A surface low tracked across northern Iowa and while this produced only light sprinkles, it did produce enough low level stretching for several funnel clouds to be reported across northern and central Iowa. The 0-3 km CAPE at the time of the reports was analyzed around 75-100 J/kg.
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The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.
A surface low tracked across northern Iowa and while this produced only light sprinkles, it did produce enough low level stretching for several funnel clouds to be reported across northern and central Iowa. The 0-3 km CAPE at the time of the reports was analyzed around 75-100 J/kg.
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 May 28, 5:37 AM CST, 6 hours 8 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 637 AM CDT Wed May 28 2025 ...Updated for the 12z Aviation Discussion... .KEY MESSAGES... - A period of dry conditions Wednesday morning, then showers and storms possible in the afternoon to evening. Low potential for a few funnel clouds north. - On and off showers remain Thursday, then generally dry Friday through the weekend with gradual warming. && .UPDATE... Issued at 442 AM CDT Wed May 28 2025 No significant changes in the forecast from the previous issuance. a closed upper low continues to spin overhead this morning with height falls under 5 dam. This is what has continued to support showers over eastern Iowa this morning. That upper low isn't going far the next two days and will continue to support precipitation over Iowa, this time with some convective processes at play. SBCAPE values on the order of 100-300 J/kg are present in soundings for much of the area which will be enough to kick of scattered showers in peak heating hours this afternoon. And, while these convective updrafts are going to be low-topped, thunderstorms will be play the next two days. There will be near-surface vorticity available because of the upper low and the low level instability offers stretching potential. PBL winds are also very light. As mentioned by the discussion below, funnel clouds are possible in this setup, especially where LCLs are lowest in northern Iowa today. Lee cyclogenesis will spawn an MCS along its warm conveyor belt late today, this system following the mean flow southeast and away from Iowa. This will also inhibit deeper instability from traversing into Iowa, giving us a low-topped, scattered thunderstorm threat not all too dissimilar to today. There will be cloud debris across southern Iowa tonight and have raised low temperatures into the mid 50s in this area as this is where low temperatures in overcast conditions have generally settled all this week. A similar thinking of funnel cloud potential on Thursday, except more into central and southern Iowa as the upper low drops south. Will need to monitor for fog potential as skies clear and winds ease Thursday night, seeing that fog is becoming commonplace across eastern Nebraska behind the rain. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 224 PM CDT Tue May 27 2025 Rainy conditions continue primarily across the northwest half of the state today as scattered on and off showers pass overhead this afternoon, thanks to the slow passage of a rather large upper level low pressure slowly tracking east/southeast over the Upper Midwest. Rainfall totals so far have generally remained around 0.10-0.25 inches west of I-35, though pockets of accumulations up to 0.50-0.75 inches fell over far western Iowa up to roughly 1pm. On and off isolated showers however been occurring into central Iowa as well, with rain accumulations so far below 0.25 inches. Cooler temperatures also are noted across the majority of the state, with values in the upper 50s to mid 60s, while some clearing over southeast Iowa has allowed for warmer temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s. As for the rest of today, CAM guidance overall progresses the current scattered showers gradually eastward in slow progression through the rest of the afternoon to evening, so have increased PoPs at least slightly across the eastern portion of the service area to account for that. Widespread cloud cover will limit any significant cooling overnight into Wednesday, with lows falling into the upper 40s west to mid 50s east. The aforementioned system is still slated to slide into Iowa Wednesday, becoming centered overhead, with rain chances remaining over at least eastern Iowa early on. Otherwise, a small window of drying conditions per short-term guidance is expected across much of the state by mid-morning, before chances (30-50%) for additional spotty showers return across at least the northern and eastern portions of the state Wednesday afternoon to evening. During this drying period, areas of clearing are signaled per HRRR and NAM guidance over much of the area, which in turn will allow for low level instability increasing around 200-300 J/kg with an increase in stretching potential primarily into northern Iowa by the afternoon to evening. These conditions, along with low LCLs around 500-700m over northern Iowa setting up as low clouds settle back in therefore keeps the potential of a non-zero chance for some funnel cloud development Wednesday afternoon to evening. Any thunderstorms that do develop however remain quite unlikely to become severe, hence the remaining general thunder coverage highlighted across Iowa per the Storm Prediction Center. By Thursday, this upper level low looks to break off the main parent circulation and track eastward out of the region, which is suggested to result in the development of another upper level low dropping into Iowa. An uptick in forcing for lift south and east into Missouri/Illinois will result in more appreciable rainfall as the signal remains for more of a MCS to move across that area in the morning, though the majority of Iowa generally remains dry through the morning. However, light shower chances (20-40%) return once again, becoming scattered by the late morning through at least the early evening before drying. A few weak storms may occur over southern Iowa during this time frame as well given the return of at least some instability and lift over the area. Dry conditions become widespread Friday as a mid-level ridge over the western CONUS gradually shifts into the Midwest. Warmer weather will come with this ridge as highs are expected to reach into the upper 70s to low 80s. A weak shortwave riding the larger scale flow Saturday remains in the long term guidance as it drops out of the Dakotas into Nebraska/Iowa, bringing at least a low potential for returning showers Saturday. Differences are noted between the GFS and Euro in terms of rainfall coverage, with the GFS keeping rainfall chances mainly over eastern Iowa, while the Euro covers the state with more widespread QPF. Given this information, would generally lean towards keeping the more blanketed mentions (<20%) of PoPs across the eastern CWA Saturday, with overall little impact as rainfall totals look to remain under a tenth of an inch. Warmer weather settles in Sunday into early next week as a large thermal ridge passes over the Central Plains. High temperatures will generally range in the low to mid 80s through next week Tuesday, with lows in the 60s. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 635 AM CDT Wed May 28 2025 Cigs trended higher this morning. Showers will linger at KMCW and KALO most of the daytime hours. Have adjusted Prob30 groups to reflect time of best confidence for increased shower coverage. This time period is also when thunderstorms are most probable, but confidence is not high enough at any one TAF site to add thunder mentions at this point. The aforementioned northern TAF sites may also drop to MVFR as shower coverage maximizes. All sites will be VFR after 02z. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && UPDATE...Jimenez DISCUSSION...Bury AVIATION...Jimenez
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Des Moines IA 759 AM CDT Wed May 28 2025 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-291400- 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- 759 AM CDT Wed May 28 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight Isolated thunderstorms are forecast this afternoon and evening. Severe weather is not expected, but a few weak funnel clouds may occur. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Widely scattered thunderstorms are forecast Thursday afternoon and evening. Severe weather is not expected, but a few weak funnel clouds may occur. Thunderstorm chances will return next Tuesday. Any severe weather potential during that time will be better determined in the coming days. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed at this time.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1215 PM CDT Wed May 28 2025 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-282000- 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- Including the cities of Estherville, Algona, Forest City, Lake Mills, Northwood, Manly, Emmetsburg, Garner, Britt, Kanawha, Mason City, Clear Lake, Pocahontas, Laurens, Rolfe, Fonda, Gilmore City, Humboldt, Eagle Grove, Clarion, Belmond, Hampton, Parkersburg, Clarksville, Shell Rock, Greene, Aplington, Allison, Dumont, Waverly, Sac City, Lake View, Odebolt, Wall Lake, Schaller, Early, Rockwell City, Manson, Lake City, Pomeroy, Fort Dodge, Webster City, Iowa Falls, Eldora, Ackley, Grundy Center, Reinbeck, Conrad, Dike, Wellsburg, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Denison, Carroll, Jefferson, Boone, Ames, Marshalltown, Tama, Toledo, Traer, Dysart, and Gladbrook 1215 PM CDT Wed May 28 2025 ..CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FUNNEL CLOUDS TODAY... WHAT...Funnel clouds are possible due to current atmospheric conditions. These funnel clouds are typically brief, lower only a few hundred feet from the cloud base, and rarely become a tornado or cause damage. WHERE...Northern into central Iowa. WHEN...This afternoon. IMPACTS...None expected. PREPAREDNESS AND PRECAUTIONARY ACTIONS...If a funnel cloud is spotted, report it to the National Weather Service. If a tornado warning becomes necessary, take appropriate action.
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:45 UTC.
5 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Pictures of several small funnel clouds between 12:45 and 1:05 PM via social media. None have extended very far below the cloud base.
Public report of a brief funnel cloud a little east of Roland. Did not extend far below the cloud base.
Public report of a small funnel cloud received via social media. Time estimated.
Report via social media.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, May 2025
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: 1253865, 1253864, 1253866, 1253867, 1253868.