Weather alerts in Union County, Iowa, 2024

181 weather alerts in 2024, from the National Weather Service and the Storm Prediction Center. An alert counts here when it covered this county.

Union County and its neighbors

Each county as a circle sized by its count in 2024. Tap one for its archive.

Alerts: 181
Warnings: 59
Watches: 29
Advisories: 49
Busiest month: April37 alerts
Busiest day: May 21, 202413 alerts

Over time

By month

Warning verification

How often warnings here had a storm report inside them, and how much warning the reports had.

9 of 14 tornado warnings covering Union County in 2024 had a tornado report inside them; 7 of 7 tornado reports fell inside a warning, on average 23 minutes after it went out.

Union County, 2024

	Warnings	With a report	False alarm ratio	Reports	Inside a warning	Mean lead time
Tornado warnings	14	9	36%	7	100%	23 min
Severe thunderstorm warnings	33	15	55%	14	71%	21 min
Flash flood warnings	0			1	0%

Each office's whole area, 2024

	Warnings	With a report	False alarm ratio	Reports	Inside a warning	Mean lead time
NWS Des Moines, IA: tornado warnings	89	27	70%	61	79%	21 min
NWS Des Moines, IA: severe thunderstorm warnings	321	161	50%	417	78%	25 min
NWS Des Moines, IA: flash flood warnings	25	9	64%	39	69%	168 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 3, 3:42 AM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	8 hr
Jan 6, 3:03 PM CST	Winter Storm Watch	DMX	23 hr
Jan 7, 2:06 PM CST	Winter Storm Warning	DMX	55 hr
Jan 10, 3:12 PM CST	Winter Storm Watch	DMX	12 hr
Jan 11, 3:28 AM CST	Winter Storm Warning	DMX	31 hr
Jan 11, 3:03 PM CST	Blizzard Warning	DMX	57 hr
Jan 11, 3:03 PM CST	Wind Chill Watch	DMX	24 hr
Jan 12, 2:29 PM CST	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	4 hr
Jan 12, 3:32 PM CST	Wind Chill Warning	DMX	4 days
Jan 12, 3:32 PM CST	Winter Weather Advisory	DMX	32 hr
Jan 15, 2:39 PM CST	Wind Chill Advisory	DMX	39 hr
Jan 17, 2:41 PM CST	Wind Chill Advisory	DMX	45 hr
Jan 17, 2:41 PM CST	Winter Weather Advisory	DMX	39 hr
Jan 19, 3:29 AM CST	Wind Chill Advisory	DMX	33 hr
Jan 20, 3:15 AM CST	Wind Chill Advisory	DMX	30 hr
Jan 22, 3:26 AM CST	Winter Weather Advisory	DMX	33 hr
Jan 23, 6:01 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	15 hr
Jan 24, 3:58 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	20 hr
Jan 25, 2:29 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	17 hr
Jan 27, 1:32 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	25 hr
Jan 28, 2:05 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	19 hr
Jan 30, 10:40 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	11 hr
Feb 2, 4:48 AM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	9 hr
Feb 8, 2:40 AM CST	Wind Advisory	DMX	15 hr
Feb 25, 1:51 PM CST	Red Flag Warning	DMX	28 hr
Feb 27, 3:00 AM CST	Wind Advisory	DMX	24 hr
Feb 28, 2:17 PM CST	Red Flag Warning	DMX	28 hr
Mar 2, 2:41 PM CST	Red Flag Warning	DMX	27 hr
Mar 3, 8:08 AM CST	Wind Advisory	DMX	10 hr
Apr 2, 2:47 PM CDT	Wind Advisory	DMX	29 hr
Apr 5, 2:25 PM CDT	Wind Advisory	DMX	35 hr
Apr 15, 2:54 PM CDT	Wind Advisory	DMX	28 hr
Apr 16, 8:50 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	55 min
Apr 16, 9:03 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	57 min
Apr 16, 10:22 AM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr
Apr 18, 2:42 PM CDT	Frost Advisory	DMX	17 hr
Apr 19, 2:23 PM CDT	Freeze Warning	DMX	18 hr
Apr 20, 1:47 PM CDT	Freeze Warning	DMX	18 hr
Apr 22, 2:42 AM CDT	Wind Advisory	DMX	14 hr
Apr 26, 3:47 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr
Apr 26, 5:36 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	84 min
Apr 26, 6:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	51 min
Apr 26, 6:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	49 min
Apr 26, 7:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	44 min
Apr 26, 7:27 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	93 min
Apr 26, 7:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	46 min
Apr 26, 7:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	DMX	47 min
Apr 26, 7:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	47 min
Apr 26, 8:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	35 min
Apr 26, 8:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	29 min
Apr 27, 1:17 PM CDT	Flood Watch	DMX	12 hr
Apr 27, 1:40 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr
Apr 27, 2:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	50 min
Apr 27, 3:40 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	95 min
Apr 30, 1:05 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	85 min
Apr 30, 1:33 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr
Apr 30, 3:57 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	93 min
Apr 30, 4:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	51 min
Apr 30, 5:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	38 min
Apr 30, 5:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	41 min
Apr 30, 5:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	45 min
Apr 30, 5:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	41 min
Apr 30, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	32 min
Apr 30, 6:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	43 min
Apr 30, 6:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	34 min
Apr 30, 6:54 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	96 min
May 3, 4:10 AM CDT	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	5 hr
May 6, 6:18 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	117 min
May 6, 7:32 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr
May 6, 9:16 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	119 min
May 6, 10:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	51 min
May 6, 10:50 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	DMX	40 min
May 19, 5:55 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	95 min
May 19, 6:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr
May 19, 7:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	47 min
May 19, 8:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	52 min
May 20, 12:14 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	27 min
May 20, 1:50 PM CDT	Flood Watch	DMX	29 hr
May 21, 5:51 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	114 min
May 21, 6:15 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
May 21, 12:32 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	118 min
May 21, 1:14 PM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	8 hr
May 21, 2:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	50 min
May 21, 3:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	53 min
May 21, 3:20 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	85 min
May 21, 3:26 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	DMX	49 min
May 21, 3:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	42 min
May 21, 3:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	DMX	50 min
May 21, 3:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	50 min
May 21, 3:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	47 min
May 21, 4:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	64 min
May 24, 1:15 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	2 hr
May 24, 2:44 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
May 24, 3:07 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	53 min
May 24, 3:54 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	2 hr
May 24, 3:56 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	49 min
May 24, 4:21 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	39 min
May 26, 6:58 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	DMX	17 min
May 26, 7:30 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	DMX	15 min
May 26, 7:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	24 min
Jun 4, 5:26 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	94 min
Jun 13, 2:02 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	118 min
Jun 13, 2:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	10 hr
Jun 15, 6:58 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	92 min
Jun 15, 7:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Jun 15, 9:34 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	86 min
Jun 22, 5:46 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	119 min
Jun 23, 2:36 AM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	41 hr
Jun 24, 2:47 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	28 hr
Jun 25, 4:54 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	96 min
Jun 25, 5:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Jun 25, 7:09 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	66 min
Jun 25, 7:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	46 min
Jun 25, 8:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	52 min
Jun 25, 10:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	39 min
Jun 25, 10:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	44 min
Jun 25, 10:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	48 min
Jun 25, 11:13 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	62 min
Jun 28, 3:23 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	3 hr
Jun 28, 8:08 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	97 min
Jul 1, 6:43 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	92 min
Jul 2, 2:08 AM CDT	Flood Watch	DMX	17 hr
Jul 2, 2:24 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	2 hr
Jul 2, 3:14 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr
Jul 10, 2:12 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	3 hr
Jul 10, 2:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	52 min
Jul 10, 2:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Jul 12, 2:19 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	30 hr
Jul 13, 2:21 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	30 hr
Jul 14, 1:34 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	30 hr
Jul 15, 1:59 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	3 hr
Jul 28, 2:08 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	30 hr
Jul 28, 11:08 PM CDT	Flood Watch	DMX	5 hr
Jul 29, 2:35 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	25 hr
Jul 29, 11:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr
Jul 30, 1:45 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	60 min
Jul 30, 8:47 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	88 min
Jul 30, 9:30 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr
Jul 30, 10:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	60 min
Jul 30, 3:18 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	28 hr
Jul 30, 11:17 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	118 min
Jul 30, 11:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Jul 31, 5:12 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	2 hr
Jul 31, 6:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr
Jul 31, 6:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	53 min
Jul 31, 7:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	48 min
Aug 14, 5:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Aug 14, 9:20 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	115 min
Aug 15, 3:03 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	2 hr
Aug 15, 4:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Aug 15, 6:14 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	91 min
Aug 23, 1:55 PM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	54 hr
Aug 25, 2:19 AM CDT	Heat Advisory	DMX	34 hr
Aug 26, 12:18 PM CDT	Excessive Heat Warning	DMX	8 hr
Aug 27, 11:32 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	DMX	28 min
Sep 19, 10:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	43 min
Sep 19, 10:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	38 min
Oct 14, 2:57 AM CDT	Frost Advisory	DMX	29 hr
Oct 14, 2:57 AM CDT	Freeze Watch	DMX	12 hr
Oct 14, 2:52 PM CDT	Freeze Warning	DMX	42 hr
Oct 16, 3:03 PM CDT	Red Flag Warning	DMX	28 hr
Oct 24, 5:22 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	2 hr
Oct 28, 2:56 PM CDT	Wind Advisory	DMX	39 hr
Oct 30, 1:05 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	115 min
Oct 30, 1:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr
Oct 30, 1:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DMX	42 min
Oct 30, 2:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	46 min
Oct 30, 3:05 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	115 min
Nov 5, 11:52 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	10 hr
Nov 7, 4:36 AM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	5 hr
Nov 20, 2:29 AM CST	Wind Advisory	DMX	16 hr
Dec 3, 1:14 PM CST	Wind Advisory	DMX	35 hr
Dec 12, 2:32 PM CST	Winter Weather Advisory	DMX	51 hr
Dec 14, 7:56 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	15 hr
Dec 15, 2:51 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	20 hr
Dec 19, 2:35 AM CST	Wind Advisory	DMX	19 hr
Dec 25, 1:37 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	22 hr
Dec 26, 1:34 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	22 hr
Dec 28, 1:21 AM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	11 hr
Dec 28, 6:03 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	18 hr
Dec 29, 6:36 PM CST	Dense Fog Advisory	DMX	17 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	33
Tornado Warning	14
Severe Thunderstorm Watch	14
Tornado Watch	7
Mesoscale Discussion	40
Special Weather Statement	4
Flooding
Flood Watch	4
Winter
Blizzard Warning	1
Winter Storm Warning	2
Winter Storm Watch	2
Winter Weather Advisory	4
Heat
Excessive Heat Warning	1
Heat Advisory	10
Cold
Freeze Warning	3
Wind Chill Warning	1
Freeze Watch	1
Wind Chill Watch	1
Frost Advisory	2
Wind Chill Advisory	4
Wind and dust
Wind Advisory	11
Fire
Red Flag Warning	4
Fog and smoke
Dense Fog Advisory	18

The busiest days

Days with the most alerts issued, by UTC date.

Nearby

Alerts in force now Tornadoes on record Forecast The radar archive 2023 2025

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.