A brief tornado was observed by a spotter in Plymouth County in northwest Iowa in the late afternoon.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 FSD wrote it up.
A brief tornado was observed by a spotter in Plymouth County in northwest Iowa in the late afternoon.
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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 28, 3:16 PM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD 416 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday) Issued at 416 PM CDT Sat May 28 2016 Upper low still spinning over northwest Iowa late this afternoon, triggering isolated funnel clouds and even a very brief touchdown along boundaries extending east and south from the surface low center just south of Sioux Falls. This funnel cloud activity could continue into the very early evening, with the lingering showers continuing to move very slowly east out of the area by 06Z. Clearing and light winds expected during the overnight, and with the recent rain, could possibly see some patchy light fog develop after midnight in areas near/east of the James River. Confidence not high in any significant fog development at this point, so did not include mention in this forecast, but something for the evening shift to monitor. Sunday still looks to be the nicest day of the holiday weekend, with plenty of sunshine, light winds, and high temperatures a couple of degrees either side of 80. .LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday) Issued at 416 PM CDT Sat May 28 2016 Could see elevated storms by late Sunday night between the Missouri River and I-90, as 850mb warm front begins to lift northward ahead of next mid-upper level trough approaching the area. Soundings somewhat capped along/northeast of Huron-Sioux Falls-Storm Lake line, so have limited extent of pops to areas southwest of this line late Sunday night into Monday morning. More robust lift moves across the area late Monday into Monday night, which should lead to increasing coverage of showers/thunderstorms. GFS looks to be overdoing instability based on pushing surface dew points to near 70 by late Monday afternoon. Still likely looking at MLCAPE values of 1000-1500 J/kg. Deep layer shear marginal, but fair amount of directional shear in the lower 3km which could be locally enhanced near any boundaries. Thus cannot rule out isolated severe threat along with locally heavy rain late Monday afternoon into the early evening. Longer range models more consistent in pushing the cool front and associated rain east of the forecast area by late Tuesday, leaving cooler and dry conditions across our forecast area for mid-late week as the upper level low moves east from the Canadian border into Ontario, and upper ridge builds over the Rockies. Subtle wave slips southeast around the fringe of the upper ridge toward next weekend which could trigger a few showers or thunderstorms, though timing is uncertain at this range. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Sunday morning) Issued at 557 AM CDT Sat May 28 2016 Widespread showers with isolated thunderstorms throughout the day in most locations. KHON will see the smallest chance for precipitation and any MVFR conditions that go with it. KFSD and KSUX will be in the heart of the activity through the evening. MVFR ceilings and visibilities will be possible into the evening. && .FSD Watches/Warnings/Advisories... SD...None. MN...None. IA...None. NE...None. && SHORT TERM...JH LONG TERM...JH AVIATION...08
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 438 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 MNZ071-072-080-097-SDZ038>040-050-052>061-063>065-068-292145- LINCOLN MN-LYON MN-MURRAY-PIPESTONE-BEADLE-KINGSBURY-BROOKINGS- GREGORY-JERAULD-SANBORN-MINER-LAKE-MOODY-BRULE-AURORA-DAVISON- HANSON-MCCOOK-CHARLES MIX-DOUGLAS-HUTCHINSON-BON HOMME- 438 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA...EAST CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA... SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AREAS OF MODERATE RAIN WILL END EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. THIS WILL HELP TO DRAIN EXCESS WATER AWAY FROM LOW LYING AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS PRODUCING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS IS POSSIBLE AS WELL A A FEW 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ081-089-090-098-NEZ013-014- SDZ062-066-067-069>071-292145- LYON IA-OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-SIOUX-O'BRIEN-CLAY IA-PLYMOUTH-CHEROKEE- BUENA VISTA-WOODBURY-IDA-COTTONWOOD-NOBLES-JACKSON-ROCK-DIXON- DAKOTA-MINNEHAHA-TURNER-LINCOLN SD-YANKTON-CLAY SD-UNION- 438 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST IOWA...WEST CENTRAL IOWA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST INTO SATURDAY EVENING. THE RAINFALL IS SLOW MOVING...THEREFORE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MAY PERSIST UNTIL SUNSET DOTTED ACROSS THE AREA. BE ALERT FOR PONDED WATER IN LOW LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE LOCATIONS BECAUSE THEY WERE CERTAINLY BE AROUND. SECONDLY...THERE IS STILL A RISK OF FUNNELS INTO VERY EARLY SATURDAY EVENING. THE FUNNEL ACTIVITY WILL BE SPOTTY AND SHORT LIVED. IF ANY FUNNELS SHOULD HAPPEN TO TOUCH DOWN...THE AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE GROUND WILL LIKELY BE VERY BRIEF. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS PRODUCING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS IS POSSIBLE AS WELL A A FEW 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 1158 AM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 IAZ001>003-012-020-031-MNZ081-089-090-098-NEZ013-014-SDZ062-066- 067-070-071-282000- LYON IA-OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-SIOUX-PLYMOUTH-WOODBURY-COTTONWOOD- NOBLES-JACKSON-ROCK-DIXON-DAKOTA-MINNEHAHA-TURNER-LINCOLN SD- CLAY SD-UNION- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROCK RAPIDS...GEORGE...INWOOD... LARCHWOOD...SIBLEY...SPIRIT LAKE...MILFORD...ARNOLDS PARK... SIOUX CENTER...ORANGE CITY...ROCK VALLEY...HAWARDEN...HULL... LE MARS...SIOUX CITY...WINDOM...MOUNTAIN LAKE...WORTHINGTON... JACKSON...LAKEFIELD...LUVERNE...WAKEFIELD...PONCA...ALLEN... SOUTH SIOUX CITY...SIOUX FALLS...PARKER...CENTERVILLE...MARION... VIBORG...IRENE...HURLEY...CHANCELLOR...CANTON...LENNOX...TEA... HARRISBURG...VERMILLION...NORTH SIOUX CITY...BERESFORD... ELK POINT...ALCESTER...JEFFERSON 1158 AM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT... VARIOUS PROCESSES ARE OCCURRING THAT COULD SPAWN FUNNEL CLOUD DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THE MOST FAVORED AREAS FOR THIS POSSIBILITY ARE RIGHT ALONG THE I 90 CORRIDOR NEAR THE IOWA AND MINNESOTA BORDER...BUT ALSO INCLUDING LOCATIONS IN COTTONWOOD COUNTY MINNESOTA. THE OTHER AREAS FOR POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD DEVELOPMENT ARE IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...EXTREME NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...AND IN NORTHWEST IOWA ALONG THE BIG SIOUX RIVER FROM WOODBURY COUNTY TO LYON COUNTY. THIS SITUATION WILL BE MONITORED. AN ISOLATED BRIEF...SMALL TORNADO REACHING THE GROUND CANNOT BE RULED OUT IN THESE LOCATIONS THIS AFTERNOON. BUT MUCH OF THE POTENTIAL ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN ABOVE GROUND.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
218 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0213 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 4 N BERESFORD 43.14N 96.78W
05/28/2016 LINCOLN SD PUBLIC
REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
&&
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
241 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0224 PM TORNADO 7 E DAVIS 43.26N 96.86W
05/28/2016 LINCOLN SD TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ON THE GROUND FOR 10 SECONDS.
&&
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
IRIS SYSTEMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
404 PM CDT SAT MAY 28 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0230 PM HEAVY RAIN LAKE BENTON 44.26N 96.29W
05/28/2016 M1.98 INCH LINCOLN MN CO-OP OBSERVER
6 HOUR RAINFALL REPORT.
&&
NWS SIOUX FALLS SD
IRIS SYSTEMThe Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:52 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A brief tornado, a landspout, caused no reported damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2016Warnings in Iowa, May 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: 635551.