This alert expired on 18 May 2026 at 02:45 UTC. It is kept here as a record.
No stronger detection stands among the 12 recorded within 20 km of this point since 15 May 2026 — one other scored the same. Another comparable one was recorded here earlier the same day. 7 more were recorded here in the fortnight before it.
What the source measured
NOAA reported: Tornado Warning issued May 17 at 8:59PM CDT until May 17 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
How we know
One source: NOAA. Not yet confirmed by a second, independent source.
Our own score for this event is 46 out of 100, at 60 % confidence.
The score is ours, computed from intensity, exposed population and local history — not the source’s.
Computed under scoring rules v1. Rows carrying other versions were judged by different rules and are not directly comparable.
Event Data
| Type | Severe Weather |
| Severity | Critical |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 46 / 100 |
| Our confidence | 60% |
| Coordinates | 42.6859, -95.0839 |
| Nearest City | Fort Dodge (78 km) |
| Impact Tier | minor |
| Timestamp | 2026-05-18T01:59:00.000Z |
| Source | https://api.weather.gov/alerts/merged_Tornado Warning_noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d139bfdc1aa832e98d393c977930edff |
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Event | Tornado Warning |
| Urgency | Immediate |
| Certainty | Observed |
| AreaDesc | Emmet, IA; Palo Alto, IA; Clay, IA; Dickinson, IA; Calhoun, IA; Pocahontas, IA; Sac, IA and 1 more areas |
| Headline | Tornado Warning issued May 17 at 8:59PM CDT until May 17 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA |
| Expires | 2026-05-17T21:45:00-05:00 |
| SenderName | NWS Des Moines IA |
| HasExactCoords | true |
| MergedCount | 5 |
| MergedIds | ["noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d139bfdc1aa832e98d393c977930edfffa73df4b.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.ddf3691257aa695ccfc343abf79cf684210a7495.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.a1bed2bcf863f361803ceadd2529b2c0dabc7f2b.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d9df80bc042fa3611827992fca6e48ba219d62c4.001.1","noaa_urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.ba8d07ac98638ef970da39dcd4932f702375cbb7.002.1"] |
Safety Information
If a tornado warning is issued: go to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. A vehicle and a mobile home are not shelter. Cover your head and neck. Wait for the official all-clear before going outside, and watch for downed power lines and gas leaks afterwards.
Series begins 8 March 2026. Comparisons refer to that period only. Collection gap: 14-26 August 2026.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Want to know when something happens in this area?
Calamity.live data shows a weather event with CalamityScore 46/100 (United States), based on data from noaa. Source: Calamity.live, a platform aggregating real-time data from 185 scientific monitoring sources.