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 3 hr |
| Apr 19, 9:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 26 min |
| Apr 19, 9:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 46 min |
| Apr 19, 10:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 50 min |
| Apr 19, 10:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 46 min |
| Apr 19, 10:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 49 min |
| Apr 19, 10:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
| Apr 19, 11:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 37 min |
| Apr 21, 3:24 AM CDT | Freeze Watch | DMX | 24 hr |
| Apr 21, 3:24 AM CDT | Freeze Warning | DMX | 30 hr |
| Apr 22, 3:38 AM CDT | Freeze Warning | DMX | 29 hr |
| Apr 23, 4:08 AM CDT | Freeze Watch | DMX | 10 hr |
| Apr 23, 2:31 PM CDT | Freeze Warning | DMX | 18 hr |
| Apr 25, 2:17 PM CDT | Frost Advisory | DMX | 18 hr |
| Apr 30, 2:41 AM CDT | Wind Advisory | DMX | 17 hr |
| May 1, 10:22 AM CDT | Wind Advisory | DMX | 9 hr |
| May 6, 10:41 PM CDT | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 12 hr |
| May 7, 2:10 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 2 hr |
| May 7, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 10 hr |
| May 13, 12:01 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 119 min |
| May 13, 12:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 43 min |
| May 13, 12:54 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
| May 13, 12:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 48 min |
| May 13, 3:31 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 119 min |
| Jun 1, 3:00 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | 60 min |
| Jun 2, 3:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 22 min |
| Jun 2, 3:32 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | 43 min |
| Jun 17, 2:24 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 2 hr |
| Jun 24, 1:27 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 2 hr |
| Jun 24, 1:35 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
| Jun 29, 5:49 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Jun 29, 9:29 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 46 min |
| Jul 12, 12:13 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | 47 min |
| Jul 12, 1:00 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 45 min |
| Jul 12, 4:41 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 94 min |
| Jul 12, 5:15 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Jul 12, 5:40 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 50 min |
| Jul 12, 7:25 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 95 min |
| Jul 12, 7:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 39 min |
| Jul 12, 8:18 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | 42 min |
| Jul 25, 2:47 PM CDT | Heat Advisory | DMX | 3 days |
| Jul 27, 3:19 AM CDT | Excessive Heat Warning | DMX | 42 hr |
| Jul 27, 12:34 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | 41 min |
| Jul 28, 4:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
| Aug 3, 3:47 AM CDT | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 5 hr |
| Aug 5, 10:17 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 58 min |
| Aug 6, 12:19 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | 56 min |
| Aug 17, 3:07 PM CDT | Excessive Heat Watch | DMX | 71 hr |
| Aug 18, 2:18 PM CDT | Excessive Heat Warning | DMX | 7 days |
| Aug 21, 2:56 PM CDT | Excessive Heat Watch | DMX | 24 hr |
| Sep 16, 2:28 AM CDT | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 7 hr |
| Sep 19, 1:00 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | 30 min |
| Sep 23, 1:09 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 96 min |
| Sep 23, 1:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 8 hr |
| Sep 23, 3:39 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 96 min |
| Sep 23, 6:23 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 2 hr |
| Sep 27, 4:29 AM CDT | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 6 hr |
| Sep 28, 6:09 AM CDT | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 4 hr |
| Oct 9, 2:23 PM CDT | Frost Advisory | DMX | 19 hr |
| Oct 11, 8:50 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 2 hr |
| Oct 13, 12:12 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 93 min |
| Oct 13, 1:30 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
| Oct 13, 3:26 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | 94 min |
| Oct 13, 3:44 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | 19 min |
| Oct 27, 3:05 AM CDT | Freeze Warning | DMX | 31 hr |
| Nov 25, 11:34 AM CST | Winter Weather Advisory | DMX | 21 hr |
| Dec 22, 3:20 PM CST | Dense Fog Advisory | DMX | 20 hr |
By product
Every kind of product issued here, grouped by hazard. Each opens the same place narrowed to that product.
| Product | Alerts |
|---|---|
| Severe storms | |
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 25 |
| Tornado Warning | 1 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 6 |
| Tornado Watch | 5 |
| Mesoscale Discussion | 22 |
| Special Weather Statement | 6 |
| Winter | |
| Winter Storm Watch | 1 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 6 |
| Heat | |
| Excessive Heat Warning | 2 |
| Excessive Heat Watch | 2 |
| Heat Advisory | 1 |
| Cold | |
| Freeze Warning | 4 |
| Freeze Watch | 2 |
| Frost Advisory | 2 |
| Wind Chill Advisory | 2 |
| Wind and dust | |
| Wind Advisory | 5 |
| Fire | |
| Red Flag Warning | 2 |
| Fog and smoke | |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 9 |
The busiest days
Days with the most alerts issued, by UTC date.
Nearby
Alerts in force nowTornadoes on recordForecastThe radar archive20222024
Sources
National Weather Service watches, warnings, advisories and statements from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's VTEC archive, which reconstructs tornado, severe thunderstorm, flash flood and marine warnings back to 1986 from the NWS text archive. Storm Prediction Center watches and mesoscale discussions from SPC's archive through the Mesonet. County centers from the US Census Bureau. Warning verification from the Mesonet's Cow. Rebuilt daily.