Void of any significant or major forcing, widespread showers and storms were unable to initiate across the state. A couple of updrafts were able to kick off during peak heating hours, resulting in a couple of funnel cloud reports with semi-supportive low level conditions for funnels.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.
Void of any significant or major forcing, widespread showers and storms were unable to initiate across the state. A couple of updrafts were able to kick off during peak heating hours, resulting in a couple of funnel cloud reports with semi-supportive low level conditions for funnels.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 15, 1:54 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 254 PM CDT Mon Aug 15 2016 .SHORT TERM.../Tonight/ Issued at 252 PM CDT Mon Aug 15 2016 Plenty of high cloudiness is moving across the state this afternoon from system pushing through the mid Mississippi river valley. This is keeping temperatures slightly cooler than anticipated with light winds as ridge axis pushes through the state. Will continue to see some high cloudiness into the evening as system slowly advances into the Ohio river valley. Otherwise, shortwave will approach the state from the northwest late tonight. There will be a modest increase in forcing as this system approaches toward daybreak in the northwest. There will also be very modest moisture transport in weak southerly flow ahead of the feature helping to produce some scattered shower and thunderstorms activity. This precipitation is expected to arrive in the far northwest during the early morning hours with limited coverage and intensity. Elsewhere...there will be little threat of precipitation and may once again see some areas of fog development given the light winds and low level moisture although much will depend on cloud cover overnight. .LONG TERM.../Tuesday through Monday/ Issued at 252 PM CDT Mon Aug 15 2016 Main forecast concern was focused on thunderstorm chances Tuesday night and again Friday afternoon into early Saturday. Temperatures were another focus with Wednesday and Thursday looking to be slightly warmer than previously forecast. Tuesday and Tuesday night...Generally zonal to northwest flow aloft is expected during this period with a weak upper level shortwave embedded in the flow. There is not much support for any widespread severe weather potential as low level layer shear looks relatively weak. The 0-6km bulk shear is near 30 knots with decent veering from the surface to around 700mb. This, combined with surface instability and MLCAPE increasing to 2500-3500 J/kg and 1500-2000 J/kg respectively. Certainly enough instability and shear present to support an isolated threat of severe storms late Tuesday afternoon into the evening. Wednesday through Thursday...Surface high pressure builds into the region and looks to provide another period of dry and warmer temperatures. Thursday will be the warmest with good mixing and southwest flow through the afternoon. Nudged up maximum temperatures slightly on Thursday. Friday...models coming into good agreement with timing of cold front and precipitation Friday afternoon into Friday evening. Good fetch of moisture transport into the state ahead of the cold front Friday with moderately unstable atmosphere. Shear seems weak, at least the 0-1km and 0-3km bulk shear. Deep layer shear looks strong enough to sustain updrafts. Certainly cannot rule out severe weather potential but believe the heavy rain potential is the bigger threat. PWATs range from 1.5 to 2.0 inches, weak corfidi vectors, and warm layer cloud depths over 13kft. Saturday into Monday...Much cooler air filters into the state on Saturday and continues into Sunday. Highs look to remain in the 70s during all three days. && .AVIATION.../For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday afternoon/ Issued at 1236 PM CDT Mon Aug 15 2016 Generally widespread VFR conditions for much of the forecast. There will be some light fog development overnight with MVFR visibilities...especially after midnight to shortly after sunrise and most likely in eastern and southern areas where cloud cover will be more limited. There will be high ceilings crossing the state with plenty of cirrus overhead. Also mid level ceilings will be possible in the north late in the period as a shortwave approaches the state. Surface winds will be light today into tonight with some increase from the south on Tuesday. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && SHORT TERM...Cogil LONG TERM...Podrazik AVIATION...Cogil
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 257 PM CDT MON AUG 15 2016 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-162000- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN- WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE- BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER- POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS-UNION- CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE- APPANOOSE-DAVIS- 257 PM CDT MON AUG 15 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ARE FORECAST TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS IS POSSIBLE WITH AN ISOLATE THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...A BETTER CHANCE OF WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...ARE FORECAST. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAYBE NEED BRIEFLY TUESDAY AND AGAIN FRIDAY. KLP
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:11 UTC.
2 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter reported a rotating funnel cloud at exit 12 on Interstate 35. The funnel had not touched the ground at the time of the report.
Trained spotter reported a funnel cloud looking east from Oralabor Rd and State St. Estimated to be towards the Bondurant area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, August 2016
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 655403, 655404.